Getting Location updates in background using FusedLocation Provider in Android

The Fused Location Provider intelligently manages the underlying location technology and gives us the best location according to our needs.

We could choose one of the location providers (network or GPS) and request location updates or set up proximity alert. But there were two main issues with this approach:
         1. In case we need to define precise location, we had to switch between network and GPS location providers (as GPS doesn’t work indoors).
         2. Proximity alerts were used to notify a user about proximity to a location, and this took its toll on the battery life.

ADVANTAGE OF USING THIS API

1. Simple APIs: Lets us specify high-level needs like “high accuracy” or “low power”, instead of having to worry about location providers.
2. Immediately available: Gives our apps immediate access to the best, most recent location.
3. Power-efficiency: Minimizes out app’s use of power. Based on all incoming location requests and available sensors, fused location provider chooses the most efficient way to meet those needs.
4. Versatility: Meets a wide range of needs, from foreground uses that need highly accurate location to background uses that need periodic location updates with negligible power impact.

Steps of Integration:

First of all declare the below permission in your manifest file:

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

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

Android has two location permissions, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION and ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION. The permission we choose affects the accuracy of the location updates we receive. For example, If we request only coarse location permission, Location Services obfuscates the updated location to an accuracy that’s roughly equivalent to a city block.
Requesting ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION implies a request for ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION.

During the Google IO presentation, a chart was presented showing effect of different priorities of the recognition algorithm as tested multiple times on Galaxy Nexus.

1. Connecting LocationClient to Google api :

    /**
     * Builds a GoogleApiClient. Uses the {@code #addApi} method to request the
     * LocationServices API.
     */
    protected synchronized void buildGoogleApiClient() {
        Log.i(TAG, "Building GoogleApiClient===");
        mGoogleApiClient = new GoogleApiClient.Builder(this)
                  .addConnectionCallbacks(this)
                  .addOnConnectionFailedListener(this)
                  .addApi(LocationServices.API)
                  .build();

        createLocationRequest();
    }
/**
     * Sets up the location request. Android has two location request settings:
     * {@code ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION} and {@code ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION}. These settings control
     * the accuracy of the current location. This sample uses ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, as defined in
     * the AndroidManifest.xml.
     * <p/>
     * When the ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION setting is specified, combined with a fast update
     * interval (5 seconds), the Fused Location Provider API returns location updates that are
     * accurate to within a few feet.
     * <p/>
     * These settings are appropriate for mapping applications that show real-time location
     * updates.
     */
    protected void createLocationRequest() {
        mGoogleApiClient.connect();
        mLocationRequest = new LocationRequest();

        // Sets the desired interval for active location updates. This interval is
        // inexact. You may not receive updates at all if no location sources are available, or
        // you may receive them slower than requested. You may also receive updates faster than
        // requested if other applications are requesting location at a faster interval.
        mLocationRequest.setInterval(UPDATE_INTERVAL_IN_MILLISECONDS);

        // Sets the fastest rate for active location updates. This interval is exact, and your
        // application will never receive updates faster than this value.
        mLocationRequest.setFastestInterval(FASTEST_UPDATE_INTERVAL_IN_MILLISECONDS);

        mLocationRequest.setPriority(LocationRequest.PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY);
    }

2. Retrieving Location Updates : To get periodic location updates from Location Services, we send a request using a location client. Depending on the form of the request, Location Services either invokes a callback method and passes in a Location object, or issues an Intent that contains the location in its extended data. The accuracy and frequency of the updates are affected by the location permissions we’ve requested and the parameters we pass to Location Services with the request.

 @Override
    public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {
        mCurrentLocation = location;
        Toast.makeText(this, getResources().getString(R.string.location_updated_message),
                  Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }

Note : Make sure Google Play services is properly installed and working in our device. Please don’t test this location api in emulator because this api is not working in the emulator.

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