Users asked for permission before allowing third-party apps to access personal data

Jun 15, 2012 07:51 GMT  ·  By

Apple promised earlier this year to make adjustments to iOS so that any app "wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release." That change arrived in iOS 6.

When iOS 6 ships this fall, all applications will require express user approval to access information stored in vital applications like Contacts, Calendars, Reminders and, perhaps most importantly, Photos.

Apple’s "Data Privacy" segment in the iOS 6 release notes specifically states that, “In addition to location data, the system now asks the user’s permission before allowing third-party apps to access certain user data.”

These applications include (but are not limited to) “Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Photo Library,” according to the documentation.

“For contact, calendar, and reminder data, your app needs to be prepared to be denied access to these items and to adjust its behavior accordingly,” the release notes state. “If the user has not yet been prompted to allow access, the returned structure is valid but contains no records.”

“If the user has denied access, the app receives a NULL value or no data. If the user grants permission to the app, the system subsequently notifies the app that it needs to reload or revert the data,” Apple adds.

iOS 6 will be released for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch this fall as a free software update. Not all devices are supported, such as the first-generation iPad, and most of the new features it delivers won’t be available for iPhone 3GS users, despite being compatible with the hardware.

A key iOS 6 feature is the all-new Maps app with 3D capabilities, cartography designed by Apple themselves, and turn-by-turn navigation with an amazing new Flyover view.

There will also be some new Siri features this fall, including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings.

iOS 6 has Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar, and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud. The software also comes with a brand new app called Passbook.