Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Report Data Transmission Concerns and Google's Response

TapTechNews October 10th news, the cybersecurity company Cybernews recently released a report stating that after analyzing the network traffic of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, it was found that the phone sends a data packet to Google every 15 minutes, including information such as the user's location, phone number, email address, network status, etc.. Even more worrying is that the phone will also attempt to download and run new code.

The security researcher Aras Nazarovas said that the Pixel 9 Pro XL repeatedly uses Personal Identifiable Information (PII) for authentication, configuration, and logging. This practice does not conform to the industry's best standards in anonymization processing, and there is a situation of excessive collection or processing of information. Even when the GPS is disabled, the phone will still use the Wi-Fi network to determine the location of the device and send the location information to Google.

In addition, TapTechNews noticed that although Cybernews did not open the photo application on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the phone sometimes automatically connects to the network node related to the face grouping function of Google Photos.

In response to Cybernews' report, Google said that user security and privacy are the top priorities of Pixel. Users can manage data sharing, application permissions, etc. in device initialization and settings. Google believes that the report lacks key background information, misinterprets technical details, and does not fully explain that data transmission is necessary for legal services on all mobile devices, such as software updates, on-demand features, and personalized experiences, regardless of the manufacturer, model, or operating system of the device.