It starts with a small moment that feels a little too coincidental. You say something out loud, then an ad shows up that feels way too specific.

Bill recently reached out to us asking if the Apple devices in his home are actually spying on him.

It is a fair concern. The short answer is no, your Apple devices are not secretly recording everything you say. But they are listening in specific ways and collecting some data. Once you understand how it works, you can decide what to change.  If you have an Android, here are the privacy settings you should review. 

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What is actually happening behind the scenes

To understand what is really going on, it helps to break down how your devices listen, what data gets collected and where the bigger risks live.

Voice assistants are always on standby

If you use Siri on your iPhone or other Apple devices, your device is always listening locally for the wake phrase. It isn’t recording full conversations. When it hears the trigger, it starts processing your request.

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Siri may send that request to Apple’s servers when needed, although much of the processing now happens directly on your device. Even so, accidental activations happen. That can lead to short snippets of audio being processed when you did not intend it.

Apple still collects some data

Apple markets itself as privacy-focused, especially compared to Google and Meta Platforms. That is generally true, but Apple still gathers certain types of data, depending on your settings, including:

• Device usage patterns
• Location data if enabled
• Siri interactions
• App analytics if you allow it

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Apple says much of this is anonymized; simply put, that means it isn’t directly tied to your name or identity, but it still exists.

Apps are often the bigger privacy risk

Here is where things get more important.

Most privacy exposure does not come from Apple itself. It comes from the apps you install.

Many apps request access to:

• Your microphone
• Your camera
• Your contacts
• Your location

If you approve those permissions, apps can collect more data than you expect. Some of that data can be shared with advertisers or third parties.

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Why it feels like your phone is listening to you

You have probably had this experience. You mention something out loud, then an ad appears later. That usually has nothing to do with your microphone.

Instead, it is driven by:

• Your browsing activity and search history
• Tracking data from websites
• Location patterns
• Data brokers connecting activity across devices

All of that creates a detailed profile of your interests. The ads feel personal because they are based on your behavior, not your conversations.

How to take control of your iPhone privacy settings

If you want more control over your privacy, a few simple changes can make a big difference.

1) Turn off “Hey Siri” if you do not use it

• Go to Settings
• Tap Apple Intelligence & Siri
• Tap “Talk & Type to Siri”
• Disable “Listen for ‘Hey Siri’” by tapping Off

2) Review which apps can use your microphone

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Tap Microphone
• Turn off access for apps that do not need it

3) Limit app tracking

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Tap Tracking
• Turn off “Allow Apps to Request to Track”

4) Disable analytics sharing

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Scroll down and tap Analytics & Improvements
• Turn everything off

5) Check location access

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Tap Location Services
• Set most apps to “While Using” or “Never”

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6) Review camera access

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Tap Camera
• Turn off access for any app that does not truly need it

7) Turn off Bluetooth tracking for apps

Some apps use Bluetooth to track nearby devices or location patterns.

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Tap Bluetooth
• Turn off access for apps that do not need it

8) Check Photos access (often overlooked)

Apps can access your entire photo library, including metadata like location.

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Tap Photos
• Set apps to “Selected Photos” or “None” where possible

9) Use Apple’s App Privacy Report

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Scroll down and tap App Privacy Report

Turn it on to see which apps access your data and when

10 Audit location system services (advanced but valuable)

• Go to Settings
• Tap Privacy & Security
• Tap Location Services
• Click System Services

Some of these run quietly in the background. You can turn several off without affecting how your iPhone works day to day.

Turn these OFF (for more privacy, minimal impact)

• Alerts & Shortcuts Automations (only needed if you use location-based automations)
• Apple Pay Merchant Identification (used to verify store location during payments)
• Cell Network Search (helps Apple improve carrier data)
• Device Management (mainly for work or enterprise devices)
• Home (only needed if you use Apple Home automations tied to location)
• In-App Web Browsing (not essential for most users)
• Suggestions & Search (location-based Siri suggestions)
• System Customization (personalized system behavior)
• iPhone Analytics (shares location data with Apple)
• Improve Maps (sends location data to improve Apple Maps)

Optional depending on your usage:

• Routing & Traffic (turn off if you don’t use Apple Maps for navigation)

Leave these ON (core features & accuracy)

• Emergency Calls & SOS (critical for emergency response)
• Find My iPhone (needed to locate a lost device)
• Networking & Wireless (improves GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth accuracy)
• Compass Calibration (keeps directions accurate)
• Motion Calibration & Distance (used for fitness and movement tracking)
• Setting Time Zone (automatically updates time when traveling)
• Satellite Connection (important for emergency connectivity on newer iPhones)
• Wi-Fi Calling (helps with calls in weak signal areas)

Leave ON (unless you have a specific reason)

• Share My Location (turn off only if you don’t use Find My sharing)
• Significant Locations & Routes → TURN OFF if you want maximum privacy (This tracks places you visit frequently.)

