Enhancements in Android Location Sharing Settings
For Android enthusiasts, the way you manage location-sharing settings is poised for a transformation. Android users currently toggle location permissions within individual apps, but a new development could streamline this process. A sneak peek into the latest Google Play Services update has unveiled a potential new feature: a centralized Google Location Sharing page within the settings app, which is not yet live but can be manually activated.
The revelation comes courtesy of Android leaker AssembleDebug, who shared insights with PiunikaWeb. The update, specifically version 24.15.14, hints at a future where all location-sharing controls are consolidated under one roof. At present, the pathway to this feature—via Settings > Location > Location Services > Google Location Sharing—leads to a placeholder webpage. This webpage is designed to manage location shares with designated contacts, suggesting that more direct control options are on the horizon.
Location sharing is a key feature in several Google apps, allowing trusted contacts to see one’s real-time whereabouts. Apps like Google Maps, Personal Safety, and Find My Device are currently used for initiating location shares. Remembering which app was used to start sharing can be cumbersome for users wishing to revoke permissions. The proposed Google Location Sharing menu aims to simplify this by providing a single point of management for all location shares, irrespective of the originating app.
Digging deeper into the update, AssembleDebug discovered a list of six apps, encoded in base64, that are expected to integrate with the new location sharing menu. Among them are the familiar Google Maps, Find My Device, and Personal Safety, with speculation that Family Link may also be included.
While Google is actively testing this feature, the timeline for its public release remains under wraps. It could arrive in a subsequent Google Play Services update or possibly with the anticipated Android 15 release. Android users can look forward to a more unified and user-friendly approach to managing their location-sharing preferences in the near future.
