Apple fans have some more news coming their way regarding iOS 6. The users on Apple devices running the upcoming iOS 6 will now be explicitly warned when the app (they are trying to install) asks permission to access their contacts, calendars, reminders and their photo library.
According to a report by Mac Rumors, the new change has been detailed in the "Data Privacy" section in Apple's iOS 6 Release Notes. This will notify app developers that their app "needs to be prepared to be denied access to these items and to adjust its behavior accordingly."
As of now, applications for the iOS platform only asks permission for accessing the device's geo-location information.
Apple, according to a Help Net Security report, has made a pretty logical move here. This has happened in direct consequence to the recent discoveries that some of the most popular iOS apps copy the contents of the users' address books and calendars and send it to company servers without clearly notifying the users about it and sometimes even without any permission.
However, on the other hand, this might also turn out to be just another annoying step to click through for most users. Moreover, the security measure’s effectiveness will still depend on the willingness of app developers to comply with the instructions and on the users themselves.
And interestingly, neither group has a great record of doing what they are told, or of thinking critically about what a specific permission means.
