Anyone know what the location arrow inside a blue bubble means, specficially?

[zorinlynx]

This shows up sometimes when I launch apps, for a few seconds. Then the blue bubble disappears, leaving a normal location arrow.

I never saw this before iOS 15, so I figure the OS is giving us more information about how location is being used with this, but there's no documentation anywhere. Does anyone know what the blue bubble means?

 

[MozMan68]

It means it is looking at your "general" location instead of an "exact" location.

Maps needs an exact location, but weather apps do not. It's a way for Apple to provide more privacy for you.

 

[zorinlynx]

It means it is looking at your "general" location instead of an "exact" location.

Maps needs an exact location, but weather apps do not. It's a way for Apple to provide more privacy for you.

Do you have a source for this? Both Google Maps and Cyclemeter give me the blue bubble arrow on launch, and they are both apps that use exact location.

I've seen this explanation before and it didn't make any sense based on what I was seeing.

 

[MozMan68]

Do you have a source for this? Both Google Maps and Cyclemeter give me the blue bubble arrow on launch, and they are both apps that use exact location.

I've seen this explanation before and it didn't make any sense based on what I was seeing.

I can't find any...but generally, my understanding is:

Solid arrow - Location is being tracked

Hollow Arrow - Location is shared only under certain conditions

Arrow with blue bubble - Location is not precise at that moment

EDIT: This site is pretty good with explaining the symbols.

Quick Guide to iPhone Symbols & Icon Meanings

If you've ever wondered what the iPhone symbols on top of the screen (in the status bar) or in the iOS Control Center are trying to tell you, then you've come to the right spot. Apple uses iPad and iPhone status icons and symbols to show a lot of information in a very small space. Here are the...

www.iphonelife.com

 

[TimFL1]

I can't find any...but generally, my understanding is:

Solid arrow - Location is being tracked

Hollow Arrow - Location is shared only under certain conditions

Arrow with blue bubble - Location is not precise at that moment

EDIT: This site is pretty good with explaining the symbols.

Quick Guide to iPhone Symbols & Icon Meanings

If you've ever wondered what the iPhone symbols on top of the screen (in the status bar) or in the iOS Control Center are trying to tell you, then you've come to the right spot. Apple uses iPad and iPhone status icons and symbols to show a lot of information in a very small space. Here are the...

www.iphonelife.com

That article is armchair explaining stuff though based on the vanilla average joe labels that Apple provides for location arrows. The e.g. hollow arrow signals that there is a geofence active for e.g. significant locations system feature or a reminders one.

The blue circle means your location is being pulled right now and it also has nothing to do with precise / general area toggles (both types of location pulls trigger the blue circle icon).

I can‘t remember seeing the vanilla full arrow icon from pre-iOS 15 on my iOS 15 devices. It‘s probably fully replaced by the blue circle variant, because that is more „in your face“ and also fits their UI paradigm of showing permissions being used via colored dots (camera / mic).

 

[MozMan68]

That article is armchair explaining stuff though based on the vanilla average joe labels that Apple provides for location arrows. The e.g. hollow arrow signals that there is a geofence active for e.g. significant locations system feature or a reminders one.

The blue circle means your location is being pulled right now and it also has nothing to do with precise / general area toggles (both types of location pulls trigger the blue circle icon).

I can‘t remember seeing the vanilla full arrow icon from pre-iOS 15 on my iOS 15 devices. It‘s probably fully replaced by the blue circle variant, because that is more „in your face“ and also fits their UI paradigm of showing permissions being used via colored dots (camera / mic).

Well…here’s my phone right now with no apps open and I don’t let any track me while not being used.

Hollow arrow.

When I open Maps, solid arrow since it is using my location.

I believe arrow in blue means it is using your “general” location or still getting your precise location.

I opened my weather app and it showed up for a second before getting solid. Tried to grab a screen shot, but was too late.

Basically, precise location is either not being shared or the phone is still getting a precise location.

Here…I closed everything and then opened Google Maps…blue arrow for a second and then turns solid as in my Maps pic above.

 

[zorinlynx]

After playing around with it a bit more, I think the blue bubble just means the foreground app is getting your location right now.

Radarscope doesn't use your location by default. When you open the app, no blue circle location arrow. But when you hit the location button in the app, the blue circle appears for a few seconds. This seems to confirm my theory.

So I've answered my own question, in a way. Thanks for the insight though, everyone.

 

[macOS Lynx]

Based on the information from Apple’s website, a solid filled in arrow means an app is accessing information from Location Services, while the filled in arrow in the blue circle means an the app you’re currently using is active accessing your location in that exact moment.

 

[LFC2020]

It’s accessing your precise location.😂 😳🧐🌏

 

[MozMan68]

So…to be clear….I was right…again…

 

[TimFL1]

It’s accessing your precise location.😂 😳🧐🌏

Blue bubble also pops up for apps without precise location settings.