Apple Just Expanded This Privacy Feature to More iPhones
When you share your location data with an app or service, you may assume you're sharing your exact coordinates. But that's not necessarily the case. While "precise location" sharing does indeed broadcast your literal whereabouts, "approximate location" sharing only submits your general position. It's the difference between an app knowing your home address versus seeing the neighborhood you're in, or perhaps even the town or city itself. It's a great way to balance privacy and utility: Apps that don't need all that extra location information to function simply won't get it.
Back in January, Apple introduced a new privacy setting for iPhone: Limit Precise Location. While that might sound like the existing option detailed above, this new setting lets you hide this location information from your cell carriers, too. That way, you can totally control how you share your location data from your iPhone: Apps that need precise coordinates, like your navigation app, can have it, while apps that may only need your approximate location can have that instead—including, now, your carrier.
Unfortunately, at the time of launch, support for Limit Precise Location was extremely limited. Apple only opened this option to iPhones that have its proprietary C1 or C1X chip, including the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and the cellular model of the M5 iPad Pro. What's more, only Boost Mobile users had access in the U.S., meaning a very small fraction of iPhone users in the States have been able to take advantage of this new privacy measure.
Apple expanded Limit Precise Location support with iOS 26.5
That changed with iOS 26.5, which Apple released this week. While the feature still only works for Boost Mobile customers in the U.S., Apple added the iPhone 17e to the list of supported devices. If you don't live in the U.S., however, the expansion is a little more generous. Apple is including another handful of carriers here, expanding the list to the following:
● Austria: A1
● Denmark: YouSee
● Germany: Telekom
● Ireland: Sky
● Thailand: AIS and True
● United Kingdom: EE, BT, and Sky
● United States: Boost Mobile
Limit Precise Location is enabled by default for all supported iPhones with these carriers. If you live in the EU or UK, however, and you have one of these iPhones, you likely have the feature—even if your carrier isn't listed here. Apple says that with a SIM from an EU or UK carrier, you have the option to turn this feature on. Rumor has it that Apple is planning on rolling out its next-gen cellular modem, the C2, to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. By the end of this year, the list of iPhones that support this feature should be a bit larger.
How to manage Limit Precise Location
If you have the right combination of iPhone and cellular carrier, this feature is enabled by default. However, you'll find the option in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Limit Precise Location.
via Lifehacker (author: Jake Peterson)
When you share your location data with an app or service, you may assume you're sharing your exact coordinates. But that's not necessarily the case. While "precise location" sharing does indeed broadcast your literal whereabouts, "approximate location" sharing only submits your general position. It's the difference between an app knowing your home address versus seeing the neighborhood you're in, or perhaps even the town or city itself. It's a great way to balance privacy and utility: Apps that don't need all that extra location information to function simply won't get it.
Back in January, Apple introduced a new privacy setting for iPhone: Limit Precise Location. While that might sound like the existing option detailed above, this new setting lets you hide this location information from your cell carriers, too. That way, you can totally control how you share your location data from your iPhone: Apps that need precise coordinates, like your navigation app, can have it, while apps that may only need your approximate location can have that instead—including, now, your carrier.
Unfortunately, at the time of launch, support for Limit Precise Location was extremely limited. Apple only opened this option to iPhones that have its proprietary C1 or C1X chip, including the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and the cellular model of the M5 iPad Pro. What's more, only Boost Mobile users had access in the U.S., meaning a very small fraction of iPhone users in the States have been able to take advantage of this new privacy measure.
Apple expanded Limit Precise Location support with iOS 26.5
That changed with iOS 26.5, which Apple released this week. While the feature still only works for Boost Mobile customers in the U.S., Apple added the iPhone 17e to the list of supported devices. If you don't live in the U.S., however, the expansion is a little more generous. Apple is including another handful of carriers here, expanding the list to the following:
● Austria: A1
● Denmark: YouSee
● Germany: Telekom
● Ireland: Sky
● Thailand: AIS and True
● United Kingdom: EE, BT, and Sky
● United States: Boost Mobile
Limit Precise Location is enabled by default for all supported iPhones with these carriers. If you live in the EU or UK, however, and you have one of these iPhones, you likely have the feature—even if your carrier isn't listed here. Apple says that with a SIM from an EU or UK carrier, you have the option to turn this feature on. Rumor has it that Apple is planning on rolling out its next-gen cellular modem, the C2, to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. By the end of this year, the list of iPhones that support this feature should be a bit larger.
How to manage Limit Precise Location
If you have the right combination of iPhone and cellular carrier, this feature is enabled by default. However, you'll find the option in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Limit Precise Location.
via Lifehacker (author: Jake Peterson)
The Big Three Carriers Want to (Nearly) End Dead Zones in the United States
I'm always a little surprised any time I hit a dead zone. It's 2026; we've had cell phones since the '80s; modern 5G connections can rival home internet speeds; and yet, there are still way too many parts of this country that aren't covered by cellular networks. While those cellular networks might not necessarily expand to cover the entire country any time soon, it is possible that, in the near future, you'll be hard-pressed to find a part of the U.S. where you can't make a phone call.
These carriers are working to end dead zones in America
On Thursday, Verizon published a press release featuring a pretty significant announcement: The big three cellular networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) are pooling their resources to try to end dead zones in America. The idea is to expand satellite communications across all three networks to directly address coverage gaps across the country, especially in "unserved and underserved communities." That's particularly important for remote areas of the States where there is little to no traditional cell service.
