Location Based Services

Android Location-Based Services (LBS) enable apps to obtain and use geographical
location data, which can be used to enhance app functionality and provide personalized
experiences to users. Here's an overview of Location-Based Services in Android:

Key Concepts

1. Location Providers:
○ GPS Provider: Uses GPS satellites to determine the location, which is highly
accurate but consumes more power.
○ Network Provider: Uses cellular and Wi-Fi networks to estimate the location,
less accurate but faster and consumes less battery.
○ Passive Provider: Uses the location updates from other applications or
services, reducing battery consumption.

2. Geocoding:

● Forward Geocoding: Converts a physical address into geographic coordinates

(latitude, longitude).
● Reverse Geocoding: Converts geographic coordinates into a physical address.

3. Location Manager: The LocationManager class in Android provides access to the

system location services, allowing the app to receive periodic updates of the device's
geographic location.

4. Fused Location Provider API (Google Play Services):

● Combines location signals from GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks to provide more
accurate and efficient location data.
● Reduces battery consumption by intelligently choosing the best available location
provider.

Key Components

LocationManager:
LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager)
getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);

Requesting Location Updates:

locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER,
2000, 10, locationListener);
LocationListener: Listens for location updates and responds accordingly.

LocationListener locationListener = new LocationListener() {

@Override public void onLocationChanged(Location location) { double
latitude = location.getLatitude(); double longitude =
location.getLongitude(); // Use the location data }

Permissions:

● ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION: Required for GPS-based location services.

● ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION: Required for network-based location services.

Add permissions to the AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission
android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

<uses-permission
android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />

Following is the content of the modified main activity file

MainActivity.java.

package com.example.tutorialspoint7.myapplication;

import android.Manifest;

import android.app.Activity;

import android.os.Bundle;

import android.support.v4.app.ActivityCompat;

import android.test.mock.MockPackageManager;

import android.view.View;

import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

Button btnShowLocation;

private static final int REQUEST_CODE_PERMISSION = 2;

String mPermission = Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION;

// GPSTracker class

GPSTracker gps;

@Override

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

try {

if (ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, mPermission)

!= MockPackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {

ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this, new
String[]{mPermission},

REQUEST_CODE_PERMISSION);
 // If any permission above not allowed by user, this
condition will

execute every time, else your else part will work

} catch (Exception e) {

e.printStackTrace();

btnShowLocation = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button);

// show location button click event

btnShowLocation.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener()
{

@Override

public void onClick(View arg0) {

// create class object

gps = new GPSTracker(MainActivity.this);

// check if GPS enabled

if(gps.canGetLocation()){

double latitude = gps.getLatitude();

double longitude = gps.getLongitude();

 // \n is for new line

Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Your
Location is - \nLat: "

+ latitude + "\nLong: " + longitude,

Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

}else{

// can't get location

// GPS or Network is not enabled

// Ask user to enable GPS/network in settings

gps.showSettingsAlert();

});

Following is the content of the modified main activity file

GPSTracker.java.

package com.example.tutorialspoint7.myapplication;

import android.app.AlertDialog;

import android.app.Service;

import android.content.Context;

import android.content.DialogInterface;

import android.content.Intent;

import android.location.Location;
import android.location.LocationListener;

import android.location.LocationManager;

import android.os.Bundle;

import android.os.IBinder;

import android.provider.Settings;

import android.util.Log;

public class GPSTracker extends Service implements LocationListener

{

private final Context mContext;

// flag for GPS status

boolean isGPSEnabled = false;

// flag for network status

boolean isNetworkEnabled = false;

// flag for GPS status

boolean canGetLocation = false;

Location location; // location

double latitude; // latitude

double longitude; // longitude

 // The minimum distance to change Updates in meters

private static final long MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES = 10;

// 10 meters

// The minimum time between updates in milliseconds

private static final long MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES = 1000 * 60 * 1; //

