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IOS 12 - No Bluetooth icon in status bar?

John T

John T

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 18, 2006
2,114
6
UK.
Have just installed IOS 12 on my iPhone 6s and note the Bluetooth icon is missing when it is switched on.
Some say this is a bug to be corrected in next update and others say it has intentionally been omitted by Apple because on IOS 12, Bluetooth no longer drains the battery.

Any comments?
 
This is the 3rd thread on this topic. It's not a bug, it's a feature. When it's not in use, it's hidden, like most other status icons.
 
I reached out to Apple on twitter about this. They confirmed the icon is no longer there on purpose.
 
I'm glad they hid it while not in use.

I leave it on all the time for my car/Airpods, I don't need it to show me all the time. Makes the top bar that little bit cleaner
 
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John T said:
You obviously didn’t read my post! I said there was no icon when switched on!!!
Click to expand...
Just like WiFi icon isn't there when it's simply switched on and only appears when you are actually connected to WiFi. So are you connected to something via Bluetooth and the icon isn't appearing even then?
 
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C DM said:
Just like WiFi icon isn't there when it's simply switched on and only appears when you are actually connected to WiFi. So are you connected to something via Bluetooth and the icon isn't appearing even then?
Click to expand...

I’m not the OP, but this is happening to me, on my iPhone 8 running iOS 12. Even when I’m connected to Bluetooth, there is no symbol. I’ve tested it on my car’s BT system, as well as a pair of headphones and my Amazon Alexa. The icon, for me, is gone forever.
 
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Rivermanruns said:
I’m not the OP, but this is happening to me, on my iPhone 8 running iOS 12. Even when I’m connected to Bluetooth, there is no symbol. I’ve tested it on my car’s BT system, as well as a pair of headphones and my Amazon Alexa. The icon, for me, is gone forever.
Click to expand...

I think it has to do also with what the bluetooth device has set as an icon itself, meaning that if the manufacturer doesn't have an icon set, then ios12 won't show anything, since the default is a hidden bluetooth icon now.

Airpods and another set of wireless headphones show fine from my experience. The car bluetooth however does not.

It can be a bit annoying, and as always it could have been left as a customization option switch for people instead of a direct change, especially since Apple has not "known what's best" as much as it used to in terms of UI, in the past 3 years.
 
C DM said:
Just like WiFi icon isn't there when it's simply switched on and only appears when you are actually connected to WiFi. So are you connected to something via Bluetooth and the icon isn't appearing even then?
Click to expand...
No!
 
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Does it affect the battery life by leaving wifi and bluetooth radio on, does it keep constantly searching for wifi signal?
I read Apple chose to leave it On even when disconnected because of Watch and Pencil, but many users don't have all the accessories.
C DM said:
Just like WiFi icon isn't there when it's simply switched on and only appears when you are actually connected to WiFi. So are you connected to something via Bluetooth and the icon isn't appearing even then?
Click to expand...
 
gaanee said:
Does it affect the battery life by leaving wifi and bluetooth radio on, does it keep constantly searching for wifi signal?
I read Apple chose to leave it On even when disconnected because of Watch and Pencil, but many users don't have all the accessories.
Click to expand...
Doesn't seem like there's a noticeable difference for most.
 
There is no icon there when my Pebble Time watch is connected but when I link my Bluetooth earphones to my phone the headphone icon and battery meter appears. Given my Bluetooth is permanently on and connected I don't mind the icon being absent.

A
 
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Baldilocks said:
For the same reason that your WiFi status doesn't show when you're not connected.
Click to expand...

Read the post, even when connected the icon is gone.....I find this annoying because I’m always connected to my Apple Watch an that’s how I know I check the BT symbol but now I have to go into BT settings to actually make sure
 
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Burky84 said:
Read the post, even when connected the icon is gone.....I find this annoying because I’m always connected to my Apple Watch an that’s how I know I check the BT symbol but now I have to go into BT settings to actually make sure
Click to expand...

Your watch will show when it becomes disconnected?
 
Baldilocks said:
For the same reason that your WiFi status doesn't show when you're not connected.
Click to expand...
This is not entirely true. Bluetooth is not turned off completely from the Control Centre; you have to go to Sys Prefs to do that. This is a fag if you rarely use bluetooth and don't want it running in the background. Apple's decision is based on a somewhat arrogant assumption that we're all connecting to bluetooth devices regularly. I'm not and want to be able to turn it off completely quickly which means seeing at a glance if it's on.
 
This is the only thread I've found with this, so...I'll just add my 2 cents worth.

I *am* connected to Bluetooth with my Fitbit and in my car to my uConnect. Still no Bluetooth icon on my display. Why did they take it away? Has there been an official Apple response to this? Is it to save real estate for The Notch?

Once again, it is NOT HIDDEN because it is NOT IN USE. WRONG. It is hidden at ALL times now apparently.
 
Certain bluetooth things will show an icon. Headphones being one. The rest (for handoff, apple watch, carplay or whatever it's called (I don't own a car) etc.) don't show anything. I assume it's to save space around that lovely notch you modern iPhone owners have.

When it first started to happen (I'm on the betas) I missed the icon as I like to know which radios I have turned on, but after a few days I realised that I actually don't care that much. I do keep bluetooth turned off most of the time, and if I need to check I swipe up and see whether the bluetooth icon in the control panel has a line through it or not.
 
This is problematic. Bluetooth and WiFi do drain battery while scanning for devices and now I have to open up control center to check and see if I should open up settings to power it off. If Apple was willing to add an ounce to the weight to give a decent battery life, this would not be a big deal, but the need to plug the phone in daily or more often is irritating I prefer to have options to clutter my interface if I want to have more info. Another solution would be to modify control center to actually power off the service completely .
 
OriEri said:
This is problematic. Bluetooth and WiFi do drain battery while scanning for devices and now I have to open up control center to check and see if I should open up settings to power it off. If Apple was willing to add an ounce to the weight to give a decent battery life, this would not be a big deal, but the need to plug the phone in daily or more often is irritating I prefer to have options to clutter my interface if I want to have more info. Another solution would be to modify control center to actually power off the service completely .
Click to expand...
How much battery is used up by anything like that?
 
Apple, Inc.: Chapter 87672627 of "Change for the sake of change".
The "how much" question is irrelevant. It does drain something - regardless of how little - and this change offers no advantage to the user; furthermore, it is regressive.
Change for the sake of change.
 
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