Abstract: Controlling the output of audio based on the mode of an electronic device having a sound mode, silent mode, and mute mode, along different audio output routes. In the sound mode, all audio can be output, while only registered or authorized audio can be output in the silent mode. In the mute mode, no audio can be output. The sound and silent modes can be enabled using an interface of the device, while the mute mode can be enabled using an accessory coupled to the device. To disengage the mute mode, a user can provide a corresponding instruction using the accessory or providing an instruction on the device related to volume control. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An access control system is provided to prevent the surreptitious granting of access to privacy related functionality on an electronic device. Software-based events to grant access to device functionality can be validated by confirming that the software event corresponds with a hardware input event. This validation prevents the spoofing of a user interface input that may be used to fraudulently grant access to specific functionality.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device present user interfaces for initializing a remote locator object. In some embodiments, an electronic device presents notifications when a remote locator object is separated from the user. In some embodiments, an electronic device presents notifications when an unknown remote locator object is tracking the user. In some embodiments, an electronic device presents a user interface for a short distance locator user interface for finding a remote locator object. In some embodiments, an electronic device presents user interfaces for finding a remote locator object using a map user interface or using a short distance locator user interface.

Abstract: This is directed to controlling the output of audio based on the mode of an electronic device. In particular, this is directed to an electronic device having a sound mode, silent mode, and mute mode controlling the output of audio along different audio output routes. In the sound mode, all audio can be output, while only registered or authorized audio can be output in the silent mode. In the mute mode, no audio can be output. The sound and silent modes can be enabled using an interface of the device (e.g., a switch having two possible states), while the mute mode can be enabled using an accessory coupled to the device. To disengage the mute mode, a user can provide a corresponding instruction using the accessory, or providing an instruction on the device related to volume control. For example, a user can change the device volume using an on-device interface, or toggle a sound/silent switch to a sound mode.

Abstract: An application can specify a location service authorization type to be enforced by a mobile device. After the user authorizes the location service through an authorization dialog, the application can receive location service according to the authorization type. A first authorization type allows the application to receive continuous location updates and location events from a location service on the mobile device only when the application is in use. A second authorization type allows the application to always receive continuous location updates and location events when the application is running in a foreground or background. A status indicator can be displayed to indicate the authorization associated with a received location service.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable limited access to a photos library by enabling application specific virtual photo libraries. When an application requests access to the photos library, the user can select an option to enable or configure a virtual photos library, and then select specific assets (e.g., photos, videos) within the photos library to be selected for inclusion into an application specific virtual photos library.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable limited access to a photos library by enabling application specific virtual photo libraries. When an application requests access to the photos library, the user can select an option to enable or configure a virtual photos library, and then select specific assets (e.g., photos, videos) within the photos library to be selected for inclusion into an application specific virtual photos library.

Abstract: This is directed to controlling the output of audio based on the mode of an electronic device. In particular, this is directed to an electronic device having a sound mode, silent mode, and mute mode controlling the output of audio along different audio output routes. In the sound mode, all audio can be output, while only registered or authorized audio can be output in the silent mode. In the mute mode, no audio can be output. The sound and silent modes can be enabled using an interface of the device (e.g., a switch having two possible states), while the mute mode can be enabled using an accessory coupled to the device. To disengage the mute mode, a user can provide a corresponding instruction using the accessory, or providing an instruction on the device related to volume control. For example, a user can change the device volume using an on-device interface, or toggle a sound/silent switch to a sound mode.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer-readable media for identifying an asset privacy management trigger on an end-user device related to a third-party application. In response to identifying the asset privacy management trigger, a privacy selection interface to enable a user to select a limited asset access option is displayed. In response to the limited asset access option being selected, an asset selection interface is displayed, where the asset selection interface is configured to define a sub-set of assets of the end-user device as authorized for the third-party application based on user selection. In response to a subsequent request to access assets of the end-user device by the third-party application, the third-party application is able to access only the defined sub-set of assets. For different third-party applications or scenarios, the asset privacy management triggers and asset sub-set definitions may vary.

Abstract: This is directed to controlling the output of audio based on the mode of an electronic device. In particular, this is directed to an electronic device having a sound mode, silent mode, and mute mode controlling the output of audio along different audio output routes. In the sound mode, all audio can be output, while only registered or authorized audio can be output in the silent mode. In the mute mode, no audio can be output. The sound and silent modes can be enabled using an interface of the device (e.g., a switch having two possible states), while the mute mode can be enabled using an accessory coupled to the device. To disengage the mute mode, a user can provide a corresponding instruction using the accessory, or providing an instruction on the device related to volume control. For example, a user can change the device volume using an on-device interface, or toggle a sound/silent switch to a sound mode.

