Title: Apple Watch Already Facing Questions Concerning User Privacy Post by: HCK on September 18, 2014, 09:00:14 am Apple Watch Already Facing Questions Concerning User Privacy
Though it won't be released until early 2015, Apple's new wearable device is already facing public scrutiny over privacy issues. Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has sent a letter (http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?Q=552952&A=2341) to Apple CEO Tim Cook asking several questions about how the Apple Watch will operate and requesting a meeting with Apple representatives. In the letter, Jepsen addresses several issues he has with the Apple Watch, and requests that Apple explains what data the device will collect and how the information will be stored, along with its policies on apps that access health information. (http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2014/09/applewatch11.jpg) In his letter, the Attorney General noted several areas of concern, including:Many of these questions actually seem to pertain more to Apple's HealthKit APIs, and several of the answers to Jepson's questions are detailed in Apple's Review Guidelines for developers (https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines) that was updated in June. In the document, Apple says that HealthKit information will not be stored in iCloud and that apps attempting to store health data in iCloud will be rejected. It also states that apps will not be able to share data with third parties without express user consent and that all apps that provide diagnoses or treatment advice will be rejected. Introduced on September 9, the Apple Watch is designed to be both fashionable and functional, aiming to encourage its users to be more active. It includes an accelerometer and four lenses designed to monitor heart rate, with the information collected displayed in several accompanying fitness apps. The heart rate and fitness data will also likely integrate with the Health app in iOS 8, which is designed to aggregate health and fitness data from a wide range of devices that have taken advantage of the HealthKit API. <small>Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues (http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=47) forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.</small> Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Macy's Announces iBeacon Expansion, Support for Apple Pay (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/15/macys-shopkick-apple-pay/) • Apple to Preinstall iLife and iWork on Higher-Capacity iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Models (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/15/iphone-6-ilife-iwork/) • Microsoft Acquiring 'Minecraft' Developer Mojang for $2.5 Billion (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/15/microsoft-minecraft/) • MacUpdate Offers 10 Apps for $49.99, Including Toast 12 Titanium and NoteBook 4 (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/15/macupdate-fall-2014-bundle/) • Phones4U Cancels All iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Pre-orders as UK Retailer Faces Closure (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/15/phones4u-iphone-6/) • U2's 'Songs of Innocence' Downloaded 2 Million Times After Promotion (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/12/u2-songs-of-innocence-2-million-downloads-itunes/) • Buyer's Guide: Deals on 2014 Retina MacBook Pro, Bolt Battery Charger, Dragon Dictate 4, and More (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/12/buyers-guide-deals-september-12/) • Report Claims Apple Launching New 27-Inch 5K Display Later This Year (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/12/report-apple-27-inch-5k-display-this-year/) <img width='1' height='1' src='http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/35070/f/648327/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/mf.gif' border='0'/><br clear='all'/> <a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.htm" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img" border="0"/>[/url] <a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.htm" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img" border="0"/>[/url] <a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.htm" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img" border="0"/>[/url] <img src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/a2.img" border="0"/> (http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/a2.htm)<img width="1" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157818596/u/49/f/648327/c/35070/s/3e7dd33b/sc/4/a2t.img" border="0"/><div class="feedflare"> <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img> (http://feeds.macrumors.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?a=_8wkWRcHdL4:Oi2UavlB4uU:yIl2AUoC8zA) <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?d=6W8y8wAjSf4" border="0"></img> (http://feeds.macrumors.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?a=_8wkWRcHdL4:Oi2UavlB4uU:6W8y8wAjSf4) <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img> (http://feeds.macrumors.com/~ff/MacRumors-Front?a=_8wkWRcHdL4:Oi2UavlB4uU:qj6IDK7rITs) </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MacRumors-Front/~4/_8wkWRcHdL4" height="1" width="1"/> Source: Apple Watch Already Facing Questions Concerning User Privacy (http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/15/apple-watch-privacy-concerns/) |