• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Apple Gave Uber Access to a Secret Feature that Could Allow it to Record Your Screen

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 6, 2017, 5:35 AM ET

Apple has been giving Uber access to more than just an iPhone user’s current location.

The company reportedly gave the ride-hailing app access to a tool that would potentially allow Uber to record a user’s screen or access their personal information, even if the app was only running in the background.

Read: Uber’s Board Approves Huge Investment While Reducing Founder Kalanick’s Influence

It’s called an “entitlement,” and nearly all iPhone apps have some version of one—it’s the feature that enables things like your camera and Apple Pay. But Business Insider notes that there are some sensitive entitlements that are only for use by Apple—and one of these appeared in the code for Uber’s app.

The entitlement was reportedly first provided to Uber as a means to improve functionality between the app and Apple Watch, as early versions of the watch couldn’t “handle the level of map rendering in the Uber app.”

Read: The Lack of Apple iPhone 8 Deals Means Less People Are Switching Wireless Carriers

Uber representative Melanie Ensign further explained to Business Insider that updates to the watch render the entitlement no longer necessary. In addition, Gizmodo reports that there is no evidence that Uber ever took advantage of this access to gain personal information from Uber users. Still, while the code does not appear to have been used, the entitlement has yet to be removed from Uber’s code.

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.