In Spain we have been using android mobiles almost two decades, and from the beginning the icons of the upper bar of the interface have played an important role.
There we have the information of the time, the notifiation but also of If we have a Wi -Fi network, a Bluetooth connection or NFC activated.
The communications icons sometimes show us arrows of various types, some horizontal and other vertical, and what they indicate is that Data transmission is being carried out.
These arrows are always placed next to a connectivity icon, such as Mobile network coveragethat of Bluetooth or that of WIFI They are accessories to them.
It is possible to see the icon without the arrowsbut never the arrows without the icon. This is because it is possible to have an established connection without sending data, but not vice versa.
WiFi network transmitting and Bluetooth without connection
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Taking as an example the wifi connection, when we are not connected to a network, the icon does not appear in the notifications. But what appears does not mean that we have coverage.
The wifi icon indicates that we are connected to a router, but Maybe that router does not have an Internet connection. That’s when arrows show that everything works.
That arrows appear up implies that we are sending datafor example, uploading a photo to a cloud service, or sending a message.
If the arrows are down implies that we are downloading information. In addition, it is possible to see a number next to the arrows, which indicates the type of wifi connection we are using.
WiFi network transmitting and bluetooth connected to a clock
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The same goes for the data connection, which shows us if it is 4g, 5g or another, but also lets us see if we have the connection running to be able to send and receive information.
In the event that the arrows do not appear implies that although we are connected to the antenna, it has a problem and we cannot use the network.
It is also possible that it is a matter of our mobile so it is always an option to restart it to commit what the modem can restore the connection.
The shape of the arrows depends on each manufacturerand some directly show them. It is not something that Google has created in the Android nucleus, but an addition of some brands.
Finally, in the case of connection Bluetooth, fixed arrows imply that there is an established connection with an accessorysimply.
