Hi and Welcome to the forums

I think its a GPS Icon

 

That looks like an old gingerbread icon. But you have an S3. What version of Android you have?

 

Ive never seen that on my s3 tbh. If its an app doing it i think there will be something in the notification panel (pull down) too? If there is, long-tap the notification and tap "app info" :thumbup:

 

Hmm i dont know then man. Ive certainly never seen it on my non carrier branded (samsung firmware) international s3
P.s i dont think samsung have officially released a 4.2 based firmware for any s3s yet mate :thumbup:

Sorry if i appear to be trying to "teach" a carrier salesman btw :beer:

 

GPS Location Active: One or more GPS location services are active.

See Page 28:
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...0/VZW_SCH-i535_English_User_Manual_LG1_F5.pdf

 

It's the GPS icon but that particular style I haven't seen since the age of e911 location enabled phones. I recall disabling it or hacking nam programming to disable it, as I don't like emergency services knowing my location. Back then, GPS navigation on phones was impossible, it was just there for cops and the like to monitor you, ala CSI. Today that icon should be replaced with a satellite dish icon (Gingerbread, Froyo, and below) and now a flashing target site icon (Android 4.x). I would be surprised to see this limited e911 GPS service on a new smartphone especially one like the Galaxy S3. However, if Samsung is reviving the e911 location service like they have been reviving the stylus, I won't be buying an S3 when and if I ever decided to upgrade in the future.

 

This specific icon means e911 location service active. I honestly haven't seen it since my last flip phone. Most smartphones only use GPS for navigation. I'd be worried if e911 rears its ugly head again. If I recall, there is also a setting to have it set always enabled (which seems to be in your case) or emergency calls only ( makes the beam symbol disappear leaving the target symbol by itself). I'm guessing this is a CDMA phone through Verizon or Sprint? e911 was mainly a CDMA offering.

 

Ive never even heard of that here. So its like a location thing for emergency services? That would seem like a good thing to me if i trusted the government to use it as intended (and im not one of these tinfoil hat people)

 

Don't worry, NSA's got your back.

 

Moved to the device specific forum for better flow of info.

 

Yaay how about the NRA? :beer:

 

I was going to suggest..
if all else fails.. read the manual.

you beat me to it.

 

People seriously read phone manuals? My dad does but tbh.... hes a bit of a... dad lol (and owns a Windows Phone) :banghead:

 

electronics.. don't use the manual. I like to play with it...
i normally only break open the manual seal.. when I see something I cant figure out. Like icons that I don't know.

but new video games.. I am reading the manual first.. to see if there are any hints given. and of course.. to see what the icons are

 

Lol thankfully im not a gamer (cant read)

 

I wouldn't worry about my phone giving up my location to the government. They already know where you are.

 

Interesting! I also have that symbol on my Verizon phone, so I just searched through my phone and there is a statement in the Location Services/My location area in Settings which states: E911 location services cannot be turned off on any mobile cellular phone.

 

Correct, however they can usually be disabled for normal calls and enabled only for emergency calls. Ir he worried about cops profiling me. If they had to rely on cellular triangulation it makes it harder for them. Besides, I'm a fan of nature and don't believe in doctors and refuse medication. If emergency services cannot find me should my phone be high tech enough to act as a medical tricorder (given the pace of tech it wouldn't surprise me) id feel better. I wouldn't like the idea of waking up in a hospital.

 

I have it on my Verizon s3. I hate it its annoying

 

i wish the gov.. can tell me where I left my phone!!!!