The FCC has fined major wireless companies for sharing and selling location data, highlighting ongoing data privacy concerns.
On the mobile development side, updates introduce new settings allowing users to restrict precise location data shared with cellular networks to a neighborhood level.
How to control app access
Through the iPhone's settings, under the privacy and security section, users can manage which apps have access to their location. Available options include preventing access, asking each time it's used, only running while the app is in use, or allowing constant access.
Additionally, a purple arrow indicates that an app has used location recently, while a gray arrow indicates access within the last 24 hours. If users turn off precise location, apps only know a broader area and not their exact location.
Data restriction to mobile provider
The iOS 26.3 update adds a setting that limits the location information your device shares with cellular networks. With this feature, the carrier only sees the neighborhood you're in instead of your street address.
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This limitation does not affect signal quality, location sharing with emergency services, or the Find My Device app. This feature requires a device with Apple's custom modem, such as iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, or later iPad Pro models with the M5 processor. Carrier support is currently limited to Boost Mobile in the United States and select carriers in Europe and Asia.
Check system services
Users can also disable location features that run in the background, such as mobile network scanning, Wi-Fi connections, and device analytics data. Additionally, there is the option to display a black arrow in the status bar whenever system services access location.
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