The iPhone has many hidden features and tricks. It seems that iOS has already explored and across, but sometimes you have to think about your smartphone again and remember long-forgotten life hacks.
Today, I accidentally discovered that the function of remembering my favorite places and, in general, the geolocations that I visit, is for some reason active. Although I do remember that a couple of generations of iPhones ago turned it off and since then, not at the population level, the smartphone is “like new” even once, but simply restored all the information from a backup copyincluding.
It is possible at some point something went wrong, and the settings reset to zero. Or Apple, in one of the operating system updates, switched the work of the geolocation service to the active mode by default. Now it is no longer stated for sure.
But the fact remains: I definitely did not manually change the settings for determining geolocation, but they are all included in my iPhone. Privacy is privacy, but the constant determination of my location also makes the smartphone discharge faster, so I need to turn it off again.
How to Track Your Location on an iPhone
1. Go to Settings – Privacy & Security – Location Services – System Services – Important Locations (in earlier versions of iOS, this item is called Significant places).
If “Off” is observed next to this item, then everything is in order, the iPhone is not watching you. And if “On”, then we continue.
2. Confirm entry to the menu using Touch ID or Face ID.
3. Deactivate the “Important Locations” switch.
To delete locations already stored on your iPhone. Personally, I deleted it.
Now take a step back to System Services. If you have almost all toggle switches disabled, disable the ones you don’t need:
Although I do remember turning them off.
1. Geosuggestions – this option allows you to use the system settings and other services depending on the location. You can safely express yourself.
2. geo-warnings is a service that is needed to detect virus infections with reference to geolocation. For example, if you have activated memories with location detection or automation based on your location. If you are not using the functions, be sure to turn it off.
3. Data & Wireless networks – this switch is responsible for the operation of the U1 chip, which in Russia does not know how to program. Disable.
4. Photo identification Pay – find the user during payment using a contactless payment system. In Russia, irrelevant, turn off.
5. Compass calibration – functionally used navigation applications. If public, then all the maps just need a little more time to determine your direction of movement.
6. Motion Calibration – allows you to more accurately determine the distance traveled with the smartphone, the number of steps the user has taken or the steps he has overcome. If there is no iPhone as a stepper, exclude it.
7. Find iPhone – an important function in the geolocation parameters. Without it, it is impossible to find a smartphone after a loss or theft. Make sure the toggle switch is ON and never turn it off.
8. System Setup – need work for some iOS chips, for example, to optimize charging, change the theme of the design or NightShift at sunset / dawn time, and not according to a given schedule. Personally, I leave this option enabled.
9. Share location – is responsible for the operation of GPS to be able to share your location with friends. Sometimes I share a geotag in Telegram, so I leave this item enabled.
10. Search for a cellular network – a possible feature for collecting statistics about the user’s location relative to cell towers. It can be turned off.
eleven. Usage management – Requires deferred control if you have or have temporary profiles installed. I disable this item.
12. Setting the time zone – will help you correctly adjust the time on your smartphone while crossing time zones. Those who connect a couple of times a year or less can disable this item.
13. Emergency calls and SOS – necessary to accurately identify the user when activating the SOS mode. Disable at your discretion.
14. HomeKit – this menu item is responsible for the occurrence of incidents in the smart home that cause moods for the arrival or departure of the user. If the smart home is not set up based on HomeKit or it does not have arrival/departure events, turn it off carefully.
15. Production product – separate groups of switches that are necessary to collect statistics on Apple products. It’s definitely not worth wasting battery power on this. Disable all switches below.
In the end, my list of system services looks like this.
As practice has recommended, disabling unnecessary geo-services helps to extend the battery life of the iPhone, especially if you have been using the device for more than a year and the battery is already starting to get a little tired.
And of course, now my iPhone again does not track my location and does not remember the geopoints that I visited. Privacy is important these days.
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
