Android lets Google know where you are ... even when it isn't supposed to do.

Online publication Quartz has apparently discovered that the Android OS is collecting location information and transmitting it to Google, even when location services are turned off on the Android device.

Quartz has demonstrated that an Android phone - even one with location service turned off, no apps installed and with no SIM card - still collects and transmits to Google the addresses of nearby cell towers.  The data provides Google with full details of the phones location in spite of the users expectation of privacy.  Google has commented that the information is "sent to the system Google uses to manage push notifications and messages on Android phones for the past 11 months."  They claim that the data is never kept and that they are taking steps to stop the practice.

C|Net News' account of the story can be found here.