Does Google offer an API that I can use to get the location of my phone?

Question

My smartphone reports my location to Google (to G+ and to the Android Device Manager). I'd like to read that location from a website/program to plot my location.

I could use another app on my smartphone doing extra tracking but that tends to drain the battery quite a bit (having two apps do the tracking).

Since Latitude was deprecated I can't seem to find a replacement.

Lysozyme

What feature of Latitude are you missing? – Marianmariana

Latitude was retired in August. support.google.com/gmm/answer/3001634?hl=en – Lysozyme

Yep, that's too bad. What feature are you missing? Hemisphere does a pretty good job replacing it for me. – Marianmariana

I wanted to embed a Google Maps view of my current location into my website. – Lysozyme

@MPelletier Any news? Have you found something? – Eritrea

@Eritrea I only edited the tags on this question. I have no idea. – Bundestag

Right, my bad. Sorry! @tante, have you already found a way to get the information? – Eritrea

Answer 1

As part of Android Google is offering a location API. However, it sounds like you are looking for some kind of personal web API where you can get access to the location already sent to Google. I'm quite sure that it doesn't exist and that Google has no plans of reintroduce anything like the old Latitude API.

I don't know what you are trying to achieve, but have a look at Google Account Activity. There you can export your location history manually.

Marianmariana

I want a Google maps thingy on my website that shows where I am without forcing me to check in or something. Just like Latitude used to offer. – Lysozyme

You will probably need a third-party app or make your own. This thread provides some more info. #17590218 – Marianmariana

Answer 2

I would suggest you look at https://maps.google.com/locationhistory. It offers the option to export this data into a KML file. If you get a little sneaky, you may be able to auth to google services, and get the file directly.

Cherice

Answer 3

Check out using location from Google Play Services: http://developer.android.com/google/play-services/index.html

It'll handle keeping track of the device's location, you just request the current location.

Tercentenary

That would just help me if I wanted to request a location update from within an app on my phone. I already sent the location to google, I just want to query it. – Lysozyme

Ah I misunderstood what you needed, you should add a webdev tag to this question instead. – Tercentenary