Amid rising scrutiny of their practices, Google Inc. defended the way it collects location data from Android phones, while Apple Inc. remained silent for a third day. The companies' smartphones regularly transmit locations back to Google and Apple servers, respectively...Both companies have said users can prevent the data collection by turning off location-based services, although doing so limits functions such as maps. On Friday, a Google spokesman said "all location sharing on Android is opt-in by the user." However, this definition of "opt-in" doesn't mean the system is off by default for people who use the typical Android set-up..."We provide users with notice and control over the collection, sharing and use of location in order to provide a better mobile experience on Android devices," the Google spokesman said. He added that "any location data that is sent back to Google location servers is anonymized and is not tied or traceable to a specific user."