Pixel 9 Pro XL sparks privacy fears, sends private data to Google every 15 minutes

Pixel 9 Pro XL reportedly sends private user data to Google servers every 15 minutes. A security researcher at Cybernews discovered that the phone frequently transmits sensitive user data, such as email addresses, phone numbers, and locations.

The discovery sparked a privacy fear as private data is being sent to Google through the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The smartphone sometimes transmits sensitive user data to Google servers even before any apps are installed.

The report also states that the Pixel 9 Pro XL has remote management capabilities, which operate without user consent or awareness. It seems there’s a severe security flaw within the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s operating system.

The phone communicates with services like Google Photos’ Face Grouping without user interaction, raising further privacy concerns. The native Calculator is also suspicious as it could leak calculation history to unauthorized users under certain conditions.

“The amount of data transmitted and the potential for remote management casts doubt on who truly owns the device. Users may have paid for it, but the deep integration of surveillance systems in the ecosystem may leave users vulnerable to privacy violations,” Nazarovas said.

It looks like the AI integration has made some major security flaws across the OS. Google packed the new Pixel phones with advanced security features. The research only discusses potential threats, with data leak isn’t such a general task.

Interestingly, Cybernews researchers employed a “man-in-the-middle” approach to capture and analyze this traffic but noted limitations due to the rooting process. As AI is making our lives easier, it is putting the data at threat at the same time.