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improve location accuracy popup dialog

There are 3 location settings,
1. GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks – this lets Google use any of these to find your location even if Wi-Fi or location is turned off. When this is switched on, you’ll often find Google Play Services is one of the biggest issues.
2. Wi-Fi and mobile networks – this disables the GPS chip inside your Galaxy S6 Edge and is probably the least useful of the three options. Relying on just mobile networks and Wi-Fi will allow you to find your location quickly but will then use a lot of data and battery as it relies on your Wi-Fi and mobile networks to keep track of your location.
3. GPS only – this is actually the mode I use as it prevents Google scanning in the background (more on that below). It has its pitfalls in that it can take a while to find your location but the battery savings from not having Google scanning are plentiful.
We know that option 1 and 2 could lead to extreme battery drain because Google uses the location manager and wake up the device. When you attempt to turn on either the first or the second option, you’re greeted with a prompt from Google to “Improve location accuracy”. The option means that anonymous location data can sporadically be sent to Google even when no apps are running, and as a result, this can have a large impact on your battery life, especially when using Google Now or widgets that depend on location. If I choose one of these options I do not see the dialog anymore. Maybe I accidentally clicked "don' t show again".
How can I get the dialog back???
When I enable the locations, it is always set to option 1, even if I had 3 the last time. Anybody else have this problem??

Go to the settings in Google +

wolfloestoffel said:
Go to the settings in Google +
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have google+ installed on my phone. What would I find there?

You can choose and set one of the 3 options to find the locations.

wolfloestoffel said:
You can choose and set one of the 3 options to find the locations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes thank you, I know that. But every time when I set option 3 and switch location on/off it is always set to option 1 again. Did you even read my post?

Go to apps, google framework services, clear data and cache. I has the same problem, not because of battery drain but because I don't want to do the dirt job of mapping wifi networks for google. I'll like to do it, but just if google ASKS for it

azerk said:
Go to apps, google framework services, clear data and cache. I has the same problem, not because of battery drain but because I don't want to do the dirt job of mapping wifi networks for google. I'll like to do it, but just if google ASKS for it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! works like a charm

GPS not working

I'm a seafarer and I m moving from one country to another. And now I'm in Korea and my Google map on pixel is still showing I'm in Malaysia. I can't use mobile data but I have WiFi from Port. GPS also turned on. Is there anyway to fix it?

Myo Thu Htet said:
I'm a seafarer and I m moving from one country to another. And now I'm in Korea and my Google map on pixel is still showing I'm in Malaysia. I can't use mobile data but I have WiFi from Port. GPS also turned on. Is there anyway to fix it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Under Google Maps Settings -> Google location settings, make sure "Use location" is turned on. On that same screen open App-level permissions and make sure "Google Play services" and "Maps" are both on. Then go back and open Advanced -> Google Location Accuracy, turn on Improve Location Accuracy.
Any luck?

post-mortem said:
Under Google Maps Settings -> Google location settings, make sure "Use location" is turned on. On that same screen open App-level permissions and make sure "Google Play services" and "Maps" are both on. Then go back and open Advanced -> Google Location Accuracy, turn on Improve Location Accuracy.
Any luck?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's already turned on

How to permanently disable "Google Location Accuracy"?

I remember that I had similar issues with my old Galaxy S5 and the issue persists with my current Google Pixel 3a XL.
I don't want to use "Google Location Accuracy". I'm totally OK with just using GPS. So I went to the location settings and switched "Google Location Accuracy" to "off".
BUT: I have to redo this regularly. The usual hint is that Pokemon Go gets unexpectedly fast GPS fix. In this case I revisit the settings just to find out that Google decided to reenable "Google Location Accuracy" against my will.
I still don't know what the pattern behind this is. To be honest I'm a bit pissed that Google gives a **** about my preferences and toggles them back on every now and then.
Is this a common issue? I searched a bit and could not find anything interesting about automatic reenabling of "Google Location Accuracy". Is there some other setting I have to change to permanently opt out of "Google Location Accuracy"? Is this done by an app that can be uninstalled/disabled? Is it at least possible to install some APK which monitors the setting and warns if Google, again, reenabled it against my will?
Thanks in advance.

I run Samsung's. I keep location disabled 99% of the time. Firewall block that game or ditch it.
Enough of these data mining whores...

MicroG?

Question Problem with auto location in native weather app

Hello,
I don't know if it might be that I am no proceeding properly, but it happens the automatic location (using gps) for the native weather app is not changing location. I set up several manual locations and one automatic location in the movile app, adjusted as favorite location, so when I updated the clock the automatic one, showed properly where I was. But once I changed my location, it didn't update the place.
I tried using the watch alone, using its own gps, and even using the watch connected by BT to the phone with its gps on, as well, but the only way I found for the "automatic" location to adjust properly, it is entering specifically the weather app in Samsung Gear, entering the "locations administration" setting and hitting update at the bottom, which makes no sense.
Any ideas?
EDIT: well in the end, due to loss of connection I had to factory-reset the watch in order to connect to the phone, and after that this problem had solved and everytime I set on location on the phone it updates on the watch.