While the press release shies away from saying the joint venture will end dead zones entirely, it does stress that the plan is to "nearly eliminate" them in the U.S. But the goal goes beyond coverage gaps, too. By increasing satellite communications and, therefore, increasing redundancy in coverage, the networks believe they'll improve reliability in emergencies: When everyone is trying to call and text across cell networks at once, they slow down or stop working entirely. By rolling out a more robust satellite network, there will be another means of communication during these high-demand situations. According to the press release, the networks will also work with rural mobile network operators to expand services to their customer bases.
Satellite communications are all the rage right now. Cellular networks, as well as smartphone manufacturers, have been rolling out expanded support in recent years. Apple, for example, now lets iPhone users text their contacts over satellite when they have no cell service, while T-Mobile offers similar services for its customers via Starlink. Of course, satellite service isn't necessarily the same as cellular service: Because the signal needs to travel all the way up to a satellite orbiting the Earth, it takes a lot longer than your standard cell signal. As such, I'm not sure that somebody tapping into satellite coverage in a rural area of the U.S. is going to have as reliable an experience as another user connecting through 4G or 5G networks.
Still, satellite communications have literally saved lives in situations where cell service was not available. If the networks want to band together to create a dedicated network of satellite communications, I'm certainly not opposed.
via Lifehacker (author: Jake Peterson)
I'm always a little surprised any time I hit a dead zone. It's 2026; we've had cell phones since the '80s; modern 5G connections can rival home internet speeds; and yet, there are still way too many parts of this country that aren't covered by cellular networks. While those cellular networks might not necessarily expand to cover the entire country any time soon, it is possible that, in the near future, you'll be hard-pressed to find a part of the U.S. where you can't make a phone call.
These carriers are working to end dead zones in America
On Thursday, Verizon published a press release featuring a pretty significant announcement: The big three cellular networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) are pooling their resources to try to end dead zones in America. The idea is to expand satellite communications across all three networks to directly address coverage gaps across the country, especially in "unserved and underserved communities." That's particularly important for remote areas of the States where there is little to no traditional cell service.
While the press release shies away from saying the joint venture will end dead zones entirely, it does stress that the plan is to "nearly eliminate" them in the U.S. But the goal goes beyond coverage gaps, too. By increasing satellite communications and, therefore, increasing redundancy in coverage, the networks believe they'll improve reliability in emergencies: When everyone is trying to call and text across cell networks at once, they slow down or stop working entirely. By rolling out a more robust satellite network, there will be another means of communication during these high-demand situations. According to the press release, the networks will also work with rural mobile network operators to expand services to their customer bases.
Satellite communications are all the rage right now. Cellular networks, as well as smartphone manufacturers, have been rolling out expanded support in recent years. Apple, for example, now lets iPhone users text their contacts over satellite when they have no cell service, while T-Mobile offers similar services for its customers via Starlink. Of course, satellite service isn't necessarily the same as cellular service: Because the signal needs to travel all the way up to a satellite orbiting the Earth, it takes a lot longer than your standard cell signal. As such, I'm not sure that somebody tapping into satellite coverage in a rural area of the U.S. is going to have as reliable an experience as another user connecting through 4G or 5G networks.
Still, satellite communications have literally saved lives in situations where cell service was not available. If the networks want to band together to create a dedicated network of satellite communications, I'm certainly not opposed.
via Lifehacker (author: Jake Peterson)
You Can Now Pre-Order XReal's R1 Gaming AR Glasses (With the ROG Control Deck)
via Lifehacker (author: Stephen Johnson)
via Lifehacker (author: Stephen Johnson)
Telegraph
You Can Now Pre-Order XReal's R1 Gaming AR Glasses (With the…
We may earn a commission from links on this page. XReal and ASUS Republic of Gamers announced this morning that pre-orders are open for the ROG XREAL R1, a pair of augmented reality smart glasses designed for high-frame-rate gaming paired with a ROG control…
I Tried These Four Fitness Watches to See Which Was Best for Hyrox Training
via Lifehacker (author: Beth Skwarecki)
via Lifehacker (author: Beth Skwarecki)
Telegraph
I Tried These Four Fitness Watches to See Which Was Best for…
We may earn a commission from links on this page. I’m so much in the habit of recording and tracking my workouts that when I started training for Hyrox, my first question was, "how will I track them?" I want to keep an eye on my heart rate, so that narrowed…
自由散漫的包裹型美国石人金属，电台叙事中的严肃与轻松——专辑推荐275.Songs for the Deaf-Queens of the Stone Age (评论: Songs For The Deaf)
へ星评论: Songs For The Deaf
评价: 力荐
via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: へ星)
へ星评论: Songs For The Deaf
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via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: へ星)
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へ星评论: The Unnatural World
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via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: へ星)
へ星评论: The Unnatural World
评价: 力荐
via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: へ星)
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realkristle_评论: Oh My My
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via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: realkristle_)
realkristle_评论: Oh My My
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via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: realkristle_)
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via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: Benjamin Aleks)
Benjamin Aleks评论: Unreal Unearth
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via 豆瓣最受欢迎的乐评 (author: Benjamin Aleks)