Location Services turning on on it's own!

[W_A_Watson_II]

I've notices on my Active that the Location Services are turned on, and I did not do it, nor have I given any app permission to turn it on. What or Why is it doing it on it's own?

 

[Mal Lignant Tumor]

The NSA is keeping track of you.

 

[B. Diddy]

If your Location Services are off, and you use an app that needs them, it will prompt you to turn them on (perhaps saying that it wants to improve accuracy). Is it possible that you accepted one of these prompts quickly while using the app, without being fully aware of what it was asking?

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Figured it was a glitch as I'm pretty good about understanding the android screens. But time will tell as I keep an eye on it.

 

[B. Diddy]

It can happen to any of us. I've done it from time to time.:-\

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Well it did it again. This time the phone did an auto update to the FB App (I don't even use it) overnight on it's own. I noticed the Location Service was on, swiped down and over, then while I was looking at it it turned it self back off. Strange.

 

[B. Diddy]

Do you mean that you saw the little Location icon (the map pushpin) appear in the status bar, and then disappear?

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Yes, when I woke the phone up it was there, I swiped down to show the setting menu, and then over to show the toggle for the GPS Location Services, and it was Blue, I looked at it for a moment, and then it turned gray, turned it self off.

I also noticed while hanging up from a phone call today it was on, and before I could swipe down it turned off again.

 

[B. Diddy]

You may have already done this already, but go to Settings>Location, tap More, and look for an option to Improve Accuracy. Make sure that's turned off.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

On the s7 Active by AT&T the Setting Menus are different than they were on the s6 I had on VZW, so that menu path doesn't exist. But under Personal>Privacy ans safety>Location Improved Accuracy isn't black (it's gray) and is shows Recent Location Request were from: Google Play Services. IMS Service & Maps. Also Google Location History off and empty.

 

[B. Diddy]

Does this happen in Safe Mode? https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-28008. This can at least narrow it down to a system/preinstalled app or a 3rd party app you installed.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Not sure it's repeatable enough to know what's triggering it to see if it does happen in safe mode. Once I find a common action/time I'll give that a try,

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

I've still not determined what's causing the problem, but today while I was in Google Maps looking up an address, all of a sudden the map jumped and showed my location on the map! I looked at the top and locations services icon was on, and just a suddenly as it turned it self on, it turned off and my location on the may was gone!

So the Icon popping up in the top bar isn't just an icon issue, the GPS is turning it self on and then back off!

(The only applications with recent Location Services Access per the Settings is Google Play and Google Maps).

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Further reading and investigating makes it look clear to me that it's Google Play. So no other Active users are experiencing this?

 

[jimd1050]

I've never seen it happen but I'll try to keep an eye on it for a while!

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

When I rebooted the phone I noticed it came on and then went back off just after completing the boot. Google Play Services and Maps still show as the only recent location request.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

With the last update the F'ing phone is at it again, and not displaying the little push pin icon at the top when it is on!

 

[jimd1050]

That is strange - mine is there! As a matter of fact, I'm using it tomorrow to get into Boston and the Push Pin is showing right now and I got that Upgrade the other night too! ???

 

[jj8279]

Yea, this is still happening on my phone. Randomly turns on while battery saving mode is selected.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Yep, mine is still doing it, and it just now did it while checking gMail. I've also had problems in the past week where the phone keeps nagging me to turn it on as apps can't access my location and i might not be able to find my phone if lost. I've not added any new apps, and it's been a week since any apps.phone updates applied.