Technology

The secret meaning of your iPhone clock’s 4 different colors

Published

8 months ago

April 21, 2024

The secret meaning of your iPhone clock’s 4 different colors

While casually scrolling on your iPhone, you may have noticed different colors behind the clock in the top left corner. These colors are not random, and you should know what they mean.

You might see a blue, green, red or purple color as a bubble behind your clock at the top left corner status bar if you own an iPhone X or later, or across the entire status bar if you have an iPhone 8 or earlier.

Knowing what these different colors mean can improve how you use your phone and enhance your privacy and security. Learn more about what these different colors behind the clock mean for iPhones (X or later) below.

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Four colors of bubbles in upper left corner of an iPhone screen (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What does it mean if you see the blue bubble on the top-left of your iPhone?

A blue bubble in the top-left corner of an iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When a blue bubble appears in the top-left corner of your screen — right behind your time or clock — this means an app is actively using your iPhone’s location or you are using Screen Mirroring.

CHANGE THIS APPLE MUSIC SETTING ASAP TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY

What does it mean if you see the green bubble on the top-left of your iPhone?

The green bubble in the top-left corner of an iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When a green bubble appears in the top-left corner of your screen — right behind your time or clock — this means you’re on a call or your iPhone is being used as a personal hot spot. If you’re not using it and you see the green bubble, another device may be connected to your hot spot and potentially using your data without your knowledge.

How to prevent unauthorized use

To prevent unauthorized access to your personal hot spot, ensure you have a strong password set up.

Go to Settings
Click Personal hot spot
Tap on Wi-Fi Password to create a secure password. It’s also a good practice to regularly check and change this password.

Identifying who is using your hot spot

You can see how many devices are connected to your hot spot by opening the Control Center. For iPhones with Face ID, swipe down from the top-right corner; for iPhones with a home button, swipe up from the bottom. Press and hold the wireless section to see the number of connected devices.

Kicking off unauthorized users who are using your hot spot

If you find an unknown device connected to your hot spot, you can disconnect it by changing the hot spot password or turning off the personal hot spot feature.

Go to Settings
Click Personal hot spot
Toggle off Allow Others to Join.
Then, turn it back on and share the new password only with trusted devices. Also, consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.

Remember, monitoring your hot spot connections regularly is important to ensure no unauthorized usage, which can lead to data loss and potential security risks.

MORE: AVOID PUBLIC WIFI BY USING YOUR IPHONE AS A HOT SPOT

What does it mean if you see the red bubble on the top-left of your iPhone?

A red bubble in the top-left corner of an iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When a red bubble appears in the top-left corner of your screen — right behind your time or clock — this means your iPhone’s recording sound or your screen.

MORE: THE NEW IPHONE SECURITY THREAT THAT ALLOWS HACKERS TO SPY ON YOUR PHONE

What does it mean if you see the purple bubble on the top-left of your iPhone?

A purple bubble in the top-left corner of an iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When a purple bubble appears in the top-left corner of your screen — right behind your time or clock — this means your iPhone is using SharePlay, which can be used to share content such as games across iPhones.

Navigating apps, calls and hot spots with a tap

Now that you know what these different colors mean, you can be more aware if your iPhone is doing something you don’t want it to do.

Curious to see exactly what app or iPhone function is being used with these different color bubbles? If you tap on the clock when there is a color behind it, it will take you to the app or the control settings for the function that is being utilized.

For example, if you tap the clock when the bubble is green, and you are on a call, it will return you to the main window where you can see who you are speaking with.

If your iPhone is being used as a personal hot spot, tapping the green bubble will send you to the personal hot spot section of settings, where you can see who is using it and turn it off if you never intended it to be used as a hot spot in the first place.

An iPhone personal hot spot being used (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

This is where knowing what these color bubbles are comes in handy. On one hand, you can use them to maneuver apps or settings on your iPhone easily. From the security and privacy perspective, you can now be alerted when any apps or other people are utilizing information or functions from your iPhone you don’t want them to.

Uncover and block unwanted access to your iPhone’s camera and microphone

If you see that your iPhone’s microphone and/or camera are in use even though you don’t have an app opened, it likely means that an app has permission to use those features on your phone even when it isn’t being used or your phone may have been hacked. In our article, “Is your device spying on you?” you will find step-by-step instructions to see which apps have permission to access your microphone or camera and how to turn those features off.

If you’ve gone through your permission settings and your microphone and camera are being accessed without your consent, there is a chance that some malicious spyware may be using your device to spy. If you’re not sure your phone has been compromised, you can check for these additional signs outlined in our article, “How to tell if your phone has been hacked.”

