Overview
- Documents and sources show New Delhi is examining a COAI proposal that would require smartphones to keep A‑GPS enabled at all times, with no user opt-out.
- The plan also urges disabling pop-up alerts when carriers access location data, and experts say the change could enable tracking to roughly one meter.
- Apple, Google and Samsung have formally opposed the mandate, with industry group ICEA calling it regulatory overreach and noting there is no global precedent.
- Privacy advocates warn the measure would effectively turn phones into dedicated surveillance devices and could endanger sensitive users such as judges, journalists and military personnel.
- A scheduled home ministry meeting with smartphone executives to discuss the proposal was postponed, and officials say no policy decision has been made following the recent rollback of the Sanchar Saathi preinstall order.