Camera, microphone, wallet Data and Sensor access.

Camera, Photos, Camera, Microphone, Contacts, Calendar, Messages/Phone and Wallet app being accessed by one another constantly for data and sensor access? This allows the camera and microphone to be accessed while the iPhone is off? Powered off or sleeping? And why does my Contacts app need to communicate to Wallet?

iPhone 12, iOS 16

Posted on Oct 22, 2022 12:58 PM

Reply
5 replies

Oct 22, 2022 1:16 PM in response to Sir_PresentlyDisappointed

To power off the phone hold the SIDE and VOLUME UP buttons at the same time until Slide to Power Off appears, and do so. Once the shutdown completes, everything stops, except Bluetooth, only if you have enabled Find My Network, so the phone can be located via crowd-sourcing if it is lost and powered off. This feature is disabled after 24 hours. If you don’t want the phone to be findable if lost and powered off turn off Find My network. (Setting is in Settings/[your name]/Find My/Find My iPhone - Find My Network), and also turn off Send Last Location. Nothing else is active when powered off. The camera cannot be accessed when powered off. The microphones cannot be accessed when powered off. No apps can access data in other apps.


When you lock the screen the phone is still on; the only thing off will be the screen. It can receive email, texts, notifications for apps that you have set to receive notifications. It will process these “events”. If you have enabled Siri when Locked the microphone will be on so you can say “Hey Siri, what’s tomorrow’s weather.” The camera will never be on. The motion sensors will be enabled, so it can record your activity for the Activity app.


You will need to provide more specific examples than just general statements for your other questions.



Oct 22, 2022 5:52 PM in response to Sir_PresentlyDisappointed

Sir_PresentlyDisappointed wrote:

ok so a few things.

with the device locked and screen off or on why would the green dot indicating the camera is being in use appear? Cause it definitely was/did, and no there wasn’t any camera app running while the device was locked. Also find my network setting was and is disabled before and after.

Because the camera is used for Face ID.

he app privacy report seems to disagree and suggest other apps do ‘access’ one another either…. Acting independently of the permissions set by the user and or no active inputs made onto the device at the time for the communication to be validly considered user triggered.


When the phone is locked it is not sleeping; the screen is off, that’s all. There are background processes always running. Photos and camera work together, there is a process that organizes the database, including sorting photos by date and time, and by faces. It also matches faces to contacts. Contacts sync to your email server, so they update frequently. Wallet is a guess, but probably to match the names on tickets and loyalty cards to your contacts. But none of it really matters, because this is all your information that no one sees but you. None of it leaves your phone unless you consciously send it to someone.


If it really bothers you about your only choice is to not use a smartphone at all, because all of them share your data among your apps.


lso I’m a bit confused as to what I said to lead you assume that I didn’t know how to shutdown my device or the difference between locked, sleep, and shutdown states were… as that seems very irrelevant in relation to my original statements or question.

Because you made the statement This allows the camera and microphone to be accessed while the iPhone is off? Powered off or sleeping? Which certainly sounds like you didn’t know the difference between powered off and sleeping. And Sleeping is not sleeping; the phone is active continuously.





Oct 22, 2022 3:31 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

ok so a few things.


with the device locked and screen off or on why would the green dot indicating the camera is being in use appear? Cause it definitely was/did, and no there wasn’t any camera app running while the device was locked. Also find my network setting was and is disabled before and after.


The app privacy report seems to disagree and suggest other apps do ‘access’ one another either…. Acting independently of the permissions set by the user and or no active inputs made onto the device at the time for the communication to be validly considered user triggered.


Also I’m a bit confused as to what I said to lead you assume that I didn’t know how to shutdown my device or the difference between locked, sleep, and shutdown states were… as that seems very irrelevant in relation to my original statements or question.



Oct 22, 2022 11:49 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Oh, hmm sorry for using the incorrect terminology sleeping I meant as device on screen off or lock and screen off. Thank you for responding so quickly! I have just a few more follow-up questions on two of the latest responses.


I have Face ID disabled, and the camera was displaying a green dot indicating the camera was actively being used.

“Because the camera is used for Face ID.“

Does the camera get used even if I don’t have a Face ID set or enabled? Sorry if terminology here is incorrect.



also “Contacts sync to your email server, so they update frequently”

For additional clarity on this response.

  • Does not having an email logged into the mail app on the phone not affect this?
  • Is not being linked or synced via iCloud to any secondary devices also not affect this?


Im not bothered by data shared between apps as long it is understandable and clear as to the reasoning it’s to be shared. In a unlocked screen on or in the background while the device is locked with the screen off. Again, please forgive terminology….. However the camera (or camera+mic) being accessed by a third party is creepy while said apps are closed and the device is locked+screen off undermines users enabled privacy settings.


None of the apps in question were running in the background or had any related background app refresh setting enabled.




Thanks in advance I appreciate the help,

Im looking forward to your responses!

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Camera, microphone, wallet Data and Sensor access.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.