[LINK] Question about the app: must location be turned on in order for Bluetooth to work?

Scott Howard scott at doc.net.au
Tue May 5 12:56:09 AEST 2020


As an example, at my previous employer they went through the building and
placed Bluetooth LE "beacons" in the ceiling, each maybe 5-10 metres apart.

We then had an app that detected the beacons, and based on which beacons it
could see and their respective signal strengths it could map your location
to within a metre or two, and basically provided "Google Maps"-style
mapping and directions around the building.  eg, you could say I want to go
to the X conference room, or the desk of person Y and it would know exactly
where you are, and give you a route to get there.

This style of "location" is one of the common use cases for Bluetooth LE,
and can provide incredibly accurate positioning in much the same way that
GPS does.

As a result, scanning for Bluetooth LE devices in this way requires
"location" permissions in Android - and rightfully so.

  Scott





On Mon, May 4, 2020 at 6:19 PM Kim Holburn <kim.holburn at gmail.com> wrote:

> According to google:
>
>
> https://developer.android.com/reference/android/Manifest.permission#ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
>
>
> > ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
> > Added in API level 1
> >
> > public static final String ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
> >
> > Allows an app to access precise location.
>
> So yes, an app accessing bluetooth requires bluetooth and location
> permissions.
>
> Discussion here:
>
> https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33045581/location-needs-to-be-enabled-for-bluetooth-low-energy-scanning-on-android-6-0
>
> On 2020/05/5 9:20 am, Kim Holburn wrote:
> > https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/bluetooth
> >
> >> Bluetooth permissions
> >>
> >> In order to use Bluetooth features in your application, you must
> declare two permissions. The first of these is BLUETOOTH. You need this
> permission to perform any Bluetooth communication, such as requesting a
> connection, accepting a connection, and transferring data.
> >>
> >> The other permission that you must declare is ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION.
> Your app needs this permission because a Bluetooth scan can be used to
> gather information about the location of the user. This information may
> come from the user's own devices, as well as Bluetooth beacons in use at
> locations such as shops and transit facilities.
> >>
> >> Alternatively, on devices running Android 8.0 (API level 26) and
> higher, you can use the CompanionDeviceManager to perform a scan of nearby
> companion devices on behalf of your app without requiring the location
> permission. For more on this option, see Companion device pairing.
> >
> > Companion devices are not relevant here. I'm pretty sure
> > access_fine_location requires location permission.
> >
> >
> >
> > On 2020/05/4 10:00 pm, Roger Clarke wrote:
> >> On 4/5/20 5:41 pm, jwhit at internode.on.net wrote:
> >>>   I just read a CQU review of the App where the writer said:
> >>> "In regards to enabling location permissions, it’s important to note
> >>> this isn’t the same as turning on-location services. Location
> >>> permissions must be enabled for COVIDSafe to access Bluetooth on
> >>> Androidand Apple devices."
> >>> So, despite the app not collecting location data, other apps that
> >>> would like it but you don't want them to will be?
> >>
> >> That sounds inaccurate.  As in 'partly right, but not as written'.
> >>
> >> Can you point to the source?
> >>
> >> Most posters have been pretty careful and precise up until now.
> >>
> >> Misinformation from sceptics *as well as* enthusiasts won't help anyone.
> >
>
>
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