[Privacy] Do you know a way to permanently disable Google Location Accuracy 'precise location' & 'Wi-Fi scanning' while keeping only the GPS radio on?

This would be a big leap in privacy if we can pull it off together.
Do you know if there is a way to permanently disable precise location & Wi-Fi scanning switches from turning on?
Google Location Accuracy = assisted_gps_enabled
How can we turn this (permanently OFF!)
Wi-Fi scanning = wifi_scan_always_enabled
How can we turn this (permanently OFF!)
Bluetooth scanning = ble_scan_always_enabled
How can we turn this (permanently OFF!)
Keeping in mind these basic inviolate privacy rules... everything below that question above is merely a detail as to WHY I want to permanently turn these three switches off.
Never do I need or want to use anything but the GPS radio for location accuracy.
And never do I wish to upload my location to Google.
And never do I wish to upload anyone's Wi-Fi AP BSSID to Google
And never will I create ANY account on my phone (especially a Google Account!).
The pernicious problem described below did NOT use to be the case.
android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION
Luckily, this stays off usually, after I turn it off
android.permission.ACCESS_COURSE_LOCATION
Practically, this is required for GPS, so it must be turned on
android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
I NEVER want this on but this keeps turning back on
It seems now, that every "map related" app that links in the GSF spyware, forces upon us wholly unnecessary de facto Google spying by needlessly requiring the app to turn on two pernicious Google spyware settings, even if you constantly turn those to settings off!
Google Location Accuracy = off
Wi-Fi scanning = off
It used to be that apps which needed your location would politely "ask" but you could turn on the GPS radio manually, and the map-routing apps would all accept that they had sufficient GPS-only information without resorting to uploading your location needlessly to Google servers.
Recently I tested the following parked-car finder apps, all of which perniciously turned on these completely unnecessary Google GSF spyware uploads to the Google servers!
Parked Car by Myroslav Kolodii
Free, ad free, requires GSF, 4.4star, 179 reviews, 10K+Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.unagit.parkedcar>
Car Location by DigitalBox Studios
Free, ad free, requires GSF, not rated, not reviewed, 500+Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.carparking.location>
Find my parked car by Aurum App
Free, has ads, requires GSF, 4.6 star, 32.7K reviews, 1M+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.carfind>
The technical part of this privacy problem is no matter how many times I turn precise location off, either globally or per app, many (if not almost all) location-aware apps (with GSF spyware linked in) turn it back on.
I don't ever want any app to ever be able to turn precise location on.
I have zero desire to use Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth beacons to determine my precise location, particularly since I often spoof GPS. (I'm guessing the bluetooth spyware switch uses beacons, but I don't know that for a fact.)
Unfortunately for me, almost every app which asks for location nowadays (which uses the GSF spyware), automatically turns on both "Use precise location" & "Wi-Fi Scanning" no matter whether you've already turned precise location access off for that specific app a billion times already.
To be clear, this location tracking spyware situation doesn't matter if you don't even have a Google Account on the phone (which I don't have) because that's not the location tracking that I'm talking about here.
Android 12 Settings > Privacy > Google location history > empty
{I'm not talking about this location tracking as I have no Google Account
It doesn't even matter if you've globally turned the switches off in the Android 12 settings!
Android12 Settings > Location > Location Services >
Google Location Accuracy = off
Wi-Fi scanning = off
Bluetooth scanning = off
Even if you have every app that needs GPS set to "Allow only while using the app", many of those apps will ask EVERY TIME for "precise location".
Android12 Settings > Apps > Permission manager > Location > {app} >
Use precise location = off
The reason is most gps-enabled apps keep turning these precise location switches back on!
Even if you have your Wi-Fi radio & Bluetooth radio turned off, many of those apps still ask EVERY TIME for "precise location" - and worse - the apps won't run until you say yes to the request for location, and then saying yes will automatically turn on precise location every time.
Worse than all that, even if you already turned on the GPS and you already turned off precise location for all your apps and you already set every app to only use the location when the app is running, still most apps will ask for precise location (and then you can manually turn it off yet again).
I turned off all the system apps location permission that I could in
Android12 Settings > Location > App permissions >
Show system > Allowed all the time >
But some of them are grayed out and therefore can't be turned off.
Fused Location = Allow all the time (grayed out)
Fused Location = Use precise location (grayed out)
Samsung Location SDK = Allow all the time (grayed out)
Samsung Location SDK = Use precise location (grayed out)
The fact remains that, since I care about my privacy, I do NOT wish to upload my location to Google servers. Nor do I wish to upload all the BSSIDs around me to Google. And I also don't want any app using them for location. Ever!
I will never want precise location to be turned on, mainly because it gives away my true location (in terms of other people's Wi-Fi access points) and more importantly because I never will need location accuracy better than GPS which is just fine for what I want and for what I need.
In summary...
Do you know if there is a way to permanently disable precise location & Wi-Fi scanning?
NOTE: I'm not rooted (the Galaxy A32-5G SM-A326U apparently can't be rooted) & I therefore don't have Tasker nor, for privacy reasons do I have IFTTT (if this, then that requires a mothership account) but just in case automation forms the basis of a workaround, today I installed both MacroDroid & Automate which are better behaved than IFTTT is on privacy (but I don't yet know if they can do the job of turning off the GSF "assisted_gps_enabled" & inherently malevolent spyware permissions).
Also I have adb working well from Windows over Wi-Fi (for scrcpy/sndcpy & vysor), so maybe I can permanently revoke the permissions using that?
---
REFERENCES
<https://developer.android.com/training/location/permissions>
<https://developer.android.com/training/location/permissions#upgrade-to-precise>
<https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-disable-google-location-tracking/>
<https://www.reviewgeek.com/127460/how-to-disable-precise-location-tracking-on-iphone-or-android/>
<https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-get-google-to-quit-tracking-you>
<https://hothardware.com/news/stop-apps-knowingprecise-location-and-why>
<https://androidforums.com/threads/how-to-disable-high-accuracy-location-service-permanently.1267243/>

