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Apple tree'due south new iOS eleven packs a variety of new capabilities and features under the hood. But it also changes certain functionality in a manner that's not necessarily user-friendly. Starting with iOS eleven, disabling Bluetooth and Wi-Fi from the Control Eye will not shut them off. The iOS Control Eye is a card that appears when y'all swipe upwardly from the bottom-center of the device. In iOS 10, the primary menu (yous tin can left for additional functions) looked like this:

iOS 10's Control Heart.

The blue highlight ways Wi-Fi is enabled; the other functions (Aeroplane mode, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, and the screen lock are left-to-right). Tapping on an icon enables or disables it. Pretty simple stuff.

iOS 11 Control Center

iOS 11'southward Control Heart.

But in iOS eleven, this functionality changes. While it adds a great deal more adequacy to the Control Center, it likewise changes how Bluetooth and Wi-Fi work when enabled or disabled, merely just directly from this panel. A new Apple support document spells out the changes:

In iOS 11 and later, when you toggle the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth buttons in Control Middle, your device will immediately disconnect from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth accessories. Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth volition continue to exist available, so you can utilise these important features:

AirDrop
AirPlay
Apple Pencil
Apple Watch
Continuity features, like Handoff and Instant Hotspot
Instant Hotspot
Location Services

What's odd is, there was already a way to practise this. In iOS 10 and before (I'1000 not sure when the feature went in, simply it's been in that location awhile) you can put the telephone in Airplane mode, then activate Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, as shown below. All y'all have to do is move your finger very slightly and printing downward. If you want Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you tin accept them both.

ControlCenter2

Airplane way enabled, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi both working, iOS x.

This change raises a great many questions. First, there's going to exist an associated bombardment life hit. Leaving Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled is going to swallow some power, even if information technology's only a modest amount. The larger question is how Apple controls which devices tin can connect to the iPhone in this mode. Just last week, we discussed a Bluetooth exploit that could turn most smartphones into malware vectors without ever pairing with the infected device. Only beingness in range of an infected device is sufficient to laissez passer the virus along. Modern Apple devices aren't affected by this bug, but the bespeak stands — leaving Bluetooth and Wi-Fi ambiently enabled is a potential attack vector unless Apple tree has taken specific steps to baby-sit against it.

Luckily, there is all the same a way to shut Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off: You tin can do and so in the Settings Menu. Still, this kind of UI change is an badgerer — Apple just fabricated turning networks off to save battery life more hard, in the proper name of making an Apple Pencil easier to utilise. I can't say for sure, seeing as how I've never done a survey, simply if I had to gauge, I'd estimate more people plough Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and off than employ an Apple Pencil on whatever given day.

Apple tree's official recommendation is "For the all-time feel on your iOS device, endeavour to keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on." ExtremeTech'southward official recommendation is "Turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off in the Settings carte du jour to save battery life and not waste material it on peripherals you probably don't own, use cases yous don't intendance most, and features you will never use." If y'all practice apply these peripherals and features, plain this advice does non apply.