Latest iOS 13.3.1 Beta Includes Toggle for Disabling U1 Ultra Wideband Chip

[MacRumors]

The second beta of iOS 13.3.1, released earlier this month, includes a toggle for disabling the Ultra Wideband chip in the device.

Found by Twitter user Brandon Butch (via 9to5Mac), the toggle can be found by opening up the Settings app, selecting Privacy, choosing Location Services, selecting System Services, and then toggling off the "Networking & Wireless" option.

Disabling this feature warns that Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Ultra Wideband performance will be affected.

Apple added this toggle in the beta after it was discovered that the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max continue to track user location even when location services toggles are disabled.

Apple said that this was expected behavior due to the Ultra Wideband chip and that the iPhone was operating as designed explaining that location data needed to be used because there are international regulatory requirements that mandate the U1 chip be disabled in certain locations.

Ultra wideband technology is an industry standard technology and is subject to international regulatory requirements that require it to be turned off in certain locations. iOS uses Location Services to help determine if ?iPhone? is in these prohibited locations in order to disable ultra wideband and comply with regulations.

The management of ultra wideband compliance and its use of location data is done entirely on the device and Apple is not collecting user location data.

Apple at the time promised to add a toggle to allow customers to disable the U1 chip entirely, and that toggle will be available to everyone after the release of iOS 13.3.1.

Article Link: Latest iOS 13.3.1 Beta Includes Toggle for Disabling U1 Ultra Wideband Chip

 

[SDJim]

Yeah except when Apple Services is using location services it stays on device. Just saying, there's a reason I'm not as anxious to restrict location access for all of iOS as I am for third-party apps and services.

 

[sdf]

Yeah except when Apple Services is using location services it stays on device. Just saying, there's a reason I'm not as anxious to restrict location access for all of iOS as I am for third-party apps and services.

Yup! But as usual, the squeaky wheel got greased.

 

[Jyby]

Science Rules!

 

[CWallace]

Yup! But as usual, the squeaky wheel got greased.

At this rate, the "Disable Features" screen is going to be longer than the "Settings" screen.

 

[69Mustang]

Yeah except when Apple Services is using location services it stays on device. Just saying, there's a reason I'm not as anxious to restrict location access for all of iOS as I am for third-party apps and services.

Whether or not the location data stays on the device or gets sent to Apple is not the point of contention. If a user disables location services, they have every expectation to believe that disable location services means exactly that, disable location services. It clearly didn't and that was the point of contention. Caveats, if there are any, should be clearly explained. This issue itself is trivial imo, but the "discovery" of the UWB exception and the subsequent explanation and toggle solution makes it look worse than it is.

The ounce of prevention (acknowledgement of the UWB exception beforehand ) would have been better than the pound of cure (explanation of why it does what it does afterwards and toggle solution).

 

[imagineadam]

Is this toggle only for iPhone 11? Or is it on all the iPhones?

 

[seattlematt1976]

I wonder if this will have any positive impact to the horrendous bluetooth issues with iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models, with these phones failing to connect to non-Apple bluetooth devices, or dropping connections if they do manage to connect. My wife and I both have the 11 Pro Max, and it's honestly been very difficult to use these with our cars--as they only make the connections about 40% of the time.

iPhone 11 on iOS 13 having Bluetooth conn… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

It's at 98 pages...and still very active.

 

[jpn]

Is this toggle only for iPhone 11? Or is it on all the iPhones?

for all iPhones that have or will have the U1 chip in it.
therefore currently only iPhone 11/pro/max.

but the more immediate and interesting question is if the new model of iPhone 9 coming before end March 2020 will have this U1 chip in it or not.

 

[57004]

Excellent.. Offering the user control is never a bad thing.

 

[now i see it]

Why is it that it always takes an Internet tech blogger to identify some hidden, undocumented, sneaky behavior in the iPhone (iOS 10 battery throttling etc) and then apple suddenly coming to the rescue to fix the "intended behavior" once they're found out?

 

[69Mustang]

Since Apple controls the hardware and software stack, I think it would be neat if you could ask Siri about processes on your phone. Something like: "Siri, has my GPS been in use within the last xx timeframe?" If the answer is yes, Siri lets you know when and by what app or process. Seems like something that's within the realm of possibility.

/resists urge to make Siri joke

 

[Macaholic868]

This strikes me as a cop out on Apple’s part. If a user doesn’t want their location to be tracked they should have the option of only disabling Ultra Wideband without also having to disable both Bluetooth and WiFi. Right now it’s only used in iOS to enhance Airdrop’s accuracy. I know Apple has big plans for it in the future but if they are truly a company that puts privacy first they’d allow users to shut it off while leaving Bluetooth and WiFi on and let the user decide if they care about the features that won’t work without it.

