New "Location" button vs Old "GPS" button

[Catimba]

Hi guys!!!

I am really angry :-X that Google has changed the old GPS button to a new Location button. When I toggle the Location button to "OFF", it just turns off all the locations options, including Google device manager location report and Google location history (it is interesting but this one does not need the GPS to work!!!).

I would just like to go back to that old GPS button. Is there any way to do that?

If it isn't possible, what can I do to show the GPS as disabled on the settings page or main screen but keep all other location functions activated, specially the Google location history feature?

Best regards

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which device do you have? The Location toggle function might differ depending on your device and the manufacturer's skin. But that is how things are on my Nexus 5. I just tap it as a shortcut to the Location menu, and then adjust things there.

There might be a 3rd party GPS toggles available on Google Play, but for many devices, these kinds of toggles can't directly toggle GPS on or off--they usually just act as a shortcut as well.

 

[Catimba]

My device is a S5 Mini. I assume it has similar settings with S5. On my cell phone I can click one time to turn on/off location and then, as I said, it turns off all location functions. There also a long tap that redirects me to a settings page. But it isn't possible to do what I said... :-( Keep setting on and GPS off

 

[B. Diddy]

I think this is similar to the built-in toggle on the HTC One M8 as well. For the finer control you're looking for, I think you may just have to keep going to the Settings menu to adjust it. There might be some solutions out there that involve rooting, but I don't know for sure.

 

[Catimba]

Unfortunately I think there isn't a solution right now.

Sometimes I like to disable the GPS to save power but if I just toggle the button off it will disable everything else. I know I can enter location settings and choose "battery saving" mode. But then I would have to enter that menu and change settings to "high accuracy" every time I want to use the GPS.

This is sooo boring! I just don't understand how can someone make things worse...

 

[B. Diddy]

Is there a reason why you need the precise location given by GPS? The location given by using wi-fi/mobile data alone is usually accurate enough for my daily use. I would only need to turn GPS on if I was using my phone as a car nav device (which I don't, since my car has one built-in).

 

[Catimba]

Actually the Galaxy S5 Mini GPS is awful. It only works well in the high precision mode. Really!

 

[B. Diddy]

That's probably not the GPS's fault--it probably has more to do with your mobile network. If it's not very precise on Battery Saving mode, then maybe the concentration of cell towers in your area isn't that great, and the cell tower triangulation that is used to estimate your location is less accurate.