iOS 11 Comes With Improved Control Over Location Services
iOS 11 blue Status Bar for Location Services usage.
However, the downside of using your GPS all the time is that it drains battery faster. More, it can also expose your location when you would like to enjoy some privacy. To make ends meet, iOS 11 introduces the “While Using the App” option. It’s true, this feature was available in past versions of iOS too, but only if the app developer would include it in the settings. Now, control is in your hands and you can select from three permission levels which app is installed on your device.
How To Tweak Permissions For Location Services
1. Open the Settings app and scroll for Privacy.
2. Tap on Location Services.
3. If the feature is disabled, turn it on by toggling the knob next to the Location Services label.
4. A list with all the apps that require Location Services info unfolds.
5. Tap the label of an application to modify its permissions. Notice that you can now choose between: Never, While Using the App and Always.
Tip: If you’re unsure what permission to grant, use the developer’s explanation available under the three privacy options to find out how to app plans to use your GPS positioning.
Additional Blue Bar Indicator For Persistent Usage Of Location Services
iOS 11 also brings a new indicator to further enhance the awareness of Location Services usage. Whenever you exit an app that is using positioning info, and continues to do so in the background, you are informed by a persistent blue bar label that is displayed at the top of the iPhone’s status bar. The blue label provides explicit info about which app is using your location. This dramatically increases the exposure of apps that are abusing your GPS data. So, if you conclude that an application is invading your privacy, you can easily expose it and modify its Location Services permissions.
Important: The Blue Bar displays for both While Using the App and Always, Location Services setting!
Location Services Status Bar Arrow
The tiny indicator that is appearing in your iOS device’s status bar whenever the Location Services are used, was until now the only way to tell when the iPhone was accessing its GPS module. However, there was no info about what app is using it and in what way. In iOS 11 besides the blue status bar, described above, the upwards pointing arrow has also become dynamic. It can show two statues, filled and hollow. When the arrow displays empty it means that an app is requesting location data. When coordinates are passed over, the arrow becomes filled.
Tip: iOS 11 also adds more control to the Background App Refresh feature. Find out more here.
