Uber's Kalanick got caught for tricking Apple, risking expulsion from Apple Store, report says

Uber placed a digital wall around Apple's headquarters in an effort to hide the fact it was breaking Apple rules by marking iPhones with persistent digital ID tags that would remain after users had deleted the Uber app, the New York Times reported Sunday. The actions -- first, digital fingerprinting users' devices and then, geofencing Apple's headquarters to veil the company's actions -- earned Uber CEO Travis Kalanick an in-person rebuke from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who threatened to kick Uber out of the powerful Apple App store. Asked for comment, Uber said that it does not track individual users or their location if they have deleted the Uber app. It said that the persistent ID tags protected against driver fraud and allowed it to keep fraudsters from loading the Uber app onto a stolen phone, putting in a stolen credit card, taking an expensive ride and then wiping the phone again and again. The company did not respond to the Times' allegation that it has attempted to hide its use from Apple.