 

[Reason077]

It would be fairer if Apple did this the same way that every other App has to now days - by regularly throwing up a reminder/nag screen that your location is being tracked!

Apple’s own apps and services should be subject the same rules as other Apps and not get special blanket privileges to use location data. It’s only fair!

 

[bbplayer5]

What would be the reason to do this?

 

[iGeneo]

This strikes me as a cop out on Apple’s part. If a user doesn’t want their location to be tracked they should have the option of only disabling Ultra Wideband without also having to disable both Bluetooth and WiFi. Right now it’s only used in iOS to enhance Airdrop’s accuracy. I know Apple has big plans for it in the future but if they are truly a company that puts privacy first they’d allow users to shut it off while leaving Bluetooth and WiFi on and let the user decide if they care about the features that won’t work without it.

It does not disable Bluetooth and/or wireless

 

[Dave-Z]

Why is it that it always takes an Internet tech blogger to identify some hidden, undocumented, sneaky behavior in the iPhone (iOS 10 battery throttling etc) and then apple suddenly coming to the rescue to fix the "intended behavior" once they're found out?

Exactly. And it's been happening a little more lately.. This UWB chip and the Siri recordings. Makes me wonder what else Apple does...

 

[Tech198]

Yeah except when Apple Services is using location services it stays on device. Just saying, there's a reason I'm not as anxious to restrict location access for all of iOS as I am for third-party apps and services.

I think Facebook got found out and Google, but that doesn't mean they never learn their lesson. That's hwy you have guidelines on the app store.

Whats the use if developers consonantly gonna keep breaking them ?

 

[Princejb134]

Why is it that it always takes an Internet tech blogger to identify some hidden, undocumented, sneaky behavior in the iPhone (iOS 10 battery throttling etc) and then apple suddenly coming to the rescue to fix the "intended behavior" once they're found out?

Because no software company can find and fix all bugs. When the software is released to the public is when they find a lot of the bugs because there’s more users

 

[Regbial]

Whether or not the location data stays on the device or gets sent to Apple is not the point of contention. If a user disables location services, they have every expectation to believe that disable location services means exactly that, disable location services. It clearly didn't and that was the point of contention. Caveats, if there are any, should be clearly explained. This issue itself is trivial imo, but the "discovery" of the UWB exception and the subsequent explanation and toggle solution makes it look worse than it is.

The ounce of prevention (acknowledgement of the UWB exception beforehand ) would have been better than the pound of cure (explanation of why it does what it does afterwards and toggle solution).

Reminds me of the Wifi toggle not actually shutting it off thing...

Thing is, location services use more battery. To have a feature that uses location services and doesn't tell the consumer, is a clear betrayal of trust. Not just for that data, but because the battery is being used on something more, that the consumer is not being told about. Seems kind of skeevy...

I mean these are the most expensive iPhones and Apple is doing that to those consumers, the ones who payed the most... Treating them like dumb/ignorant children... yeesh.

Oh and then they'll happily charge you for a battery replacement or, again, throttle your device's preformance without telling you... ... Yeah this is the side of Apple I can't stand...

 

[dilbert99]

explaining that location data needed to be used because there are international regulatory requirements that mandate the U1 chip be disabled in certain locations.

Seems like a strawman argument that is being put forward.
We need location data on to comply with regulation. I bet it only needs to be on a few times a day to comply if that. For example, if it never needs to be turned off in Australia, then Apple only needs to know my location say once a day. I am most likely reading the story wrong but looks like Apple are saying it needs to be on quite often.

 

[V_Man]

Because no software company can find and fix all bugs. When the software is released to the public is when they find a lot of the bugs because there’s more users

The Siri recording and the phone throttling were bugs? This is news to me.

All software absolutely has bugs. This isn’t a bug it’s Apple getting called out on something and their status quo response.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

if it never needs to be turned off in Australia, then Apple only needs to know my location say once a day.

And whenever the phone is powered off, and then back on. There’s probably a few other cases like this where they can show some foreign government “This is how we will GUARANTEE that it is NEVER enabled in your country”.

 

[ironpony]

It would be nice to see a report of who was sent an iphones location given its current settings so as to be able to decide which to toggle, too much to ask?

 

[MoreRumors?]

This strikes me as a cop out on Apple’s part. If a user doesn’t want their location to be tracked they should have the option of only disabling Ultra Wideband without also having to disable both Bluetooth and WiFi. Right now it’s only used in iOS to enhance Airdrop’s accuracy. I know Apple has big plans for it in the future but if they are truly a company that puts privacy first they’d allow users to shut it off while leaving Bluetooth and WiFi on and let the user decide if they care about the features that won’t work without it.

I agree and it should be a separate option for each and instead of across the board.