Continuing to prove how much it cares about user privacy, Apple has launched the iOS 13.3.1 beta update that will enable users to disable the Ultra Wideband Chip in order to completely stop sharing there location details. The development comes on the back of complaints from users that their location was still getting tracked despite turning off the location sharing in settings. Apple stated that it was due to the Ultra Wideband Chip installed in iPhone11 and has now provided the users with a toggle switch to disable the same. The UI displays a warning message stating that disabling the Ultra Wideband Chip might cause Bluetooth, WiFi, and Ultra Wideband Chip’s performance to get affected.

Ultra Wideband Chip gives spatial details about the device and is a part of all iPhone models from iPhone 11 and above. U1 chips have to be disabled owing to some international regulatory concerns and hence the company had to come up with a disable option for it, as stated by Apple. Earlier, iPhone11 users complained that there location was getting tracked even after turning off all location sharing options and thought their iPhones were under threat. However, the company clarified that the iPhones were working as intended and provided a toggle button while citing U1 chip as the reason. The iOS 13.3.1 beta update is not available worldwide and hence location of users in countries where it is not available will continue to get monitored.

Apple recently was involved in a major Congressional hearing alleging it to be using its dominance in the market to kill its smaller competitors. Tile has alleged that Apple forces it to comply with the App Store rules and then slowly launches an identical app to reduce the number of users on original app.