The Apple Watch displays several icons throughout its user interface, and users might be wondering what the little camera icon means. The Apple Watch Control Center is home to many icons that indicate different functions, including Wi-Fi, battery percentage, silent mode, Do Not Disturb, flashlight, Airplane mode, and more. While long-time Apple Watch users will be familiar with what the different icons mean, it can be confusing to new users.
In Apple Watch's Control Center, there is an icon that looks a bit like a sideways camera with an antenna. When tapped, it turns yellow, and displays a tiny version of the icon at the top of Control Center. While the icon may look like a camera, in reality, it's the Walkie-Talkie icon. With Walkie-Talkie, Apple Watch users can communicate with other Apple Watch users, provided the other person has a compatible smartwatch.
To set up Walkie-Talkie, users will need to open the app on Apple Watch. To do this, press the digital crown and then tap the Walkie-Talkie app icon. Tap 'Add Friends' and then tap a contact's name to send them an invite. Once the contact accepts the invitation, users can have a Walkie-Talkie conversation with them. To do this, Walkie-Talkie will need to be enabled, either from the app or by tapping the Control Center icon.
To begin a conversation, tap on a friend's name, touch and hold the Talk button and record a message. Provided the friend has enabled Walkie-Talkie on their Apple Watch, the app will open for them and the message will be played. Since a randomly playing Walkie-Talkie message can be embarrassing, disturbing, or both, users might prefer to turn off the feature when not in use. To do this, just tap the Walkie-Talkie icon again in Control Center.