Realme, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is currently facing scrutiny from the government over concerns regarding user privacy. The company’s “Enhanced Intelligent Services” feature, which collects sensitive user data such as call logs, SMS, and location information, is reportedly enabled by default during the phone’s setup process. This issue was brought to attention by a Twitter user, prompting the Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, to take notice. Chandrasekhar retweeted a post that accused Realme and included a screenshot, stating that the government will investigate the matter further and have it thoroughly tested and checked.
The user’s tweet raises concerns about Realme smartphones, claiming that the “Enhanced Intelligent Services” feature is automatically enabled, capturing user data without their consent. However, it should be noted that users have the option to disable this feature if they do not wish to share their data.
It is worth mentioning that the “Enhanced Intelligent Services” feature is not exclusive to Realme phones but is also present on other Android smartphones, including those owned by BBK Electronics such as OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, and iQoo. Additionally, Samsung smartphones have a similar feature called “Send Diagnostics Data,” which is also enabled by default.
According to Realme, the purpose of the “Enhanced Intelligent Services” feature is to enhance the user experience by optimizing device functions based on usage patterns. To achieve this, the company collects certain device information, app usage statistics, location information, calendar events, unread SMS statistics, and missed call statistics. These permissions are enabled by default, but users have the option to disable the feature by accessing the “System services” settings and toggling off “Enhanced Intelligent Services.”
The feature is important for various functions of the phone, such as charging optimization and personalization features like wallpapers. However, it is unclear how the collected data will be used by the companies and whether it will be shared with any third parties.
