Should Location Services Turn On when Low Battery Alert Sounds?

[AC Question]

Hi all,

I have a Samsung Galaxy S4, and recently have noticed that the Location Services functionality (which I normally leave turned off as it burns battery) would turn on/activate on its own. It took me a while but I finally watched it happen. It occurs when the 15% low battery warning message displays (or perhaps is cleared).

I was wondering if anyone else noticed this happening, and if there was a way to prevent the location service from automatically turning on when the battery is low.

Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! When Location Services turns on, what is it set to? High Accuracy? Battery Saving? I wonder if the low battery alert triggers some Power Saving mode, which makes sure that Location is set to Battery Saving--but if designed poorly, will actually turn on Location in order to make sure it's set to Battery Saving, instead of leaving it off as you had selected.

For what it's worth, if Location Services is set to Battery Saving, it should use very minimal battery. If it's set to High Accuracy (i.e., using GPS), that can eat up more battery. Also, make sure Location Reporting is turned off.

 

[Leslie Underhill]

happens every time!

Mine does that too. I'm going to check into what the other comment suggested!

 

[luckypox]

I only see one reply on this. I have an S5 with Lolipop and have exact same problem, can anyone advise if this is in fact due to having no Battery saving mode on? I didn't have this issue with kit kat. Frustrating.

 

[Loumz13]

No it shouldn't. Check your settings in Lookout if you have it installed and untick "signal flare"

 

[Alex Wallin]

I'm pretty sure it has something to do with a security app saving your location. Like for if you were a lost child or you lost your phone, in order for you or someone else, to be able to track it.
Avast maybe, just check out those kind of apps.
Hope that helps!

 

[Kelly Kearns]

I use Wheres My Droid and it has the signal flare feature and I think Lookout has it also, from when I used to use that. I have mine set to go off at 5% battery though.

 

[Moii_ep3]

Yup, it was my Lookout app. "Signal Flare" was enabled.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Yup, it was my Lookout app. "Signal Flare" was enabled.

It isn't a bad idea to have the signal flare on, because if something happens to your phone and the battery dies, you know where it was at 1% or 15%, whatever number you set it to.

 

[Automne]

No it shouldn't. Check your settings in Lookout if you have it installed and untick "signal flare"

I have been looking for this answer for so long. Thank you, my phone is healed.

 

[Krissb]

I went into lookout, and sure enough signal flare was on! It says it will save your last location before the phone dies, hence why GPS kept turning on when it would reach 15%