In a significant update for Android users, Google is introducing a new blue dot feature in the Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1, which alerts users when applications are accessing their location. This follows the addition of a green dot in the 2021 Android 12 release, which indicated when apps utilized the camera or microphone.
Currently available on Google Pixel devices, this blue dot will appear for apps using location services, whether in the foreground or background. Unlike the green dot, which signifies camera or microphone use, the location indicator will not be displayed simultaneously. Instead, both indicators will be combined when an app accesses multiple permissions, with a new menu titled “Microphone, Camera & Location” displaying all relevant app access.
Android 16 QPR3 is in its beta phase now, with plans for a wider rollout on Google Pixel devices anticipated early next year. It is expected that the location dot feature will eventually extend to other Android devices, mirroring the functionality of the existing green dot feature used across devices running Android 12 or later.