Android 16 is getting a new location notification alert so users have a better idea of when apps access their location. To be clear, users had ways to tell when apps were accessing their location before this update. However, Google is attempting to make this a little more visible if users know what they’re looking for. Not to mention where to look.
This feature is part of the Android 16 QPR3 update that was pushed out on December 17 . If you have that software installed, or you plan to install it, then you should end up seeing this new notification at the appropriate times.
The location notification in Android 16 shows up as a blue dot
This is essentially the same thing Google has done with the green dot, which shows up when apps are accessing your camera and microphone. For example, when you open the camera app on your device, you’ll see a green dot in the upper right corner of the display. That’s obvious, since it’s the camera app. But there are not so obvious apps that request access to this permission. This is a big reason why Google added the green dot.
For apps that need access to the location permission, Google is adding a blue dot. Now, anytime an app is accessing your location, such as the Google Maps app, you’d end up seeing the blue dot in the upper right corner. There is a caveat to this. As reported by 9To5Google , the blue dot gets merged with the green dot when an app is accessing multiple permissions, like the location, camera, and microphone, all at the same time. In these scenarios, you’ll see the green dot instead, but the location icon will still be visible alongside the camera and mic icons.
These icons are visible when you pull down the notification panel. The dot also transitions from a dot to a pill-shaped green icon with the specific icons for those permissions inside of it. So, it’s pretty easy to identify. This is a pretty minor adjustment, but it’s nifty for anyone who wants more control over this kind of stuff.
Image Credit: 9To5Google
