Realme: This is Realme’s solution for data sharing ‘problem feature’ – Times of India

Realme is rolling out an update that disables a privacy setting that was a topic of discussion on the internet, for its latest Realme 11 Pro series of smartphones. The feature, called Enhanced Intelligent Services, was previously enabled by default on the company’s smartphones. With this setting enabled, the company was accused of capturing sensitive data, such as call logs, SMS, and location information, without users’ consent.
The Realme 11 Pro+ 5G is receiving RMX3741_13.1.0.524 (EX01) update and the Realme 11 Pro 5G is getting RMX3771_13.1.0.524 (EX01) update. According to the changelog, these updates will disable the Enhanced Intelligent Services feature by default. Users will have the option to enable it. The updates also optimise system stability and power consumption when using the camera.

New description of the feature

Realme also said that the feature description of the feature is changed.
Previously, it mentioned that this feature needs to collect user information, “including device information, app usage statistics, location information, calendar events and statistics about unread SMS messages and missed calls, and obtain location information, connect to the Internet and read the calendar event, SMS messages and call logs” to improve user experience by optimising device functions based on how users use their device.
It is worth noting that the description now says that the feature will obtain the Location permission to process location information. It adds that the app usage statistics will be done locally on the device and this data will be to provide the Optimised charging feature on the smartphones.
The changed description is in line with Realme’s statement that the company shared with The Times of India-Gadgets Now earlier this week.

What’s the issue
The new update comes a few days after the setting was mentioned in a video on a YouTube channel. The same was shared by a user on Twitter, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, replied that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) would get the claims checked.
We at The Times of India-Gadgets Now team found that a similar setting was also enabled by default on other Android smartphones from OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo and iQoo – owned by BBK Electronics. Samsung has a “Send Diagnostics Data” feature which is also enabled by default.