What those arrows mean (from your screen)

• Purple arrow = recently used your location
• Gray arrow = used your location in the last 24 hours

You don’t need to flip everything off. Focus on ads, analytics, suggestions and tracking features. Those give you the biggest privacy win without breaking anything.

11) Add an extra layer of protection

Even with strong settings, your data can still circulate through data brokers or exposed databases. Using an identity protection service can help monitor your personal data, alert you to suspicious activity and add financial safeguards if something goes wrong. See my tips and best picks on best identity theft protection at CyberGuy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Apple devices are not secretly recording your conversations all day. Still, they do listen for Siri and collect certain types of data. The bigger concern comes from the apps you install and the broader tracking ecosystem that follows you across the internet. The good news is you have more control than you might think. A few minutes in your settings can significantly reduce what your devices share.

If your devices already know so much based on your behavior alone, how much privacy are you willing to trade for convenience going forward? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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Nearly four years after the last version of Sennheiser’s Momentum headphones debuted with a redesign that traded a retro aesthetic for a more contemporary and comfortable design, the company has announced its Momentum 5 Wireless headphones. They look very similar to their predecessors, the Momentum 4, with large ear cups and a design that doesn’t quite stand out from the competition. But under the hood there are welcome upgrades, including improved ANC and, for the first time, a user-replaceable battery to extend their life.

The Momentum 5 Wireless will be available starting on June 30th for $399.99, a $50 price bump over the Momentum 4. The headphones feature the same 42mm drivers as the Momentum 3 and 4 models, but Sennheiser is introducing “Hi-Res Audio certification” and expanding the Momentum 5’s Bluetooth codec support to include AptX Lossless. That allows the headphones to stream 16-bit/44.1kHz CD-quality sound, but only from devices with a Qualcomm processor supporting that codec through the Snapdragon Sound platform. Smartphones from Sony and Motorola should be compatible, however Samsung, Google, and Apple devices won’t be.

Sennheiser has also doubled the number of microphones on the Momentum 5, which now feature four on each side to improve noise cancellation. The company claims its latest headphones are up to three times more effective at reducing the sound of voice chatter and the drone experienced in airplane cabins. The upgraded ANC and added mics also help improve call quality, both when it comes to picking up your voice and ensuring you can hear the person you’re talking to.

The Momentum 5’s battery life lasts up to 57 hours. It’s a small hit from the Momentum 4’s 60 hours, but still nearly double what you’ll get from the Sony WH-1000XM6, which can only muster up to 30 hours with ANC turned on. Other Momentum 5 upgrades include a new carrying case that’s 20 percent smaller, support for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio with head tracking, and the ability to upgrade from Bluetooth 5.4 to Bluetooth 6.0 with a future firmware update, although Sennheiser didn’t share a timeline for that.

Airports can feel like a maze when you are rushing to a gate, hunting for baggage claim or trying to find a lounge before boarding. Now, LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B wants to make that all feel a little less stressful with a life-sized AI hologram named Bridget.

Bridget can hold a real conversation with you. She can answer questions about gates, shops, baggage claim and VIP lounges. She can also give you step-by-step directions using real-time terminal maps.

That could be a welcome change if you have ever wandered through an airport looking for what you need. The bigger question is whether you would actually want help from a hologram when a real person may be just a few steps away.

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What is the LaGuardia AI hologram?

Bridget is a hyper-realistic AI hologram now located near the Terminal B Food Hall at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The technology comes from a collaboration between Proto, the hologram hardware company, and Holomedia’s AI Concierge Wayfinder platform.

Together, the system lets travelers ask natural questions instead of searching through signs or tapping through an app.

Right now, Bridget speaks English and Spanish. More languages are expected later. The kiosk also includes on-screen subtitles, high-contrast displays and a physical interface positioned for wheelchair accessibility. LaGuardia Gateway Partners, which manages Terminal B, says more units are planned across both concourses.

