There have been rumblings lately regarding suspicious data collection happening with HTC's Evo 3D. For those not familiar, it was recently discovered that a service in the latest update for the Evo 3D collected usage, location, and device information, causing some concern among users and developers alike.

Xda reported today on a statement made by HTC officials which attempts to quell fears surrounding the data collection, letting users know that the data is encrypted and all identifying information is excluded. Additionally HTC clarified that the data is related to opt-in error-reporting, and not simply being collected on a whim. Here's the full text of the statement:

We’ve seen some questions about Sensation and Evo 3D and want to provide more information. HTC, like most manufacturers, has an opt-in error reporting function built in to our devices. If your phone experiences an error, you have the option of “Telling HTC” so we can make improvements to our phones. Details about this are in our privacy policy on each device and in order for data to be collected, you have to opt-in. If you do opt-in, we protect your privacy by de-identifying and encrypting the data.  HTC is committed to protecting your privacy and that means a commitment to clear opt-in/opt-out as the standard for collecting any information we need to serve you better.

The statement seems to effectively combat the sensational rumors surrounding HTC's data collection, and make clear the reasons and situations in which data is collected.

HTC's reaching out is also somewhat comforting (even if there was little reason for discomfort), showing the user and developer communities that HTC is aware of them and actively listening. Xda's post seems hopeful that this reflects a shift in the direction of HTC's policies, bringing them more into line with the expectations of its customers and responding directly to any issues that arise.

Head over to xda for the original story.