Andy Walker / Android Authority
Many Android apps ask for your current location to show you more relevant results or help with directions, but most don’t need your precise GPS coordinates to do the job. That’s why Android offers two levels of location accuracy: Precise and Approximate. These options are controlled by two different Android permissions and are intended for different kinds of apps.
If an app requests a precise location, Android provides the most accurate estimate it can, usually within 3 to 50 meters (about 10 to 164 feet). If an app requests an approximate location, however, Android will only provide a rough estimate of your device’s location, which may only be accurate to within 3 square kilometers (about 1.2 square miles). This is why navigation apps always require your device’s precise location, while most other apps can function perfectly well with either.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Of course, many apps that don’t need your precise location ask for it anyway, as there’s little stopping them from doing so. You should be wary of these apps, as they might be collecting your location data for tracking purposes. In contrast, apps that only request your device’s approximate location are less likely to be covertly tracking you, as the rough location estimate they receive is too broad to be useful for that purpose.
However, your approximate location can sometimes be enough for an app to pinpoint where you are. This is especially true in rural areas with low population density. In these zones, even a rough estimate can be revealing if there are only a few roads or buildings nearby. That rough estimate might be enough to identify your specific location, defeating the privacy benefit of the feature.
To solve this problem, Google has quietly introduced a new feature in Android 16 called “density-based coarse locations.” Here’s how it works. You’re reading the Authority Insights Newsletter, a weekly newsletter that reveals some new facet of Android that hasn’t been reported on anywhere else. If you’re looking for the latest scoops, the hottest leaks, and breaking news on Google’s Android operating system and other mobile tech topics, then we’ve got you covered.
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Density-based coarse locations in Android 16 The problem with Android’s old approach was that it always provided the same level of accuracy, whether you were in a bustling city or a small town. In densely populated areas, an approximate location places you among many other people, making it difficult to single you out. As I just explained, however, that same estimate could easily identify someone in a sparsely populated area. Android’s approximate location is supposed to be privacy-friendly, but for people in rural areas, it often failed to deliver.
Android 16 fixes this by switching to density-based coarse locations. The system can now check the nearby population density. If it’s low, it provides apps an even less precise estimate of your location. The goal is to make the “approximate” estimate feel just as anonymous in a sparse rural area as it does in a dense city.
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