How Bridget helps LaGuardia travelers

LaGuardia Gateway Partners frames Bridget as extra help for travelers rather than a replacement for human workers. The idea is to support the guest experience team during busy periods, especially when staff members are already helping other passengers.

“At Terminal B, our North Star has always been to provide an exceptional guest experience through a unique blend of innovation and world-class hospitality,” said Suzette Noble, Chief Executive Officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners. “The introduction of the interactive AI hologram aligns perfectly with this vision, allowing us to leverage next-generation technology to meet the evolving needs of our travelers. By providing an additional layer of intelligent, multilingual support, we are ensuring that every guest who passes through our terminal enjoys a seamless and stress-free journey.”

So, in other words, you can just walk up, ask where to go and get directions without digging through your phone.

What the LaGuardia AI hologram can answer

Bridget can answer common airport questions that usually send travelers searching for a sign, app or employee. Travelers can ask for directions to gates, shops, lounges and baggage claim. The system can also provide live mapping and step-by-step guidance around the terminal. 

In a company-provided video, Bridget guides a traveler to Gate 19 with turn-by-turn directions and then offers a QR code so the traveler can take the directions with them.

That could help during peak travel days, when lines get longer and airport workers have less time to answer the same questions over and over.

David Nussbaum, founder of Proto Hologram, says the technology extends human support rather than replacing it.

“Communication with humans will always be the best way to help travelers find their way, and for the first time in any airport, AI-powered interactive hologram avatars extend the reach of the human guest experience ambassadors,” said Nussbaum. “Proto Hologram and Holomedia’s digital helpers can guide and advise travelers in ways that feel natural and intuitive.”

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Miami is also testing AI holograms at the airport

LaGuardia isn’t the only airport experimenting with AI holograms. Miami International Airport announced its own AI-powered holographic assistants about three weeks earlier. Miami’s system includes four conversational AI holograms developed with Hypervsn, Satisfi Labs and Mappedin.

Miami’s setup has been described as supporting 40 languages. It also connects with the airport’s website chatbot and WhatsApp assistant. That means you could start a question before you arrive and continue getting help once you are at the airport. Miami’s approach shows how other airports are also testing AI tools to help passengers move through terminals with less confusion.

Will AI holograms make airports less stressful?

That depends on how airports use them. A well-placed hologram that answers simple questions could make travel smoother. A confusing AI kiosk that gives vague answers could become one more thing travelers ignore. The best version of this technology helps people quickly and then gets out of the way. It should support airport staff, not replace the human help travelers still need when flights change, bags go missing, or plans fall apart.

Glenn E. Smith, Spatial Computing XP Architect at Holomedia, says airports are looking for technology that improves operations while creating more personalized journeys.

“As passenger expectations evolve, airports are increasingly seeking technologies that not only improve operational efficiency, but also create memorable, frictionless, and personalized journeys,” said Smith.

That is a pretty big promise. However, travelers will judge it by a much simpler standard: Did it answer my question and help me get where I needed to go?

What this means to you

For travelers, this could be helpful if the technology works well. Anyone who has walked the wrong way through an airport knows how stressful that can feel. A conversational kiosk could make it easier to find a gate, locate baggage claim or get to a lounge without hunting through signs. It may also help travelers who prefer spoken directions or need accessibility features like captions and a lower physical interface.

Still, AI airport assistants need to earn trust. Travelers will want clear answers, accurate directions and easy access to a real person when the technology gets confused. 

There is also the privacy question. Bridget appears focused on wayfinding and guest service. But airports are also testing AI tools that connect with biometrics, mobile apps and passenger data. That broader shift deserves close attention.

Join CyberGuy Live: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes (Saturday, June 13, 10 am ET)

Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free, live online class, Kurt the CyberGuy will walk you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do in real time. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Register here: CyberGuyLive.com 

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Bridget gives LaGuardia’s Terminal B a new way to help you find your way through a busy airport. If it works well, it could answer the simple questions that often create the most stress, like where to find your gate, your bags or the nearest lounge. Still, this story is bigger than one hologram in New York. Miami and other airports are also testing AI tools that could change how you get help before and during a trip. Some tools may look like friendly digital people. Others may live inside apps, websites or airport systems you never see. The real test is whether this technology makes travel feel easier. Because when you are late for a flight or trying to find your bag, you probably care less about how impressive it looks and more about whether it actually helps.

Would you rather get airport help from a human worker, a life-sized AI hologram or a smart system running quietly in the background? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
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