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Apple rolls out iOS feature to limit carrier-level location tracking

Apple has introduced a new privacy feature in iOS 26.3 aimed at limiting a lesser-known form of location tracking carried out by cellular networks. The setting, called “Limit Precise Location,” allows users to reduce the accuracy of location data shared with mobile carriers—an area that has historically remained beyond user control.

While most iPhone users are familiar with managing app-level location permissions, cellular carriers have long been able to track device locations independently using network infrastructure. Even when users disabled Location Services entirely, carriers could still determine a phone’s whereabouts. Apple’s new feature seeks to change that dynamic.

How the new feature works

Cellular networks locate phones by identifying the cell towers they connect to and triangulating their position. In densely populated areas, this method can be accurate down to a specific street address. Apple’s new setting limits this precision by ensuring carriers receive only approximate location data, such as a neighbourhood rather than an exact address.

Apple clarified that the feature does not interfere with emergency services, which will continue to receive precise location data when needed. Additionally, apps and services that rely on device-level location sharing such as Apple Maps or Find My remain unaffected.

The move comes against the backdrop of repeated controversies involving carrier misuse of customer location data. In 2024, U.S. regulators fined major telecom operators nearly $200 million for unlawfully sharing customer location information with third-party data brokers without proper consent. In some cases, this data was reportedly accessible through poorly secured systems, exposing users to significant privacy risks.

Limited device and carrier availability

The new feature is currently available only on devices powered by Apple’s C1 or C1X modems, including the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and the cellular iPad Pro with M5 chip. Devices using third-party modem hardware are not supported, as Apple can only control data transmission on its own silicon.

Carrier support is also limited at launch. In the United States, Boost Mobile is the only participating carrier so far, while select operators in Germany, the UK and Thailand have also opted in.

Google has introduced a similar capability in Android 15, but widespread adoption remains constrained by hardware and carrier cooperation. Apple’s latest update highlights an often-overlooked layer of location tracking and marks a step albeit a limited one toward giving users greater visibility and control over their digital privacy.