Using ADB you at any time can grant / revoke permissions​A one-liner that helps granting or revoking vulnerable permissions.
granting
Code:
adb shell pm grant <sample.package.id> android.permission.<PERMISSION_NAME>
revoking
Code:
adb shell pm revoke <sample.package.id> android.permission.<PERMISSION_NAME>

Did you manage to achieve your goal? Using App Ops is really showing how often google checks your location...
Is the adb idea working?

Yeah, that stuff is all pernicious.
I run an external GPS through UDP and mock location daemon.
I don't want Google to ever listen for WiFi or BT.
It's pesky, every time I start Maps it's always asking me if I want to turn their stuff on.

Bad news.
Apparently Google has recently changed the
Android Google Maps app such that it no longer routes using only GPS.
I tested it without a Google account, and with the following turned off in the Android 12 Settings.
Settings > Location > Location services >
Google Location Accuracy > Improve Location Accuracy = off
Settings > Location > Location services > Improve Accuracy
Wi-Fi scanning = off
Bluetooth scanning = off
Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation [April 4, 2023]
<https://www.deceptive.design/articles/google-maps-now-requires-wifi-scanning-to-use-navigation>
<
https://www.reddit.com/r/hackernews/comments/si6wx2
>
<
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1488641697227624448>
<https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30167865 >
<https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20220204-google-map-wi-fi-gps/>
"Now, enter a new update. I can no longer navigate with Google Maps, unless
full location tracking is on. Comments in Play Store indicate others hit
the same wall."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and
"a further update to Google Maps will prevent navigation on Google Maps
without fully allowing location tracking."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even the official Google Play Store Google Maps app description says it can't use only GPS anymore also.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps
There are only two choices now, none of them are GPS only anymore.
Location Permission
"precise location (GPS and network-based)"
"approximate location (network-based)."
There no longer seems to be an option in Google Maps for GPS only location. Am I right or wrong?

GalaxyA325G said:
Bad news.
Apparently Google has recently changed the
Android Google Maps app such that it no longer routes using only GPS.
I tested it without a Google account, and with the following turned off in the Android 12 Settings.
Settings > Location > Location services >
Google Location Accuracy > Improve Location Accuracy = off
Settings > Location > Location services > Improve Accuracy
Wi-Fi scanning = off
Bluetooth scanning = off
Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation [April 4, 2023]
<https://www.deceptive.design/articles/google-maps-now-requires-wifi-scanning-to-use-navigation>
<
https://www.reddit.com/r/hackernews/comments/si6wx2
>
<
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1488641697227624448>
<https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30167865 >
<https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20220204-google-map-wi-fi-gps/>
and
Even the official Google Play Store Google Maps app description says it can't use only GPS anymore also.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps
There are only two choices now, none of them are GPS only anymore.
Location Permission
"precise location (GPS and network-based)"
"approximate location (network-based)."
There no longer seems to be an option in Google Maps for GPS only location. Am I right or wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me Wifi-Scanning is off and Maps works fine. Not sure though, if Maps is maybe somehow still using it or whatever google/maps able to do.
Iam on Android 13 though (and custom Rom + rooted, not sure how much this plays a role)