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Ask HN: How does Apple Maps know where I'm going?

by ralston on 3/17/18, 6:18 PM with 2 comments

This morning I got in my car to go to the gym, and on my phone's lock screen I could see a push notification from Apple Maps that read "15 mins to get to [gym_location]".

I'm very picky when it comes to which apps have access to my location, and Apple Maps' location access is set to "While Using" - but I _rarely_ use Apple Maps (maybe once every 6 months, by mistake). Further, if I ever did use Apple Maps at one time, I always quit any app after I'm finished using it.

So how does Apple Maps know where I'm going? Mind you, while I do tend to go to the gym on Saturdays, this morning was the earliest I've _ever_ been to the gym (by a long shot). If I've never used or had the app open in the background while going to the gym, how does Apple Maps know that I could even be _possibly_ going to the gym? Especially given how early it was in the morning?

I'm quite creeped out.

  • by KiDD on 3/18/18, 11:11 PM

    It's not a Maps feature but an iOS system feature called Frequent Locations.

    If you don't like this behavior you should turn off Frequent Locations specifically under Settings> Privacy> Location Services> System Services> Frequent Locations

    PS It may be now called Significant Locations in the latest iOS versions...

  • by dstites on 3/20/18, 12:14 AM

    The Significant Locations feature in System Services.