A MacRumors reader has sent in a screenshot of a prompt in iOS 8 that double checks with users asking if they want to continue giving location info to apps.

ios 8 location data prompt
Since iOS 6, Apple has required apps to get explicit user permission before accessing personal data and device information, with iOS 8 now allowing users to determine whether they want apps to keep using location data.

Apple's original move to require apps to ask for permission came in 2012 after it was discovered that apps such as Path were uploading users' address books without asking for authorization. While Path eventually deleted the information, a pair of U.S. Congressmen sent a letter to Apple asking for information on specific data collection policies, causing Apple to make changes.

Since then, Apple has made a number of moves to better comply with concerns over privacy, which include adding the ability to report apps that do not comply with privacy requirements and asking iOS users if Location Services should be enabled during setup.

Top Rated Comments

bwillwall Avatar
115 months ago
This is good for privacy but I will say they are taking on a bit of a Windows Vista approach.. bugging people about their apps constantly.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tob! Avatar
115 months ago
It checks because there is a new setting available. You can now restrict location usage for an app so that it only has access when it's on screen.
It turns out apps need to explicitly implement this. (Apples apps already have this setting)
If your app has not implementet this you will loose location access all together.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MikhailT Avatar
115 months ago
This is good for privacy but I will say they are taking on a bit of a Windows Vista approach.. bugging people about their apps constantly.
I hope I can turn this off. Will get annoying after awhile.
You'd only have to do it once per app or just turn off location services. I only see like 5 apps that ever uses the location service, so I'd imagine it's not going to be that frequent.

Also, it's not just good for privacy but for battery life.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
115 months ago
Great changes.

I hope the status bar icon distinguishes between "while running" and "always on" GPS.

I use Dark Sky for rain alerts, which means "always on" (but nicely power-efficient!) GPS. And the icon shows in the status bar. But with that icon always there, I cannot (in iOS 7) tell when any OTHER app is using the GPS.

If the icon were to change for "while running" apps like Yelp etc., that would make it far more useful. (As it is, I may as well turn off the icon, since it's always there and tells me nothing.)

Currently you can see all this by poking through settings, but if you're going yo have a status icon, make it useful!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bwillwall Avatar
115 months ago
You'd only have to do it once per app or just turn off location services. I only see like 5 apps that ever uses the location service, so I'd imagine it's not going to be that frequent.

Also, it's not just good for privacy but for battery life.

Yes but if an app needs to use the gps.. it asks.. if it needs the camera.. it asks.. if it needs photos.. it asks.. if it needs the mic.. the contacts.. calendar.. reminders.. bluetooth.. motion data.. or to keep running gps data in the background, it asks. They just need like a list with everything the app wants so you can toggle them on and off on a single list, because this is getting too intrusive.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mazz0 Avatar
115 months ago
I got this with Weather too, I though "why's Weather using my location when it's not open?" So it can have the rights location instantly when next opened?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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