I’m a longtime iPhone user and rely on Google Maps for most of my navigation needs. Yes, Apple Maps has gotten a lot better over the years and it’s my second most used iPhone app. But I use Google Maps most of the time I need to explore my surroundings. It’s my favorite Google product and the only way I search with Google Search right now.
But I’ll also tell you that I’ve been using Google Maps all these years while making things difficult for myself. Not only did I never save my history, at least while Google allowed me to, but I also used Google Maps without ever logging into my accounts. This means I lose all the benefits of saving favorite places and locations in Google Maps.
It’s all because of the principle of operation. Google collects too much data, and location is a particularly hot topic for the company.
However, Google surprised me last December by launching a major privacy push targeting Google Maps location data, which made me reconsider my position. Google will no longer collect location data and associate it with your account. Almost six months later, Google is getting things moving to that end. Google Maps location data will remain on the device and this approach will likely change the way I use the app.
per On the edge, Google began informing Google Maps users that they have until December 1st to save the information from their history on their devices. Then Google will start deleting location history information from its servers. And probably then I’ll start recording Google Maps location data locally on my iPhone.
I’m not naive. Google apps and services will continue to collect some location data. This is how the internet works and you can’t change it. Anyone who offers internet service will know your location to some extent based on the internet service providers you use to access that service. Knowing where someone’s Google Account was accessed is also a security feature.
But completely removing Google Maps location history from the web is still a big win in my book. This is the kind of very detailed location data that Google had access to. Location data that could be used to target ads.
Again, I’m sure Google will use the free location information of each user to serve ads tied to their approximate location. That suits me.
I am aware of the obvious flaws here. I’m willing to bet that many Google Maps users love the timeline feature and have taken advantage of it for years. They will continue to do so by saving this information on their devices.
But there is a caveat here. This location history data will remain associated with this device. There is no way to sync it with others. Right now, you can see the location history of any gadget you’ve loaded Google Maps on.
Another immediate problem concerns the loss or theft of a smartphone. Let’s say your iPhone or Android went missing; you will lose all digital information on it, including Google Maps location. You’ll need to remember to back up the information in Google Maps, and Google will let you back it up in the cloud in an encrypted way.
No matter what you think of Google’s new approach to Google Maps location data, you’ll have until December to decide what to do. If you do nothing and history information is stored in your Google Account, Google will move the last 90 days of data and then delete everything else.
As for me, I’ll probably start saving location data on my iPhone now that Google is ready to enforce this big privacy change.