1 minute

// Declaring a Location Manager

protected LocationManager locationManager;

public GPSTracker(Context context) {

this.mContext = context;

getLocation();

public Location getLocation() {

try {

locationManager = (LocationManager)
mContext.getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE);

// getting GPS status

isGPSEnabled =
locationManager.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);

// getting network status

isNetworkEnabled = locationManager

.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER);
 if (!isGPSEnabled && !isNetworkEnabled) {

// no network provider is enabled

} else {

this.canGetLocation = true;

// First get location from Network Provider

if (isNetworkEnabled) {

locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(

LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER,

MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES,

MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES, this);

Log.d("Network", "Network");

if (locationManager != null) {

location = locationManager

.getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER);

if (location != null) {

latitude = location.getLatitude();

longitude = location.getLongitude();

// if GPS Enabled get lat/long using GPS Services

 if (isGPSEnabled) {

if (location == null) {

locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(

LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER,

MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES,

MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES, this);

Log.d("GPS Enabled", "GPS Enabled");

if (locationManager != null) {

location = locationManager

.getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);

if (location != null) {

latitude = location.getLatitude();

longitude = location.getLongitude();

} catch (Exception e) {

e.printStackTrace();

}
 return location;

/**

* Stop using GPS listener

* Calling this function will stop using GPS in your app

* */

public void stopUsingGPS(){

if(locationManager != null){

locationManager.removeUpdates(GPSTracker.this);

/**

* Function to get latitude

* */

public double getLatitude(){

if(location != null){

latitude = location.getLatitude();

}
 // return latitude

return latitude;

/**

* Function to get longitude

* */

public double getLongitude(){

if(location != null){

longitude = location.getLongitude();

// return longitude

return longitude;

/**

* Function to check GPS/wifi enabled

* @return boolean

* */

public boolean canGetLocation() {

return this.canGetLocation;
 }

/**

* Function to show settings alert dialog

* On pressing Settings button will lauch Settings Options

* */

public void showSettingsAlert(){

AlertDialog.Builder alertDialog = new

AlertDialog.Builder(mContext);

// Setting Dialog Title

alertDialog.setTitle("GPS is settings");

// Setting Dialog Message

alertDialog.setMessage("GPS is not enabled. Do you want to go

to settings menu?");

// On pressing Settings button

alertDialog.setPositiveButton("Settings", new
DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {

public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog,int which) {

Intent intent = new

Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);

mContext.startActivity(intent);

}
 });

// on pressing cancel button

alertDialog.setNegativeButton("Cancel", new
DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {

public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {

dialog.cancel();

});

// Showing Alert Message

alertDialog.show();

@Override

public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {

@Override

public void onProviderDisabled(String provider) {

@Override

public void onProviderEnabled(String provider) {

}
 @Override

public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle

extras) {

@Override

public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {

return null;

Following will be the content of res/layout/activity_main.xml file −

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8"?>

<LinearLayout xmlns:android =
"http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

android:layout_width = "fill_parent"

android:layout_height = "fill_parent"

android:orientation = "vertical" >

<Button

android:id = "@+id/button"

android:layout_width = "fill_parent"

android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
 android:text = "getlocation"/>

</LinearLayout>

Following will be the content of res/values/strings.xml to define

two new constants −

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8"?>

<resources>

<string name = "app_name">Tutorialspoint</string>

</resources>

Following is the default content of AndroidManifest.xml −

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8"?>

<manifest xmlns:android =
"http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

package = "com.example.tutorialspoint7.myapplication">

<uses-permission android:name =
"android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

<uses-permission android:name = "android.permission.INTERNET" />

<application

android:allowBackup = "true"

android:icon = "@mipmap/ic_launcher"

android:label = "@string/app_name"

android:supportsRtl = "true"

android:theme = "@style/AppTheme">
 <activity android:name = ".MainActivity">

<intent-filter>

<action android:name = "android.intent.action.MAIN" />

<category android:name =
"android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />

</intent-filter>

</activity>

</application>

</manifest>