Indian smartphone manufacturer Realme is rolling out a new software update for its recently launched Realme 11 Pro series that turns off an intelligence feature accused of stealing user data. The settings option called “Enhanced Intelligent Services” was first spotted by the Indian technology YouTube channel Trackin Tech in a video review of the Realme 11 Pro. The video claimed that the intelligent service is enabled by default and collects call logs, SMS, and location data from a phone.
This prompted a backlash from the public on social media as users demanded that the government investigate the claims. Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar vowed to have the matter checked.
Realme has now released a new software update for the Realme 11 Pro series that turns off this feature, reiterating that it does not collect personal data from users. The new update removes the Enhanced Intelligent Services setting from the Realme UI 4.0 and changes its description to reflect that it does not collect personal data. The new description also clarifies that the company does not share or upload any of the collected data on its servers.
The update is only available for the Realme 11 Pro series but will eventually be rolled out to all other Realme phones. However, the intelligent service is still active on OnePlus devices and smartphones from Realme’s parent company BBK Electronics. OnePlus and BBK have yet to comment on whether they will also turn off the feature in their phones.
For those unaware, the Enhanced Intelligent Services feature is a system setting that tracks call logs, SMS, and location data on the phone. It also tracks the phone’s temperature, battery status, and power usage. The feature gathered this data as it ran in the background. Its purpose is to optimize the device for better performance and battery life. It is important to note that this feature can only be turned off by visiting the device’s settings.
In its defense, the company said that all of this data is encrypted and stored in hardware within the phone. This is done to comply with Android security mechanisms. The company also added that it does not share or upload data on the cloud. The company argues that the data is only used to improve the functions and experience of the phone based on how users use it.
This data collection isn’t surprising, as almost all smartphone manufacturers collect personal data on their devices. Most of it is opt-in and is used for various purposes. This includes allowing advertisers to display targeted ads, improving device performance and optimizing it for the user’s needs, and providing better services. But most of this data collection is transparent and can be easily disabled on most phones.