To avoid this, consider adding good antivirus software to your phone to prevent malware. Also, the best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.

MORE: ‘IN CASE OF EMERGENCY’ IPHONE SHORTCUT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

Kurt’s key takeaways

The colorful indicators on your iPhone serve as a visual guide to what’s happening behind the scenes. Whether it’s the blue bubble alerting you to location services or screen mirroring, the green bubble indicating an active call or hot spot usage, the red bubble warning of recording in progress or the purple bubble signifying SharePlay activity, each color plays a crucial role in enhancing your awareness and control over your device’s functions.

By understanding what these colors represent, you can take proactive steps to protect your privacy, manage your connections and optimize your iPhone experience. This subtle yet powerful feature underscores the importance of being informed and vigilant about the digital footprints we leave. So, the next time you notice a colored bubble behind the clock, remember it’s more than just a design choice — it’s a gateway to understanding and managing your iPhone’s diverse capabilities.

How do you think Apple could further improve the color notification feature to assist iPhone users in managing their devices’ functions? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Sonos plans return-to-office push for its product teams

Published

7 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Press Room

Sonos plans return-to-office push for its product teams

Sonos will soon encourage employees on its various product teams who live near its US office locations to come in for at least two days per week, The Verge has learned. That’s a notable break from the company’s history, throughout which Sonos has enthusiastically supported fully remote and hybrid work. Job listings at Sonos routinely state that “it’s about impact, not location.” Glassdoor reviews have long backed this up, with employees reporting no pressure to come into the office.

But that lax stance is set to change slightly as Sonos continues its effort to right the ship following this year’s app mishap and stay on track with upcoming products. It’s adopting a stricter policy that will call for product employees within proximity of Santa Barbara, Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco to regularly be present at those offices. The Santa Barbara location is where Sonos is headquartered. The company also currently operates international offices in Paris and the Netherlands

“Flexibility has been a core tenet of how Sonos has operated since our founding. Flexibility is not going away, but like many companies, we are evaluating the impact that in-person collaboration has on the effectiveness of our teams and our culture,” Sonos said in a statement provided by spokesperson Olivia Singer.

“Sonos product teams rely heavily on collaboration, collective problem-solving, and hands-on testing. These are activities which we believe can be done more effectively in-person. We will be prioritizing office space for our product teams to collaborate in-person 2+ days per week depending on location (proximity to office), role, and current needs. Many Sonos employees and teams, however, will see no change to their current work situation.”

Employees at Sonos tell me that morale remains low internally — it’s been that way since the app controversy spiraled into a crisis — with some fearing another wave of layoffs in the coming weeks after 100 employees were cut back in April.

New job postings from the company have been extremely thin in recent weeks as Sonos tightens its belt amid sluggish demand. During last month’s quarterly earnings call, CEO Patrick Spence and CFO Saori Casey said Sonos will take whatever steps are necessary to keep the balance sheet where it needs to be as the audio company navigates a challenging period for its business. Those measures already include leaning more heavily on AI to field customer support requests.

The new Sonos Arc Ultra has received positive reviews across the board, including from yours truly. But a single product hasn’t gone far in convincing rank-and-file employees (or the company’s most ardent customers) that Sonos is back on the right trajectory for the long haul.

Return-to-office mandates have become common across the tech industry; many large companies require employees to badge in at least three days each week. Amazon made waves earlier this year when it announced a return to the traditional five-day office work week.

Technology

Fox News AI Newsletter: AI app helps you turn anything into LEGO models

Published

7 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Press Room

Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

– Get ready to build your own Lego masterpieces with this new tech

– OpenAI releases text-to-video AI model Sora to certain ChatGPT users

– The AI-powered grandma taking on scammers

Brick My World app (Brick My World)

BUILD LEGO CREATIONS : This innovative app is here to make custom Lego creation fun and accessible for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned builder or just getting started. By using advanced artificial intelligence and mobile scanning technology, Brick My World opens up a world of creative possibilities.

‘OUR HOLIDAY GIFT’: OpenAI released its text-to-video artificial intelligence model, Sora, this week after the completion of its testing phase.

The OpenAI logo is being displayed on a smartphone with the Sora text-to-video generator visible in the background in this photo illustration, taken in Brussels, Belgium, on February 16, 2024. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

GRANNY FIGHTS BACK: Daisy is an artificial intelligence-powered grandma developed by Virgin Media O2 to interact with scammers. When a scam call comes in, Daisy automatically answers and engages the caller in conversation, wasting their time.

‘I GOTTA FEELING’: [will.i.am doesn’t think true artists should worry about artificial intelligence. The Black Eyed Peas singer does think people not involved in the creative process in the music industry are the ones who should worry about AI taking away their jobs.

