X

iOS 11 will stop apps like Uber from constantly tracking your location

Take that, Uber. Your shady app doesn't need constant location data anyway.

Jason Cipriani Contributing Writer, ZDNet
Jason Cipriani is based out of beautiful Colorado and has been covering mobile technology news and reviewing the latest gadgets for the last six years. His work can also be found on sister site CNET in the How To section, as well as across several more online publications.
Jason Cipriani

There's a small, but incredibly important feature privacy feature in iOS 11 you're going to want to use. Instead of giving developers the power to decide which options to present users with for location sharing, Apple is giving that power to iOS 11 users. 

Prior to iOS 11, users could only use one of the location access options provided by developers. That meant, for an app like Uber , you were limited to two options. If a developer didn't want to include the option for use only while you are using the app, you were stuck with Never or Always. 

Watch this: Apple iOS 11 debuts with all-new control center

Starting with iOS 11, users will be prompted when he or she launches an app that's accessing location data. Users can then choose how often the app can access the data. Naturally, most people will only want that to be when he or she is, you know, actually using the app.

ios-11-location-controls

Starting with iOS 11, you will always have three options for how an app tracks your location. 

Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET

You don't have to wait until prompted, however. To control each individual app, users will need to go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services to adjust individual app settings. This menu also currently exists in iOS 10 and earlier versions of the OS, but all three privacy options aren't always available. With iOS 11, however, Apple is giving you the choice to decide how you are tracked -- and it's about time.