getProviderState getting incorrect enabled flag for iOS

[sainjay]

Your Environment

• Plugin version: 4.17.4

• Platform: iOS

• OS version: 18.1.1

• Device manufacturer / model: iPhone 16 Pro

• React Native version (react-native -v):

• expo-env-info 1.2.1 environment info:
  System:
  OS: macOS 15.1.1
  Shell: 5.9 - /bin/zsh
  Binaries:
  Node: 22.4.1 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v22.4.1/bin/node
  npm: 10.8.1 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v22.4.1/bin/npm
  Watchman: 2024.11.11.00 - /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
  Managers:
  CocoaPods: 1.16.2 - /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
  SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
  Platforms: DriverKit 24.1, iOS 18.1, macOS 15.1, tvOS 18.1, visionOS 2.1, watchOS 11.1
  Android SDK:
  API Levels: 28, 32, 33, 34, 35
  Build Tools: 30.0.3, 33.0.0, 33.0.1, 34.0.0, 35.0.0
  System Images: android-34 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
  IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2024.2 AI-242.23339.11.2421.12550806
  Xcode: 16.1/16B40 - /usr/bin/xcodebuild
  npmPackages:
  expo: ^51.0.11 => 51.0.26
  expo-router: ~3.5.23 => 3.5.23
  react: 18.2.0 => 18.2.0
  react-dom: 18.2.0 => 18.2.0
  react-native: 0.74.5 => 0.74.5
  react-native-web: ~0.19.6 => 0.19.12
  Expo Workflow: bare

• Plugin config

export const defaultReadyOptions: Config = {
  // Debug
  debug: false,
  logLevel: BackgroundGeolocation.LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE,
  distanceFilter: 10,
  desiredAccuracy: BackgroundGeolocation.DESIRED_ACCURACY_HIGH,
  stopOnTerminate: false,
  startOnBoot: true,
  stopOnStationary: false,
  disableAutoSyncOnCellular: false,
  useSignificantChangesOnly: false,
  // Location permission
  locationAuthorizationRequest: "Always",

  enableHeadless: false,
  backgroundPermissionRationale: {
    title: "Confirm your location permissions",
    message:
      "“Allow all the time“ enables John Hancock to collect your location only during a session. We do not collect your location data once you select “End Session“.",
    positiveAction: "Change to {backgroundPermissionOptionLabel}",
    negativeAction: "Cancel",
  },
  // Location settings permissions alert, when Location is set to `Never` manually
  locationAuthorizationAlert: {
    titleWhenNotEnabled: "Location services not enabled",
    titleWhenOff: "Location services are off",
    instructions:
      "To use CareGiver optimally, you must enable 'Always' in Location Services settings",
    cancelButton: "Cancel",
    settingsButton: "Settings",
  },
};

Expected Behavior

For Android, in const providerState = await BackgroundGeolocation.getProviderState();

enabled is false when Device location permission is off
enabled is true when Device location permission is on

expecting the same behavior in iOS

Actual Behavior

enabled is true when Device location permission is off
enabled is true when Device location permission is on

Steps to Reproduce

1. const providerState = await BackgroundGeolocation.getProviderState();
2. console.log("Provider State: ", providerState);
3. On Android, getting expected result for enabled flag
4. But on iOS, getting it as true regardless of the device location permission on or off

Context

Trying to capture the accurate permission type for both Android and iOS:

if (!providerState.enabled) {
// The user has disabled location services for the device
permissionType = LocationPermissionType.DEVICE_OFF;
} else {
switch (providerState.status) {
case 0:
// The user has not chosen whether the app can use location services
permissionType = LocationPermissionType.NOT_DETERMINED;
break;

  case 1:
    // The user cannot change this app’s status, possibly due to active restrictions such as parental controls being in place
    permissionType = LocationPermissionType.RESTRICTED;
    break;

  case 2:
    permissionType = LocationPermissionType.APP_OFF;
    // The user denied the use of location services for the app or they are disabled globally in Settings
    break;

  case 3:
    // The user authorized the app to start location services at any time
    permissionType = LocationPermissionType.ALWAYS;
    break;

  case 4:
    // Allow Once also translates into Allow while using the app
    // The user authorized the app to start location services while it is in use
    permissionType = LocationPermissionType.WHEN_IN_USE;
    break;

  default:
    permissionType = LocationPermissionType.OTHER;
}

}

Debug logs

Logs

PASTE_YOUR_LOGS_HERE

[sainjay]

in iOS, with status: 2, enabled becomes false. isn't that incorrect?

Provider State:  {"accuracyAuthorization": 1, "enabled": false, "gps": true, "network": true, "status": 2}

[sainjay]

@christocracy looking for advice and workarounds for this?
working as expected in Android but not in iOS

[marsstejhancock]

hi @christocracy any info on how to resolve this would be great. Our invoicing module relies on this.
Best
Marshal

[christocracy]

I'm not seeing any issue here.

Perhaps you need to provide more exact reproduction steps and code.

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open for 30 days with no activity.

[marsstejhancock]

I'm not seeing any issue here.

Perhaps you need to provide more exact reproduction steps and code.

Hi @christocracy - sorry for the delay!

const providerState = await BackgroundGeolocation.getProviderState();

This should return "enabled": false if user has disabled location services for the device. It returns "enabled": false only for Android.

However, it always returns "enabled": true for IOS, even if location is OFF (user disabled location services in the device). Please refer to Jayesh's Nov 22 note.