IPad - want to stop "OtherDevices" from connecting via bluetooth but 24/7 continuous spinning wheel instead

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IPad - want to stop "OtherDevices" from connecting via bluetooth but 24/7 continuous spinning wheel instead

Yes, I have turned off and on many many times etc. I am not even trying to connect to any new devices. I have all the devices I want to connect already set up. Now I want to set my "settings" so that no new bluetooth connections can connect at all 100% none. I need no more new connections so I want to shut it off to any new connections whatsoever b/c hackers use bluetooth. But instead....all I see on both my iphone and my ipad are continuous spinning wheels......24/7 using battery for no reason....spinning. It is as if it is 100% of the times searching for new bluetooth connections even though I do not want nor need this to be occurring. Please help me fix!? Thanks, Community!

Note, not actually IPhoneXS but b/c both my ipad and my iphone is occuring on (ie two devices), I had to select a phone so I did. Please note, not an XS but Iphone 8 and 7 and 6. Apple, fix!!!!

iPhone XS

Posted on Aug 14, 2019 12:28 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

IdrisSeabright

Level 10

156,317 points

Aug 14, 2019 12:46 PM in response to BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP

The spinning wheel is like the light in your 'fridge. It will show up any time you go into BT.

Just because some appears under "Other Devices" doesn't mean it's connected. It just means your device knows it's out there. You would still need to pair to it.

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Answer 2

Aug 14, 2019 1:34 PM in response to BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP

Bluetooth is not "wasting" battery life. It uses no battery life unless you go to Settings/Bluetooth and leave it there, or if you are connected to and actively using a Bluetooth device. See my user tip-->Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Battery Drain and oth… - Apple Community

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Answer 3

Aug 14, 2019 1:09 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Hi and thanks for the understanding!

Understood and makes sense except that having a complete on/off style feature or toggle might be a good idea if this is wasting battery life unnecessarily. Like a fridge light that comes on when you don't need it (clear doors are moving this way in a sense). Also, gives more cyber-security peace of mind instead of having to check to see if there are any bluetooth vulnerabilities nearby. Could be the guy next to you at the coffee shop while you are listening to your ipods. If they can find a device to hack, it is vulnerable and could also give off locations etc. Plus, saving battery life is a priority for competition race. Anything to extend battery life no?
Also, why is it (the two respective bluetooth settings displays on most current IOS) b/c missing an option) different on my ipad vs iphone? On ipad, just continuous circle spinning fridge ligtht with nothing else but the list of bluetooth device already set up and wanted by me listed above. No problem there now that I understand fridgelight point. The new point here now is that my iphone shows an additional option on the screen that isn't available as an option on my ipad. My iphone has a blue color link (allow drill-down option) that the ipad does not display. My iphone shows a link option (located directly underneath the on/off toggle for bluetooth) that reads, "Allow New Connections" again in the blue allowed drill-down (ie not grey/disallowed but displayed.) No explanation necessary for what this feature/option does. I got it already. My point is why is this 'option' on my A iphone but not displayed as well on my B ipad for me to also use as an option? If it's not on my ipad, the subject is "Allow new conn..." link option), then how do I also allow new connections to my ipad WHEN I do want to allow new connections? And why isn't this link available for parallel ease of use on the Ipad in general?

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Answer 4

Aug 14, 2019 1:40 PM in response to BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP

BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP wrote:

1. Hi and thanks for the understanding!

Understood and makes sense except that having a complete on/off style feature or toggle might be a good idea if this is wasting battery life unnecessarily.

It's not wasting battery life.

Also, gives more cyber-security peace of mind instead of having to check to see if there are any bluetooth vulnerabilities nearby. Could be the guy next to you at the coffee shop while you are listening to your ipods. If they can find a device to hack, it is vulnerable and could also give off locations etc.

As iOS devices don't have the BT profile for file transfer built into them, they are not nearly as vulnerable to BT hacking as you seem to think.

Plus, saving battery life is a priority for competition race. Anything to extend battery life no?

Passive listening for BT doesn't drain your battery.

Also, why is it (the two respective bluetooth settings displays on most current IOS) b/c missing an option) different on my ipad vs iphone?

iPads and iPhones are different devices with different features and abilities.

Again, nothing showing in "Other Devices" is connected to your iPhone.

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Answer 5

Aug 14, 2019 2:35 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

Thx! understood.

🙂👍 I still think one should be able to turn it off completely and it doesn't sound like a difficult addition or complex feature. code templates are built And it must use some battery life, come on. A stretch but I'm applying it: there is no such thing as a free lunch.

I hope it's not as vulnerable as I think (creditcard scanners/ evolving technology). I thought that our voting machines were not vulnerable in 2015 as well. FF to '19. not the same level of confidence anymore.

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Answer 6

Aug 14, 2019 2:50 PM in response to BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP

But you CAN turn it off completely. Settings/Bluetooth OFF. Or "Hey Siri, turn off Bluetooth." If you do that then things like Airplay and Airdrop won't work, and if you have an Apple watch it won't work either.

Keep in mind that with iOS 13 Find my iPhone can use your Bluetooth signal for crowd-sourced location reporting whether or not the phone has an Internet connection, but only if it is on.

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Answer 7

Aug 14, 2019 4:46 PM in response to BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP

BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP wrote:

And it must use some battery life, come on.

Apparently you didn't read the User Tip that I went to a lot of trouble to research. It talks about how much energy Bluetooth uses. So to save your fingers the trouble of clicking on the blue link I posted, If Bluetooth when not connected was the only thing using energy in the phone you would have to recharge the phone about every 3 months.

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Answer 8

Aug 14, 2019 1:12 PM in response to BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP

Addl note On Ipad subj 2 above. I understand airplane mode could be the reason? Must be turned off?

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Answer 9

Aug 14, 2019 3:06 PM in response to BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP

BluetoothOtherDevicesSTOP wrote:

And it must use some battery life, come on.

Okay, maybe it uses a couple of nanoseconds.

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IPad - want to stop "OtherDevices" from connecting via bluetooth but 24/7 continuous spinning wheel instead

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