Privacy is one of the sectors where iOS does better than Android. So with the introduction of Android 10, Google tried to narrow down the gap. Now with the upcoming Android 11 update, Google is strengthening its privacy protection in Android. Starting from August 3rd developers will need Google’s permission for their Play Store Apps which access location data in the background.
Google said they will reject those apps that don’t need location data or asking for too much. With the Android 10, Google has given users the power to select how app collect location and according to Google that over half of all users selected the “while app is in use” option. With Android 11, users will also have the ability to select to allow an app access to location data one time only, so the app needs to request it again when it will be launched next time. Developers are also responsible for any third-party SDKs that may try and access location in the background.
The policy will change in April, but developers can ask for feedback on their use cases starting in May. There will also be a grace period for the first few months. From August 3rd all new apps submitted to Google Play that access background location will need to be approved. By November 2nd all existing apps that request background location will need to be approved or will be removed from Google Play.
