spinning wheel icon next to wi-fi indicating network activity

I did the same as you suggested and did hey Siri and when she answered I hit the home button and the spinning wheel turned off yay

If you are seeing the spinning after you attempt to dictate for a message, then that sounds like a data issue. You need an internet data connection for Siri to work. Are you connected to wi-fi, or cellular data?

Yes, elietuna1. «using voice to text» shouldn’t «trigger the spinning wheel [Network activity indicator] in perpetuity.»

However, we are seeing that only a subset of users are seeing this behavior.

What is not yet known is what the common features are, for that subset of users.

As best we can tell, it is not simply what iPhone model they are using.

It’s certainly not simply the version of iOS or iPadOS, being used.

It could be some setting or combination of settings.

It could be some App or combination of Apps running in the background.

The specifics of the issue are still being investigated.

I tried Lawrence’s troubleshooting method, but I was only able to monitor cellular data usage while the spinning indicator was persistent for about 30 minutes. Since I couldn’t reset my statistics beforehand, I had to just take screenshots before and after. I didn’t notice any unexplained changes in app usage, but I did see some suspicious changes in the System Services. None of the processes used a large amount of cellular data in that timeframe, but I’m not sure which ones I should be expecting to use ANY data.

Messaging Services went from 1.3MB to 1.6 MB. I did have a few messages in that time frame, plus this problem we are troubleshooting happens even when dictation is used outside of Messaging, so I am disregarding this for now.

DNS Services went from 1.3MB to 1.4MB. I think this is most likely issue.

Siri Services went 775 kB to 791 kB. I know this is minute, but I have Siri turned off, so I would’ve expected 0.

Documents & Sync went from 464 kB to 503 kB. Probably not an issue.

Security Services went from 392 kB to 441 kB.

Can anyone else please confirm they DO NOT experience the problem when using dictation while only on cellular data, with WiFi turned off? Thanks!

My earlier post, where I turned off WiFi and noted the statistics for cellular data usage, and then induced the persistent spinning wheel by activating dictation. I let it spin for awhile and then looked at cellular data usage again to see what processes used any data. DNA Services was one of the few.

The troubleshooting step was suggested by Lawrence Finch and was done a few days ago.

I did initially consider that possibility Lawrence, but a little critical thinking is able to quickly dismiss it.

Try to remember these points:

• It only occurs when using Apple's dictation service, not when using some other app
• It doesn't occur when using a third-party dictation service, such as Google's service with the GBoard
• The issue persists even when Background App Refresh is disabled
• If it was, as you suggested, "a function of what apps [I] have installed on the phone that are designed to be in continuous communication with their servers", then a restart, network reset, and/or Siri activation wouldn't stop that communication.

Eventually, you'll admit it is a bug and stop gaslighting on Apple's behalf.

2010StreetGlide Said:

"Let’s face it Apple products are lacking in every way. I tried everything and they admit it’s a software problem but don’t do anything about it. I have a brand new IPhone Se 2020 for sale now. I never had an Android but I’m buying one now."

-------

Provide Apple with Feedback:

Do your Part: If something is not hurting your needs, in one manor or another, then provide Apple Feedback on it. Let them know what is going on, how you have troubleshot it thus far, and how you think things should be made/developed differently. Using another computer or portable device, provide Apple with feedback on this. Apple wont get back to you directly, but the more they hear of this, the more they will know what is going on, and what needs to be fixed.

To Provide Feedback:

1. Go Here: Feedback - iPhone - Apple
2. Select: "Bug Report" for the "Feedback Type"
3. Proceed form there as necessary

After the 14.3 update I have been able to stop the spinning circle on my iPad Pro 2018 if I press the top button for Siri but don’t say anything. It has to be the next immediate action. If not it keeps spinning. But who wants to ask for Siri every time! Apple support told me that was the “fix”. I refused that answer and now am waiting to hear back from the “engineers”.

Welcome, rswc90, to Apple Support Communities!

Did either, or both, of your iPhone 7 or iPhone SE (2020) exhibit the issue under Factory Conditions—no added Apps or restored settings?

This is what needs to be tested, in order to track this down, or even just to make it reproducible.

Machine_Ruse:

Simply pressing the Home button, again, after activating Siri, will also dismiss Siri, in less time.

Does that method of dismissing Siri cause «the spinning indicator [to] also disappear»?

FWIW, I took advantage of Costco’s return policy and exchanged my phone for a new one.

With the new phone, I set it up as new and then did the iOS update via iTunes, instead of OTA (I’d read that as a potential source of issues somewhere). However, after updating the iOS, I did restore from a backup of the old phone. I just didn’t feel like having to start from scratch.

The very first time I used speech-to-text on the new phone, the network activity indicator continued spinning and I had to resort to activating Siri to get it to go away.

I guess the problem could be in the backup from the old phone, but I doubt it. I’d already tried a factory restore and start from scratch on that phone and it didn’t fix anything.

I'll just have to live with it, and probably won’t use dictation as much as I’d like.

This is a bug. I have filed a case and uploaded a screen recording showing the bug. I also had my iPhone going through a proxy with wireshark and there was little-to-no activity, so Siri's dictation is doing something funky. Let's hope they fix it soon.

https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/feedback/9031473

This will be my final post on this forum. I, like the rest of you have been trying to find a fix or get some satisfaction from apple. And like the rest of you I have come up empty handed. Out of frustration I decided to talk to local company that sold me the phone. At first they told me I would have to deal with Apple and that there was nothing they could do. I decided to push my weight around a little. I own a company that spends $30,000 a year between cell and land phone services. I reminded them that there are other options out there. Long story short, they are now replacing my SE with an I phone 11.

So in hopes that I can help the fine people on this forum just a little before I leave I have been doing some experimenting this morning. My I phone se is in at my provider getting swapped for the 11. I needed a loner anyway for this 3 hour process so I told them I would use my old Iphone 7 which some of you will remember was where the problem began. I had originally traded up to the SE hoping to solve the problem. So I have been using the 7 with my sim card from the SE. I have been voice to texting steadily for the last three hours and not old has the spinny wheel not returned, I can't even get it to show up for a second. So maybe a possible solution for those that can be without their phone for a bit is to remove the sim card for a while and see what happens. Best of luck to all of you. I know how frustrating this is. Ciao

I called Apple again today and was able to speak to a senior advisor. I found out that the engineers are aware of the problem and are currently working on a solution. At this point they are considering that it’s most likely a software issue so hopefully there may be a patch soon. I personally think this may end up being a hardware issue affecting some of the 2020 SEs. I did find out that the spinning icon is actually called the “network activity indicator”. 🤔

I went to 14.5 on my iPhone 8 and shockingly the wheel is actually spinning a lot now! It does immediately stop every time by invoking and dismissing Siri though. On my SE (which I no longer have ) the only thing I could get it to stop was a restart.