Status Icons

[Bingoldsby]

I have an interesting curiosity with the WiFi only iPad2, in that a GPS application "GPS Data" and the "Maps" app have suddenly started receiving GPS data from somewhere, and I can't figure out from where.

Also, there is a status icon... the third one from the left in the status bar screen-shot (little arrow pointed NE) that comes on when either of those two apps are running that I have never seen before now. I can't find a listing for it in either the official iPad user manual (page 10) or any other place (Google search) that shows those status icons.

This new GPS activity is coming in by WiFi, but not mine (the iPhone), nor am I connected to any outside WiFi source. Is it magic?

Brian - Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[Mickey330]

That arrow thingy is telling you that an app is running its location service.

Go to Settings > Location Services and see what apps you have that are set up to use location services. At the bottom of the list of apps than could use LS (you can turn them on/off), you'll see a description of that arrow in Settings.

If you tap on System Services at the bottom, you'll get another screen. At the bottom of that is a line titled "Status Bar Icon" - which you can use to turn on/off that arrow in your status bar.

Here's a good article from Apple support that will also help explain location services: iOS 5: Understanding Location Services

Now, I don't know why it all of a sudden showed up - but that's what it is. Hope this clarifies/helps.

Marilyn

 

[Bingoldsby]

Hi, Marilyn, and thanks for the reply. I first thought it was associated with Location Services, but when I run other apps that have L.S. turned on for them, that icon does not appear, so I discounted that. I'll look into it more.

The appearance of the icon isn't the part that has me curious so much as the sudden onset of the GPS activity. I'm down in a hole at a State Park in Oregon (on the coast), where the only WiFi signals available are a couple of other hosts - private folks like me. It just seems unusual that such data is being issued to my iPad without me formally accepting it's availability and use.

I can't find anything in Settings going by the name "System Services."

Thanks again.

Brian - Sent from my iPad using iPF