New Samsung utility enables sharing of user data with other apps

Samsung is said to be working on a service that lets developers access more detailed user data. Called Context, the service will allow developers to see a device’s sensor, keyboard and location data to better serve users. The idea is to enliven the user experience offered by apps. For instance, a location-based utility can access your location data, determine the most frequent places visited, and then offer places of interest nearby based on your needs. It is unclear exactly as to how much information will be made available, or what constraints would be in place, but it is likely that users would have full control over the data they wish to share.

While it is an interesting idea, Samsung is said to be wary of launching the service, as the South Korean manufacturer doesn’t believe that the service would facilitate them in selling more handsets. With the wide-reaching changes that Samsung is set to be undertaking as far as its software customizations are concerned, it is debatable whether such a service would actually launch in the near future. It has been revealed that Samsung met with Google just a day before the sale of Motorola to discuss the future of Android. After that meeting, Samsung announced that it would limit its Android software customizations to a large extent, and that future Galaxy handsets would feature a UI that is more lightly skinned. While no further details have been divulged, it is likely that we will see a demo of the new software UI at the Mobile World Congress later this month.

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