Those three dots on your iPhone mean something, and most people had no idea

Are you an iPhone user? Have you ever wondered what the three dots that often appear in the top-right corner of your screen mean? We're talking about the same dots you see just above your signal, Wi-Fi and battery indicators. While many users have noticed them, few pay attention to such small details. Interestingly, these tiny dots are not just for decoration—they serve an important purpose. Want to find out what it is? Keep reading!

This innovative feature by Apple, the iPhone's parent company, is meant to reduce your security concerns. You may have noticed that when you think about something—like buying a car—the moment you unlock your iPhone, you are suddenly flooded with endless car advertisements. Coincidence? Maybe not! Believe it or not, your phones might be quietly eavesdropping on your conversations, but that's where the three dots step in for your security. As per a report in UNILAD, Apple clarified, "With iOS 14 or later, an orange dot, an orange square or a green dot indicates when the microphone or camera is being used by an app."

Further, the multinational company stated that the orange indicator signifies that the microphone is being used by an app on your iPhone. Meanwhile, the green indicator signifies either the camera or the camera and the microphone are being used by any app on your phone. Last but not least, the blue dot with a right arrow inside appears when any app that you are using requests your location. Notably, the indicators are controlled by a computer program written by Apple, "Application Programming Interface." The news outlet further shared, "This means a visual indicator will appear no matter if your app is telling you it's using your microphone or not." While the debate about what's better—iPhone or Android is a never-dying topic, Apple has consistently set the bar high for smartphone security. With its meticulously designed software, it ensures users have more control over their privacy. 

Another highly acclaimed feature of the iPhone is its significantly advanced tracking system. This helps people to feel a little less scared about losing their devices. In a similar incident, a woman, Elle Cordova (@elle.cordova on TikTok), managed to track down her stolen iPhone, only to be jealous as she watched it embark on a globetrotting adventure without her. Sharing the current location of her iPhone, Cordova talked about constantly tracking her stolen device. In the now-viral video, Cordiva talked about tracking her stolen iPhone and said, "Little buddy is currently living it up in Algiers, and as I see on my weather app, it’s really nice this time of the year. Also, it’s really close to the Mediterranean Sea. So I can imagine some nice salty air breezing through its charging port now."

Cordova was vacationing in Barcelona when a man snatched her phone. "My phone was headed southwest to the beautiful city of Madrid, where, I am guessing, it got to take in some flamenco music. Maybe it joined in on the songs, considering I was making it ding incessantly at that point," Cordova revealed. Moreover, she also shared an unexpected twist involving the thief. "He actually was kind enough to send me a photo of our little digital nomad here looking a little worse for wear, but that's the nature of the road," Cordova said, sharing the picture of her phone that the thief had sent her.