Transcript of Interview With Apple Executives on iOS Location Tracking

Wednesday April 27, 2011 2:59 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

Phil Schiller, Steve Jobs, and Scott Forstall at iOS 4 introduction (Source: CNET)

Earlier today, All Things Digital conducted a telephone interview with Steve Jobs and other Apple senior executives, covering the location tracking controversy and white iPhone 4 delays. All Things Digital has now followed with a full, edited transcript of the portion of the interview covering the location tracking issue.

In the full interview, Jobs discusses why it took Apple nearly a week to respond to the issue, noting that the company needed to take the time to investigate the situation and figure out how best to relate the information to the public.

"We're an engineering-driven company," Jobs said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "When people accuse us of things, the first thing we want to do is find out the truth. That took a certain amount of time to track all of these things down. And the accusations were coming day by day. By the time we had figured this all out, it took a few days. Then writing it up and trying to make it intelligible when this is a very high-tech topic took a few days. And here we are less than a week later."

Most of the other points of the interview were covered in the earlier highlight piece, but the full transcript also includes new details about how the location database works and about Apple's views on user control over location services.

When pressed on what services Apple might be developing using location information, Jobs referred only to the potential traffic service disclosed in the official Q&A, declining to expand on that with additional information or possibilities.

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sully677
114 months ago

Why does it take a media storm for Apple to open up on an issue ? It would be so much better if they more forthcoming and frank befoe an issue snowballs.


You are very, very negative.
Rating: 9 Votes
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wovel
114 months ago

Why does it take a media storm for Apple to open up on an issue ? It would be so much better if they more forthcoming and frank befoe an issue snowballs.


As they said, it has been a week. It is not really there fault that the media instantly makes a storm out of every Apple issue.


if they are not tracking people then why have the feature? maybe the information is for someone else??... who knows but one thing is for sure its an invasion of privacy..... even if I do stay home all day and night.


It is clear from your reply you did not read the transcript or any thing else on this issue...
Rating: 7 Votes
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Al Coholic
114 months ago
Then writing it up and trying to make it intelligible when this is a very high-tech topic took a few days. And here we are less than a week later."


Translation: We are Apple. We know you're stupid.
Rating: 5 Votes
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hobo.hopkins
114 months ago

....because Apple says nothing and allows it to fester.


It's been a week; a week is hardly enough time for anything to fester.
Rating: 5 Votes
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djgamble
114 months ago

if they are not tracking people then why have the feature? maybe the information is for someone else??... who knows but one thing is for sure its an invasion of privacy..... even if I do stay home all day and night.


How? That's like saying that Adium reads your chat transcripts because they are saved locally...
Rating: 5 Votes
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Kwill
114 months ago

ok its nice to read the transcript, but these accusations that apple is is tracking users is stupid and retarted


Whew! It's a good thing you didn't say "retarded (http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/lady-gaga-apologizes-retarded-remark/story?id=13430282).":rolleyes:
Rating: 5 Votes
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PCClone
114 months ago

Why does it take a media storm for Apple to open up on an issue ? It would be so much better if they more forthcoming and frank before an issue snowballs.


Do you get your rocks off by being a troll?
Rating: 4 Votes
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Stridder44
114 months ago

Why does it take a media storm for Apple to open up on an issue ? It would be so much better if they more forthcoming and frank before an issue snowballs.


Because it's not news. Plus it's a stupid issue in the first place. Every damn carrier in the world tracks your movement FAR more than Apple has. Google's Android tracks you even more than iOS does. This has been happening for well over a decade. Nobody cares, and only a few people have their tin-foil hats on tight enough to care.
Rating: 4 Votes
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paul4339
114 months ago

Why does it take a media storm for Apple to open up on an issue ? It would be so much better if they more forthcoming and frank before an issue snowballs.


maybe because, often, it's not even an issue ... until the media makes it an issue.

P.
Rating: 4 Votes
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ArchaicRevival
114 months ago

yawn. how many more stories about this stupid "location tracking".


Until people like this guy actually get the point that Apple isn't tracking anyone.

Why does it take a media storm for Apple to open up on an issue ? It would be so much better if they more forthcoming and frank befoe an issue snowballs.

Rating: 4 Votes

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