Google and Apple both collect data from Android and iOS every 4.5 minutes on average.
Recent research from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, has shown that Google obtains more data from Android users than Apple collects from iOS users.
The researchers found out that the tech giant gets 20 times more data than Apple.
This was discovered when they compared data shared with Google from a Pixel phone to the one shared with Apple from an iPhone.
However, Google has expressed its bias towards the methodology adopted for the research.
Douglas J. Leith and his team conducted the research at Trinity College Dublin on mobile handset privacy.
They pitted a Google-made Pixel phone against an iPhone made by Apple to observe which manufacturer collects more data from its users.
The study revealed that both phone models shared users’ data with their respective manufacturers every 4.5 mins.
Users’ data collected on both phones include IMEI, hardware serial number, SIM serial number and IMSI, handset phone number and more.
When a smartphone user slots a SIM in either of the phones, both Apple and Google get notified with users’ details.
For iPhone, iOS sends àll the MAC addresses and GPS location of any close device to Apple.
Unfortunately, iOS users have no option of opting out.
Google on the other hand retrieves Ad ID, Android ID, DroidGuard key and ads.
Compared to this, Apple collects just Ad ID and UDID according to the research.
In contrast, when not logged in on iOS devices, Apple still collects both user’s location and the local IP address, however, Google did not, according to the report.
Other parts of the report show that:
- Google collects Wi-Fi MAC addresses while Apple did not.
- Google collects up to 1MB of data while Apple collects about 42KB within 10 minutes of startup,
- Google collects up to 1 MB of data while Apple collects about 52 KB of data every 12 hours when their devices are left idle
In all these Google has completely disagreed with the research methodology applied, a statement cited from the tech giant’s Spokesperson reads
“We identified flaws in the researcher’s methodology for measuring data volume and disagree with the paper’s claims that an Android device shares 20 times more data than an iPhone.
According to our research, these findings are off by an order of magnitude, and we shared our methodology concerns with the researcher before publication.”
The spokesperson further stated that the research carried out by Trinity College majorly indicates how smartphones work.
According to the spokesperson, today’s cars often send data on vehicle components and safety status to care manufacturers. So this system also applies to mobile phones
“This report details those communications, which help ensure that iOS or Android software is up to date, services are working as intended, and that the phone is secure and running efficiently.”, Google’s spokesperson concluded
Don’t miss important articles during the week. Subscribe to techbuild weekly digest for updates.