You may ask your smart friends what's your IQ, more importantly you should ask your carrier and smartphone maker What is Carrier IQ? Is it on my smartphone?
Carrier IQ is app that reportedly tracks smartphones and secretly recored behavior. Researcher Trevor Eckhar found the Carrier IQ software on an HTC Android smartphone. It has many people worried about privacy issues. It can record dropped calls, battery use and network problems. The software maker denies that it can record every keystroke.
Here's what devices don't have Carrier IQ so far:
- Verizon spokesman Tweeted that "To be 100% clear: Carrier IQ is *not* on Verizon Wireless phones."
- Nokia confirmed in an email "Carrier IQ does not ship products for any Nokia devices, so these reports are wrong."
- The Verge reported that Nexus One, Nexus S, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
- RIM confirmed that BlackBerry does not install, nor authorize its carrier partners to install Carrier IQ.
- The Motorola Xoom doesn't have carrier IQ.
- Windows Phones don't have Carrier IQ.
Do Have Carrier IQ:
- Apple reported that previous generations of iOS supported Carrier IQ tracking, but it has been removed in iOS5 on the iPhone 4S.
- AT&T admitted to Carrier IQ use and told the Washington Post ":In line with our privacy policy, we solely use CIQ software data to improve wireless network and service performance," spokesman Mark Siegel said.
- A T-Mobile U.K. Tweet reported "We do not specify to manufacturers to that we would want Carrier IQ software on our devices."
- Sprint has very high Carrier IQ a nd sues the data to monitor network and smartphone performance. Sprint can't look the content of messages, photos or video. Sprint does not sell data that is collected.
- Windows Phones don't have Carrier IQ.
Android smartphone users can download an app to discover Carrier IQ developed by Trevor Eckhart. Here are some tablets and smartphones that have it loaded. They are from Amazon, Sprint and AT&T:
- Kindle Fire
- Motorola Photon
- Motorola Atrix 4G
Let us know via comments if you have a high Carrier IQ...
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Carrier IQ, the developer of an application that has apparently been installed on millions of smartphones and that logs and may transmit sensitive information – including users’ locations, the websites they visit, and the contents of their text messages and online searches – to explain exactly what the software records, whether it is transmitted to Carrier IQ or any third party, and whether the data is protected against security threats that could risk the safety and privacy of American consumers.
Carrier IQ issued a statement saying that that operators only use Carrier IQ software to diagnose operational problems on networks and devices. It purpose is for summarize performance. They also claim that privacy is protected.