Add some comments for clarification.

src/main/webapp/scripts/components/auth/principal.service.js

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ angular.module('ddaApp')
                 // retrieve the identity data from the server, update the identity object, and then resolve.
                 Account.get().$promise
                     .then(function (account) {
-                        _identity = account.data;
+                        _identity = account.data; // a custom response interceptor in Account resource provides us with the full response object
                         _authenticated = true;
                         deferred.resolve(_identity);
                     })

src/main/webapp/scripts/components/auth/services/account.service.js

@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ angular.module('ddaApp')
             'get': { method: 'GET', params: {}, isArray: false,
                 interceptor: {
                     response: function(response) {
-                        // expose response
+                        // expose response 
+                        //somehow jHipster wants to have access to the full response object instead of the default response.data. see Principal service identity() method 
+                      
                         return response;
                     }
                 }