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: 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: An application manager of a mobile device can provide a user with the ability to control whether an application can use location information provided by a location subsystem of the mobile device. The application can request a current location of the mobile device and the location subsystem can provide the location of the mobile device in accordance with a location services authorization type that is assigned to the application.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: An application manager of a mobile device can provide a user with the ability to control whether an application can use location information provided by a location subsystem of the mobile device. The application can request a current location of the mobile device and the location subsystem can provide the location of the mobile device in accordance with a location services authorization type that is assigned to the application.

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 manager of a mobile device can provide a user with the ability to control whether an application can use location information provided by a location subsystem of the mobile device. The application can request to be notified by the location subsystem when the mobile device crosses a geofence. When the mobile device crosses the geofence, the location subsystem provides a notice to the application. The application manager can intercept the notice to the application, and present an alert on a user interface. The application manager can then provide the notice to the application only upon receiving an input through the user interface confirming that the application still has permission to use location information.

Abstract: Techniques for location source control for paired devices are described. Location source control selects a location source for a mobile device. The mobile device can receive, from an application program, a request for determining a location of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine a first location estimate using a location subsystem of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine whether to provide the first location estimate as input to the application program, or to provide a second location estimate as input to the application program. The second location estimate can be an estimated location of the companion device and determined by the companion device.

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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to assist a global positioning system (GPS) module to determine GPS position estimates for a wireless communication device is disclosed. Processing circuitry in the wireless communication device determines a potential or an actual inaccuracy in a GPS position estimate obtained from a GPS module. The processing circuitry obtains a set of map vector data stored in or associated with the wireless communication device. The processing circuitry determines a location estimate of the wireless communication device based on at least a portion of the set of map vector data. The processing circuitry provides the location estimate to the GPS module and obtains an updated GPS position estimate from the GPS module, the updated GPS position estimate based at least in part on the location estimate provided to the GPS module.

Abstract: Techniques for location source control for paired devices are described. Location source control selects a location source for a mobile device. The mobile device can receive, from an application program, a request for determining a location of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine a first location estimate using a location subsystem of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine whether to provide the first location estimate as input to the application program, or to provide a second location estimate as input to the application program. The second location estimate can be an estimated location of the companion device and determined by the companion device.

Abstract: Reduced resolution location determination for improved anonymity of a user location is disclosed. In some implementations, a first location of a computing device operating in a geographic area is determined. A population density of the geographic area is estimated. A grid overlay is generated, including a number of cells based on the estimated population density. Using the grid overlay, a second location is generated for the computing device that is less precise than the first location. The less precise second location can be used in a local search or other application to improve the anonymity of the user location.