Over the years, Google has made it much harder for apps to access your phone's microphone, camera, location. Android 10 took privacy to a whole new level by allowing users to determine how often an app had access to an individual item.
However, an application could still have access to such an item at all times if the user allowed it. The software had checks and balances to ensure that an app running in the background couldn't access your microphone and camera.
However, you can still access your location in the background, and that's set to change with Android 11. According to Google and its blog post:
Now in Android 11, we're giving users even more control with the ability to grant temporary "one time" permission to sensitive data like location. When users select this option, apps can only access data until the user closes the app, and then they must request permission again for the next access.
While the single permission idea is a good one, many users won't use it. Giving an app the same permission every time is cumbersome, and not everyone will use it. Google says that more than half of Android 10 users have "only while app is in use" set for most permissions.
Only approved apps can ask users for background location permission
In the coming weeks, app developers will need to tell Google why their apps need location access in the background. For example, a fitness app that tracks the movements of its users is justified in requesting access to the data.
Similarly, a ride-sharing app that can call emergency services will also be approved. However, an e-commerce app only needs access to your location for deliveries, it will not be allowed.
Here are some of the questions Google will ask developers who apply.
- Does the feature offer clear value to the user?
- Would users expect the app to access their location in the background?
- Is the feature important to the main purpose of the app?
- Can you offer the same experience without accessing location in the background?
Developers have until August 3 to request background location access for their apps. Any application that requests such access and has not been authorized by Google will be removed from the Play Store.
Google adds that its own apps will also be subject to the same rules, but that doesn't inspire much confidence, considering the company was caught tracking users without their consent last year.