Has the iPhone been following you?

from apple.com

The biggest story among Apple fans last week was the report by two researchers that the iPhone could track the movements of its user through a secret file embedded within it.  The file, according to the researchers named Peter Warden and Allasdair Allen, is unencrypted and gives a detailed account of the comings and goings of the user.  

The initial reaction was fear and then indignation at the possible breach of security among iPhone users.  There was a lawsuit filed against Apple because of this.

After the initial outburst, however, people realized that the report was nothing new and is not something to lose sleep on.  One analyst even went to as far as using the same application that the researchers used and found its readings a bit off.  Steve Jobs, when asked through email by an iPhone owner, said in his usual brief reply that  "... The info circulating around is false."

Just this afternoon, someone gave me a link to an official statement from Apple that finally addresses the issue.  The statement is in Q and A form and on whether the iPhone and other iOS this is what the company has to say:

"Apple is not tracking the location of your iPhone. Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so."

By the way, just as the dust on this issue starts to settle, Apple updated its site to announce that the White iPhone 4 is coming out today.