It has been a few days since Apple released the latest iOS 14 and users are still discovering the new features. The home screen overall, complete with new widgets, has been the biggest talking point as excited iPhone users shared screenshots of their overhauled app screens. But that's not all. Some eagle-eyed users might have noticed a tiny green or an orange dot on top of the display while using certain apps.
For anyone who've seen this tiny dot, which is not easy to spot at first glance, have raised suspicions that the iPhone is actually spying after the iOS 14 update. The green dot is identical to MacBooks and iMacs having a physical green LED, which illuminates when the webcam is use. But one might wonder how is it that the same light illuminates while using certain apps, which don't necessarily have the camera open at the moment.
The mystery of green, orange dots
Some users assumed the green and orange dots next to the cellular and Wi-Fi status indicators are to show the signal strength. The positioning might be a give away. But that's not the case.
Clarifying the mystery behind the green and orange lights, Apple explained the actual function of the lights, which is to help give users peace of mind about camera and microphone privacy.
"An indicator appears at the top of your screen whenever an app is using your microphone or camera," Apple says. "And in Control Center, you can see if an app has used them recently."
iPhone is not spying, it's helping identify apps that might be. With these indicators, users will know when an unfamiliar app is using a camera or microphone without you knowing. When the light illuminates, all you have to do is swipe down to the control center and it will show you which app is responsible for the camera or mic use. Users can then make informed decisions to revoke access or even uninstall apps, which seem to be abusing their permissions.
