Permission review Google Play for access to background location

Question

According to the Requesting access to background location, Google Play requires a strict(er) set of requirements to be able to use background permissions for apps installed via the Google Play store. It provides a set of guidelines which have to be fulfilled to allow an app to enter- or remain in the store with said permissions. According to the document, it states:

May: Developers can request feedback on their use case via the Play Console with an estimated reply time of two weeks.

Having adjusted the app we have in the store, we're ready for a review to see if everything is correctly implemented. The documentation states that feedback can be requested through the Play Console, but I don't see any such option. How do we go about request a reviewing so that we can keep background permissions for the continued operation of our app?

Gainor

If you leave a down vote, please elaborate on the problem so I can improve the question quality. Thank you. – Gainor

Answer 1

The form can be submitted through the new Google Play Console. It has a top level navigation item now.

Select the app in the console > Policy > App policy > Sensitive app permission > Manage.

Unalterable

How can we remove or disable the policy back ? @Webfreak – Hideout

If you want to remove it, you must first remove it from manifest I guess? – Unalterable

I removed it from app and upload. Still rejected mentioning the same error. We find no way to disable this App policy in play console !! – Hideout

I have also emoved from app manifest, and still rejected – Coatee

Answer 2

If you don't use background location service. From your AndroidManifest.xml file, remove

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

or if some of external libraries want to use background location service but you don't, add this to your AndroidManifest.xml file

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION" 
  tools:node="remove" />

Then open the play store console, select the app in the console > App Content > Sensitive app permission > Manage > Location permissions > Manage

And select "No" option like below and Save it.

After those processes, your app rejection / removing will be gone after google confirm your policy.

Dardan

I don't have this location permission Android P or older yes / no option there :O – Coatee

It may be related with your app's min sdk version support..i have checked it and i have seen that panel above. – Dardan

Answer 3

I've just talked to the Play Console Support Team. This is not available yet. Google is still working on it and updates will be provided on the blog:

https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2020/02/safer-location-access.html

They're apologising for the delay ;)

June update from the blog:

In February, we announced developers will need to get approval to access background location in their app to prevent misuse. We're giving developers more time to make changes and won't be enforcing the policy for existing apps until 2021.

https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2020/06/

Karnes

Answer 4

I have received the following instructions from Google Support in order to submit an existing app for their evaluation against their new location policy:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9214102?hl=en

From their email: "When you complete the Permissions Declaration Form and roll out your release, your app will be subject to an extended review by the Google Play team. Your request may require up to several weeks to process. During this time your new app or app update will be in a pending publication status until your request is reviewed. Your app will also be subject to the standard compliance review against Google Play's Developer Program Policies.

Once your Permission Declaration has been approved and your app has been approved for policy compliance, your release will be published and you can once again use the Publishing API to manage your releases. Otherwise, the Google Play team will notify you if your Permissions Declaration request has been rejected and provide any additional information."

Tejada

Have you submitted the form? – Lobotomy

not I haven't yet submitted, as first I need to align the app to correspond to new requirements – Tejada

It seems the apps which use the location using foreground service for location fetching doesn't need to apply for this permission. Please check whether you could make use of it. – Lobotomy

"The Permissions Declaration Form is displayed during the release process if the app includes an APK or App bundle that requests permissions for which a Permissions Declaration has not been provided to Google Play." My application requires background location access and it's listed in the manifest, but the permissions declaration form never comes up during the release process in Google Play Console so I doubt this can be used to evaluate the background location use case by Google. – Karnes

Create a beta release by manually uploading the apk/bundle. Then the form will be visible. – Zook

Answer 5

The issue is that an outdated APK/App bundle file was added to the Alpha/Beta testing phase (but never moved to production), and rather than correcting it, you need to add a new APK/App bundle to the live environment. The Alpha/Beta file is currently being reviewed rather than the new production file due to changes in how reviews are carried out by Google. In Google's denial, you can see the versionCode of the previous APK/App bundle.

The new APK/App bundle file should therefore be added to the same Alpha/Beta as the old one before being promoted to production. Issue is resolved.

Mulligan