Abstract: Private and secure autocomplete suggestions are enabled based on a user contacts database, even when an application has not been granted access to the user contacts database. A keyboard process can receive and display suggestions based on input provided via the keyboard. The suggestions are generated based on a contacts database of a user. The suggestions are generated without exposing the contacts database to the application. Suggestions are then displayed to the user without exposing the suggestions to the application. Once a suggestion is selected by a user, the selected suggestion is provided to the application for insertion into a text field.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a software-based privacy indicator for a camera and microphone that focuses not purely on hardware status (e.g., on or off), but on whether potentially private data is flowing to the system or an application. If based purely on hardware status, the indicator for an electronic device may be shown in scenarios where no data actually flows to the system or applications. The privacy indicator will be enabled if any camera or microphone data is relayed to the operating system or an application that is executed via the operating system. When the device uses the microphone and camera to capture environmental metadata about the surroundings of the device without providing any audio samples, images, or video frames to the system or an application, the privacy indicator will not be enabled.

Abstract: A location control subsystem is provided that allows a user of an electronic device to define the granularity used to provide location coarseness. A user can define a coarse location granularity for an application. When a coarse device location is reported to an application, the location can be provided with at least a minimum degree of variable specificity based on the selected location coarseness. When an application is granted a coarse location, the application is to interpret the provided location indicating that the user may be anywhere within a geographic region of variable specificity, as opposed to being close to a center point with a horizontal accuracy based on the precision of the location fix, as when a fine granularity location is provided. In addition to reducing the spatial resolution of the location that is reported to the application, the temporal resolution may also be reduced.

Abstract: An access control system is provided to prevent the surreptitious granting of access to privacy related functionality on an electronic device. Software-based events to grant access to device functionality can be validated by confirming that the software event corresponds with a hardware input event. This validation prevents the spoofing of a user interface input that may be used to fraudulently grant access to specific functionality.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer-readable media for identifying an asset privacy management trigger on an end-user device related to a third-party application. In response to identifying the asset privacy management trigger, a privacy selection interface to enable a user to select a limited asset access option is displayed. In response to the limited asset access option being selected, an asset selection interface is displayed, where the asset selection interface is configured to define a sub-set of assets of the end-user device as authorized for the third-party application based on user selection. In response to a subsequent request to access assets of the end-user device by the third-party application, the third-party application is able to access only the defined sub-set of assets. For different third-party applications or scenarios, the asset privacy management triggers and asset sub-set definitions may vary.

Abstract: Private and secure autocomplete suggestions are enabled based on a user contacts database, even when an application has not been granted access to the user contacts database. A keyboard process can receive and display suggestions based on input provided via the keyboard. The suggestions are generated based on a contacts database of a user. The suggestions are generated without exposing the contacts database to the application. Suggestions are then displayed to the user without exposing the suggestions to the application. Once a suggestion is selected by a user, the selected suggestion is provided to the application for insertion into a text field.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable limited access to a photos library by enabling application specific virtual photo libraries. When an application requests access to the photos library, the user can select an option to enable or configure a virtual photos library, and then select specific assets (e.g., photos, videos) within the photos library to be selected for inclusion into an application specific virtual photos library.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that create user interface (UI) instances for corresponding input/output resources, such as display resources, and each of these UI instances have separate lifecycle states or information maintained by the respective UI instances. System processes for the display resources (e.g. different displays or different windows for the same display devices) can control access to their respective display resource and can report changes in the lifecycle states to their respective UI interface.

Abstract: An application can specify a location service authorization type to be enforced by a mobile device. After the user authorizes the location service through an authorization dialog, the application can receive location service according to the authorization type. A first authorization type allows the application to receive continuous location updates and location events from a location service on the mobile device only when the application is in use. A second authorization type allows the application to always receive continuous location updates and location events when the application is running in a foreground or background. A status indicator can be displayed to indicate the authorization associated with a received location service.

Abstract: An application can specify a location service authorization type to be enforced by a mobile device. After the user authorizes the location service through an authorization dialog, the application can receive location service according to the authorization type. A first authorization type allows the application to receive continuous location updates and location events from a location service on the mobile device only when the application is in use. A second authorization type allows the application to always receive continuous location updates and location events when the application is running in a foreground or background. The text of the authorization dialog can be customized by the application to provide more detail on how the location data will be used by the application.