Why India wants iPhones to keep GPS on all the time and why Apple is pushing back

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India is thinking about introducing a rule that could change how your smartphone works every single day. According to a Reuters report, the government is reviewing a proposal that would force phone makers — including Apple, to keep GPS location services permanently switched on in every device sold in the country.

So what does that actually mean?

Why this proposal exists

Right now, your phone uses two kinds of location services.

–One is cell tower triangulation, which gives an approximate location based on nearby mobile towers.

–The other is GPS, which provides highly accurate, meter-level coordinates using satellites.

Telecom operators in India say the first method is not accurate enough for police investigations or emergency situations. They argue that authorities should be able to access very precise GPS data when needed — and the only way to guarantee that is to keep GPS on all the time.

They have also asked the government to remove those little pop-up messages that appear when your carrier tries to access your location. According to them, these alerts slow down investigations and confuse users.

Why Apple and Google are against it

Tech companies are not happy with the idea. Apple, represented through the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), has formally opposed the proposal. In a letter sent in July, the group said that forcing GPS to stay active permanently would amount to “regulatory overreach.”

Their concerns are straightforward:

–Privacy: Users should have control over when they share their exact location.

–Battery life: GPS running nonstop can drain power much faster.

–Security: Changing how core systems behave may introduce new risks.

In simple terms, Apple and Google are saying: This rule goes too far.

Why this matters now

Interestingly, this discussion comes soon after India scrapped another controversial directive. That rule would have required every smartphone maker to preinstall a government app and prevent users from deleting it. After public criticism, the government backed off.

With that fresh in mind, the new GPS proposal is being watched even more closely.

What happens next?

The proposal is still under review, so nothing is changing on your phone right now. But if it moves forward, it could become one of the strictest smartphone rules in India, affecting privacy, battery performance, and how companies design devices for this market.

For now, the government is weighing its options, phone makers are defending user choice, and users are waiting to see whether “always-on GPS” becomes a reality.