>> Apple : "The icon appears for system services that do not have a switch in Settings"
> ... If Location Service is enable, these services will have access to them ...
> The Author seems to miss the fact that the unknown service causing the icon to appear isn't in the list of individual settings.
OK, so how do we know what this mystery service does? The obvious candidates (E911/SOS, FindMyPhone, Location-based ads, etc) all appear in the list. I think this definitely raises questions about what remaining service is asking for location, and especially what that is being used for. Given that this article is coming from a security blog, there is a definite implication of questioning the intentionality / consent of a broad setting like "location services on/off" has unknown, unlisted users [and especially when most users of such a setting have individual toggles].
> OK, so how do we know what this mystery service does?
We don't, Apple didn't say.
> I think this definitely raises questions about what remaining service is asking for location, and especially what that is being used for.
Yes absolutely.
> Given that this article is coming from a security blog, there is a definite implication of questioning ...
What I'm saying is that the blog missed the point entirely. They're saying it's a bug and that something isn't respecting an individual setting. Apple is saying that for the particular service there IS NO INDIVIDUAL SETTING.
It definitely raises questions as you stated AND it demonstrates that even when Apple considers something above user choice, they still do not hide it. They created a means for an App/Service to access Location Services, when enabled, without user's consent BUT they didn't create a way to hide it.
If Location Services are accessed, you receive a notification.
> ... If Location Service is enable, these services will have access to them ...
> The Author seems to miss the fact that the unknown service causing the icon to appear isn't in the list of individual settings.
OK, so how do we know what this mystery service does? The obvious candidates (E911/SOS, FindMyPhone, Location-based ads, etc) all appear in the list. I think this definitely raises questions about what remaining service is asking for location, and especially what that is being used for. Given that this article is coming from a security blog, there is a definite implication of questioning the intentionality / consent of a broad setting like "location services on/off" has unknown, unlisted users [and especially when most users of such a setting have individual toggles].