What do you want to know
- Android users can currently manage their location sharing settings in each app that supports them, but that could change soon.
- A recent Google Play Services update revealed a new Google Location Sharing page in the Settings app, which requires manual activation.
- This menu will house all settings related to Google’s location sharing offerings, including six apps.
Location sharing is used in a handful of Google apps, but management of location permissions is currently done on a per-app basis. However, it looks like Google is preparing to add all of these location sharing settings to a new menu called Google location sharing in the settings app. Android leaker AssembleDebug revealed the unreleased PiunikaWeb page, which became available for manual activation after the latest Google Play Services update.
Version 24.15.14 of Google Play Services introduces the settings menu, which is located behind the Rental Services tongue. For now, if a user accesses Settings > Location > Rental Services > Google location sharing, they will only be able to follow a link to a web page that manages these sharing with authorized people. Of course, this is after activating the page. Presumably, there will eventually be toggles and options related to location shares right on this page.
With location sharing, Android users can let people they trust see their location information in real time. However, there are several apps through which users can start sharing their location (or that of their device) with others. They include Google Maps, Personal Security and Find My Device. So, if a user wants to cancel location sharing permission, they will have to remember which app was used to initiate the sharing.
The Google Location Sharing menu would eliminate this need. As the company explains on the blank settings page, Android users will be able to “manage all existing location shares, regardless of the app they were created in.”
Google could revamp its real-time location sharing hub on AndroidRead – https://t.co/1Qy2JQuZ96#Google #Android pic.twitter.com/HyXwnOeMg8April 13, 2024
AssembleDebug dug into the Google Play Services update and found a list of six apps, base64 encoded, that are whitelisted to appear in the Google Location Sharing menu. Known applications are Google Maps, Find My Device and Personal Safety. However, a total of six apps would be supported, and there is a good chance that the Family Link app will be one of them.
Google is clearly testing this new menu, but we don’t know when it will be made public for Android users. It could ship via a future Google Play Services update or included in Android 15.