Realme 11 Pro series — comprising the recently launched Realme 11 Pro 5G and Realme 11 Pro+ 5G — is receiving a software update that disables a privacy setting that was previously enabled by default on the company’s smartphones. The update comes days after public backlash over — and the possibility of a government probe into — a setting for a feature on smartphones running the Realme UI 4.0 interface that claimed to improve the user experience, by learning how the device was used to optimise its functions.
On Tuesday, Realme began rolling out the RMX3771_13.1.0.524 (EX01) update for the Realme 11 Pro 5G, while the Realme 11 Pro+ 5G is receiving the RMX3741_13.1.0.524 (EX01) update. These updates optimise system stability and power consumption when using the camera, and disable the Enhanced Intelligent Services feature, which will now be turned off by default, according to the official changelog for both smartphones seen by Gadgets 360.
The setting was previously enabled by default (left) and has been turned off after the update
It is worth noting that after updating to the latest software version for both smartphones, the description of the controversial Enhanced Intelligent Services feature has also been updated. Previously, the setting claimed that the smartphone would collect users’ calendar events, statistics about app usage as well as call logs and text messages.
After installing the update, the toggle for the Enhanced Intelligent Services feature is disabled by default, and the description says that the feature will obtain the Location permission to process location information as well as app usage statistics that will be done locally on the device. The setting also mentions that this is used in order to provide the Optimised charging feature on the smartphones.
The new update comes days after the setting was discovered during a video review of the smartphone on a YouTube channel. After a user on Twitter shared a screenshot of the video, Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) would test and check the claims made by the user.
At the time, Realme had issued a statement denying the collection of data and explained that the feature was designed to optimise performance for better battery life and temperature performance. The smartphone maker said that despite the feature’s description, the system did not collect data on SMS, calls, and schedules. Realme also said that the data that was processed was encrypted and stored on the device and not transmitted to the cloud.
After installing the update, users can verify that the setting is disabled by default by navigating to Settings > Additional Settings > System Services > Enhanced Intelligent Services. Gadgets 360 was able to confirm that the toggle was off by default and the revised description does not mention collection of calendar events and statistics related to calls and text messages, after installing the update for the Realme 11 Pro series.