After some phone owners complained about the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro tracking location data even when location services are disabled, Apple decided to include a fresh option in iOS 13.3.1 that turns off the new Ultra Wideband U1 chip.
The U1 chip makes use of positioning technology a.k.an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radio that offers correct location and spatial awareness, so a U1-equipped smartphone can know its precise position relative to other devices in the same environment. iPhone presently makes use of this system to improve AirDrop, which will discover the closest phone to show it first in sharing options.
However, as per a recent report from Apple, this tech is banned in some nations, therefore the iPhone has to locally collect the phone’s location data persistently to find out if the user is in a region where UWB can activate or deactivate the U1 capabilities.
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Beginning with iOS 13.3.1, owners are allowed to permanently deactivate the U1 chip in iOS settings. If you are bothered about the use of the U1 chip on your iOS device, adhere to these instructions:
How Can I Turn Off Ultra Wideband UI chip on iPhone 11 and 11 Pro?
1. Launch Settings on your iOS device.
2. Swipe down and click Privacy.
3. Click Location Services.
4. Select “System Services” from the list.
5 Search for “Networking & Wireless” and then disable it.
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You will be asked to deactivate the location for Network & Wireless. Just confirm to totally deactivate the U1 chip and then your iOS device will stop tracking your location. Be aware that when you deactivate, your iPhone cannot use location services to improve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
More Information on iPhone 11:
The iPhone 11 is a smartphone designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the thirteenth generation lower-priced iPhone, succeeding the iPhone XR.
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It was unveiled on September 10, 2019, alongside the higher-end iPhone 11 Pro flagship at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, Cupertino by Apple CEO Tim Cook. Pre-orders began on September 13, 2019, and was officially released on September 20, 2019, one day after the official public release of iOS 13.
The prominent changes compared with the iPhone XR are the Apple A13 Bionic chip, and an ultra-wide dual-camera system. While the iPhone 11 Pro comes with an 18W Lightning to USB-C fast charger, the iPhone 11 comes with the same 5W charger found on previous iPhones, even though this faster charger is compatible with both models.
Details regarding the smartphone were leaked widely before the official release, with complete specifications and renderings of the phone being publicized, many of which turned out to be correct, such as advancements in the camera and the keeping of the ‘notch’ design from the frontal camera featured since the iPhone X.
Official release event invites sent out to press featured layered colored glass elements organized to form the Apple logo, which some reviewers drew similarities to Apple’s original logo, suggesting new colors for the phone, and to a patent, Apple filed for a new camera design earlier.
The iPhone 11 is available in six colors: Purple, Yellow, Green, Black, White, and Product Red. There is a notch at the front for the TrueDepth camera system and speaker, similar to its predecessor, the iPhone XR.
There is a bump in the back for the cameras and the flash that is the same size as the iPhone 11 Pro, although the iPhone 11 only has two cameras compared to the Pro’s three cameras.
Also, the iPhone 11 has a matte glass rear camera housing and glossy glass back, while the iPhone 11 Pro has a glossy glass rear camera housing and matte glass back. The Apple logo is now centered on the back of the device with no text, a change from previous models.
There you have it – a comprehensive tutorial on how to disable ultra wideband U1 chip to prevent background location tracking on iPhone 11. If you have any questions as regards this tutorial, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.