Recording artist will.i.am speaks onstage during Day 2 of the 2024 Invest Fest at Georgia World Congress Center on Aug. 24, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Subscribe now to get the Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter in your inbox.

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Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.

This article was written by Fox News staff.

Technology

YouTube is a hit on TVs — and is starting to act like it

Published

14 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Press Room

YouTube is a hit on TVs — and is starting to act like it

YouTube just released some new stats that show how the service is being consumed on televisions, and the numbers are enormous. Watch time on TV for sports content was up 30 percent year over year; viewers watched more than 400 million hours of podcasts on their TVs every month.

This is YouTube we’re talking about, though, so of course the numbers are huge. The living room has been YouTube’s fastest-growing platform for years — Alphabet’s chief business officer, Philipp Schindler, said on the company’s most recent earnings call that watch time is growing across YouTube “with particular strength in Shorts and in the living room.” Even as YouTube continues to dominate basically all facets of the entertainment business, the arrow on your TV still points up.

The trend hasn’t changed in forever, but YouTube has spent the last couple of years finally doing something about it. It launched a way to sync your phone and your TV, so you can watch a video on the big screen and interact with it on the small one. Earlier this year, the company redesigned the TV interface to make it easier to find comments, links, and channel pages while you’re watching a video. It redesigned those channel pages, so content starts playing more quickly on your TV. It added collaborative playlists, so multiple people can sit around and program the big screen.

Today, along with all those stats, YouTube announced a new feature called Watch With, which lets creators add their own commentary and analysis to sports content in real time. For years, YouTube has seen viewers and creators hack this kind of setup together, says Kurt Wilms, YouTube’s senior director of product for TV. “They’ll put the commentary on their computer or their phone, and then they’ll put the game on their TV.” Now there’s no futzing with two screens. The feature is starting with sports, but Wilms says you can expect to see it all over YouTube soon. “There’s the Apple keynote,” he offers by way of example. “All the creators talking about that, you can imagine with Watch With.”

Getting the living room experience right has always been tricky for YouTube. The company has always tried to make the platform feel the same no matter how you’re consuming it — the theory is that YouTube should feel like YouTube no matter what screen you’re looking at and that creators shouldn’t have to think about all the platforms individually but just focus on making stuff for YouTube as a whole. That’s tricky enough to get right across mobile and desktop, but TVs are a completely different beast. You’re usually farther away from the screen; you don’t have easy access to a full keyboard; let’s be honest, you’re probably also still looking at your phone.

YouTube is very much trying to become a premium streaming service

Wilms tells me that one easy way to think about YouTube in the living room is as a study in extremes. On the one hand, it’s the biggest screen in your house and almost certainly the place you do your most dedicated and focused watching. That’s why YouTube built the quicker-playing channels and why it created a new Shows page that lets creators organize their videos more like a Netflix series. It has invested in Primetime Channels and Sunday Ticket and lots of other high-end content. YouTube is very much trying to become a premium streaming service, without losing focus on creators.

But on the other hand, lots of people use their TVs as a sound system or simply want some background TV. “The TV is the new home stereo,” Wilms says. Music is huge on living room YouTube, and he says that’s why podcasts are booming, too; you’re just putting on something to listen to while you do dishes or clean up, but now there’s also something to look at.

As YouTube has grown on TVs, it has become a bigger part of the creator economy — the company said earlier this year that the number of creators making a majority of their revenue from TV viewing is up more than 30 percent since last year. The question for those creators, then, and for YouTube, is what to do about that. Should creators start uploading different kinds of videos aimed at the viewer on their couch instead of on their phone? Should they make videos that fans can listen to instead of watch?

Wilms acknowledges that the TV audience might want something slightly different from other YouTube platforms. He says creators are asking for better platform-specific analytics and hints that maybe YouTube shows should be treated like TV shows on IMDb and findable on platforms like JustWatch. But he says he’s convinced that it can all still feel like YouTube, too. “Our model is to bring all of YouTube to the TV,” he says. “How does it work on the TV, without burdening the creators or making them do different things?”

That’s been the question for a while now. Can YouTube be super interactive and super immersive, equal parts lean forward and lean back? Can it be home to all your favorite vloggers and the next big hit show? The company thinks it can. And to be fair, history says it’s right — it already dominates watch time across platforms, is one of the biggest platforms in music, is rapidly eating podcasting, is now a major cable competitor, and much more. If YouTube can make the big screen and the small screen feel like the same screen, it’ll become even more unstoppable. But that won’t be easy to get right.

I joke to Wilms that the solution is obviously to just build a television, and he’s fairly clear that’s not going to happen. But he’s dead set on being all over the one you already have.