Exif data (GPS related) stripped?

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TDLR:

The presence of Exif data after uploading a photo can vary depending on the device and operating system.
In this case, it’s likely that iOS 18.5 is automatically stripping Exif metadata during the upload process.
This behaviour aligns with Apple’s ongoing emphasis on user privacy, where sensitive metadata — such as location, device information, and camera settings — is often removed before sharing or uploading photos, especially through system-level APIs or certain apps.

Notes:

The heading (bearing) value provided by mobile devices is often inconsistent or unavailable, especially when the device is stationary or sensor data is restricted. For this reason, Epicollect5 does not include heading in the recorded location data. Only latitude, longitude, and accuracy are reliably captured to ensure consistent and accurate results across all devices.

  • heading is only available when the device is actively moving and has appropriate sensors.
  • Most browsers and mobile platforms may return null for heading in static conditions.
  • Privacy settings, sensor limitations, and platform restrictions can prevent heading data from being provided at all.

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