Uh, Path did stuff like this on iOS well before. We aren't immune here, though that is changing with iOS 7.
The main difference is that Android has this all-or-nothing approach (accept giving the app all these permissions, or don't use the app at all), while iOS asks you for each permission individually, and you can use an app without granting it specific permissions. (eg. the weather app -- disallow access to location, and you can still type in place names manually)
OTOH, maybe they did it this way so you can't prevent ad-driven apps from accessing all the fine data about you.
With the technology we have, saying that one of the biggest software companies in the world just 'had no choice' but to implement something in a particular way is crazy.