The iOS 11 Control Center looks great, but apparently, its buttons for the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features do not work the way that most users would think they do.
Apple recently rolled out the iOS 11 update to all supported devices, and the revamped Control Center is one of its best new features. Everything now fits in one page in the iOS 11 Control Center, but the simplified look also came with a few unwanted changes.
iOS 11 Control Center: Taking A Look At The Wi-Fi And Bluetooth Buttons
The iOS 11 Control Center can now be customized, but the usual buttons remain. Among these buttons are the ones for the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features of the Apple device.
In previous versions of iOS, users can turn on or off the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features of their iPhone or iPad by tapping on these buttons on the Control Center. Users carry out the simple task usually to preserve the device's battery.
However, with iOS 11, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth buttons on the Control Center no longer work that way. When users turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth through the Control Center buttons, the features are apparently not completely turned off.
Making matters worse is that this is not a bug, as Apple intended for the buttons to work this way. According to official documentation, users who turn off the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features of an iOS 11 device will only disconnect the iPhone or iPad from connections using them. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will actually remain available, as Apple said that both are needed to enable the following features: AirDrop, AirPlay, Handoff, Instant Hotspot, and Location Services. Keeping them on also maintains the connection with an Apple Pencil or Apple Watch.
Turn Off Wi-Fi And Bluetooth On iOS 11
Users who would like to completely turn of W-iFi or Bluetooth on their iOS 11 device will not be able to enjoy the convenience of the Control Center. The connections can only be completely turned off by accessing their respective menus in the Settings app of the iPhone or iPad.
"For the best experience on your iOS device, try to keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on," Apple said in its official documentation, but according to security researcher Andrea Barisani, keeping them on when not in use opens up users to potential attacks.
A recently uncovered Bluetooth security problem, an exploit named BlueBorne, highlights the need for users to turn off the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features of their devices. Unfortunately, Apple withdrew the convenience of doing such a thing on the iOS 11 Control Center.
