Apple, Google, Samsung Protest India's Mandatory Always-On Location Tracking Plan [Report]

Apple, Google, and Samsung are pushing back against a proposal in India that would require smartphone makers to keep satellite-based location tracking enabled at all times. The plan, still under review, has raised strong objections over privacy, security, and the lack of any comparable policy elsewhere.

A report from Reuters says the idea originated with the telecom industry, which argues that law enforcement agencies need more accurate information than what cell tower data can provide. The proposal calls for manufacturers to activate Assisted GPS (A-GPS) at the device level and remove the ability for users to turn it off. Experts say this could allow authorities to pinpoint a phone's location to within about a meter.

The India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), which represents Apple and Google, has warned the government that such a mandate has no global precedent and would amount to a regulatory overreach. In a confidential July letter, the group said the policy would create "significant legal, privacy, and national security concerns." Security researchers cited by Reuters also warned that it would effectively turn every smartphone into a "dedicated surveillance device," raising risks for judges, journalists, military personnel, and anyone handling sensitive information.


The issue is surfacing only days after India reversed a separate order that would have required companies to preload a state-run cyber safety app on all new devices. Apple had been preparing to reject the mandate over concerns it would undermine the iPhone's security model.

Telecom operators have also asked the government to remove the pop-up messages that appear when a carrier accesses a user's location, arguing these alerts can warn suspects during investigations. Apple and Google oppose removing the notifications, saying they are necessary for transparency and user control. India's IT and home ministries have not yet made a final decision.

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