How does iOS Google Map detect I am entering a car? - ios

The latest iOS Google Map application(currently of version 4.9.0) has a very nice feature, but so far I can not figure out how this is possible.
The feature is: whenever I am entering my car, try to drive somewhere, Google map will send me a notification to my phone, guess where I am going, giving me an estimate of the traffic, even when the phone is in locked state, and the Google map app hasn't been used for days. A screenshot is provied as following:
This is quite amazing to me as an iOS developer. How can it live in the background and detect I am entering a car with such accuracy?
One of my guess is, Google map is using significant location change API. By using this way, the app can be waken in background mode, but, there is still no guarantee it is waken when I am entering my car. And I have already written a test app using this mechanism, although it can be waken in the background, but the timing is not correct, failed to detect I am entering a car or not.
CLLocationManager Class Reference
If you start this service and your app is subsequently terminated, the system automatically relaunches the app into the background if a new event arrives. In such a case, the options dictionary passed to the application:willFinishLaunchingWithOptions: and application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: methods of your app delegate contains the key UIApplicationLaunchOptionsLocationKey to indicate that your app was launched because of a location event. Upon relaunch, you must still configure a location manager object and call this method to continue receiving location events. When you restart location services, the current event is delivered to your delegate immediately. In addition, the location property of your location manager object is populated with the most recent location object even before you start location services.
Any suggestion and help appreciated.

One comment from #alexkent points out my mistake. This is Apple's Maps.app, not Google Maps. All credits belongs to #alexkent.
That notification is from Apple's Maps.app not Google Maps. A new
feature in iOS9 (which you must be running) is the ability to detect
when you are in your car. I imagine this is done by detecting the
Bluetooth signal from the car radio (I have not checked this). I do
not believe there is developer API available for this feature.

#alexkent is right. It works using bluetooth and there is no public API for that. If you close your bluetooth this stops happening.
Geofencing and in general Geolocation accuracy is not that granular.

Related

React Native iOS app restart on reboot

I want to create an iOS app using React Native. One of the primary features of the app is that it runs constantly in the background. It also requires using GPS btw (in case that is important).
I have had a number of devs tell me its not possible to do this for iOS, however I have read that it is do-able.
Is this possible to do in the iOS environment? Mainly, if the app is running when the phone is powered off, can you make it open when the device is restarted without the user opening it?
I should say that I am a RN novice and any help is much appreciated.
If your app gets permission to get location while it's not in the foreground, then you will get periodic updates and some time to process it.
For example, if you are giving driving directions.
https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/LocationAwarenessPG/CoreLocation/CoreLocation.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009497-CH2-SW10
If there is no good user benefit for you to get the location in the background constantly, you might be rejected. Apple suggests region monitoring instead
iOS supports the delivery of location events to apps that are suspended or no longer running. The delivery of location events in the background supports apps whose functionality would be impaired without them, so configure your app to receive background events only when doing so provides a tangible benefit to the user. For example, a turn-by-turn navigation app needs to track the user’s position at all times and notify the user when it’s time to make the next turn. If your app can make do with alternate means, such as region monitoring, it should do so.
I have no idea how RN wraps this behavior, but no matter what it does (or what a plugin might do), the core iOS behavior is how it is described in that URL.
I verified yesterday (at least on iOS 11.2 simulator) that automatically restarting the app (and the location tracking) after phone reboot works.
The key point is that startMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges needs to be on to wake up the app after reboot. For me the difficult part was figuring out when to turn it on, because I couldn't find a reliable way to detect when the phone is being rebooted or run any code at that point. However, based on initial testing it looks like startMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges is independent and doesn't negatively impact the usual location updates, so now I just leave it on all the time and toggle startUpdatingLocation / stopUpdatingLocation on top of it based on Core Motion-detected activity.
Otherwise requirements are the same as for any location tracking on the background, i.e. handle permissions and don't process too much. Apple documentation explains how to detect that the app was relaunched by a location event.
Here's a react native module which basically helps you achieve what you're describing: https://github.com/transistorsoft/react-native-background-geolocation

How to do BG NW download after geofence didEnterRegion/didExitRegion notice

I am developing a client/server app for a client where the clients are iOS devices.
One client module is for traveling salespeople.
My client wants the salesperson's app to automatically download it's local database when the salesperson leaves the office, and when the salesperson returns to the office.
I am setting up a geofence using the location manager's startMonitoringForRegion method, and will look for the UIApplicationLaunchOptionsLocationKey on launch, as well as looking for calls to the location manager locationManager:didEnterRegion/locationManager:didExitRegion methods from the background.
My question is, how do I ask the system to allow me time to make a network connection and download new data in response to either an app launch with a UIApplicationLaunchOptionsLocationKey, or background calls to locationManager:didEnterRegion/locationManager:didExitRegion?
None of the background mode keys (UIBackgroundModes) look like the right fit.
I don't need the location key, since I don't need live location information, just geofence enter/exit messages. The fetch key isn't what I need either, since that causes the system to wake my app up in the background at times it chooses.
Do I have to have one of the background mode keys set in order to make a beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler call?
I guess what I should do is submit my network request in my beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler in my locationManager:didEnterRegion/locationManager:didExitRegion methods. Will the system allow me to do that without having a UIBackgroundModes key set?
And can I make a call to beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler if I'm already running from the background? (In the case where the app is running but not frontmost and a locationManager:didEnterRegion or locationManager:didExitRegion call comes in.) My goal is to ask for enough background time to process my network download and save the data to my local database.
Any guidance from somebody who's done something like this would be a big help. The docs are pretty vague, and figuring out how to use the background APIs by trial and error is likely to be pretty time-consuming.
P.S. I'm developing this app in Swift, although I'm a longtime Objective-C developer. I'm comfortable translating Objective-C to Swift or mixing Objective-C and Swift as needed, so examples in either language would be useful.
It is OK to call beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler from background. As of iOS8 this call will extend your run time to 180 seconds from 10s.
Keep in mind that you need to request Always authorization for location services, that's what is required to run region monitoring.
I suggest you do use the background location key. I forgot to set it in one of my apps, and it still was receiving the region enter/exit events. However,
-- the behavior might change with minor iOS upgrade, and also
-- the app might be rejected by Apple

Core Location, iBeacon & Region Monitoring

I am looking to make an App similar to that of the iOS reminders app. Where a user can essentially set reminders to go off when a user has entered or left a certain area.
I am new to iOS app development and have been doing some research into what might be needed but I am getting a bit confused and was wondering if someone could clarify a few things for me.
From my understanding:
Core Location is used to get your current location details
iBeacon is used to set your device as a Beacon for others to discover
Region Monitoring is used to monitor for when you enter a specific region
Am I correct in my assumptions? If not could someone please correct me. Also am I looking at the right kits that will help me achieve this?
What I would like to do is have a table of saved records that are triggered individually when they enter or leave there specified locations. (Do I use Region Monitoring for this)
Also how would I make this app still run in the background, once it is closed, and still trigger events (like the iOS Reminders App).
I have found a few basic tutorials that help me get my current location with CoreLocation but does anyone know of any other tutorials that might help me out? Or know themselves how I can go about accomplishing this.
Would really appreciate some help. Thanks!
I think that the best choice for your app is using Region Monitoring:
You could register up to 20 regions;
iOS will launch your app automatically if iPhone enters the observed region.
From Apple docs:
If a region crossing occurs while your iOS app is not running, the
system automatically wakes it up (or relaunches it) in the background
so that it can process the event. When relaunched, all of the regions
you configured previously are made available in the monitoredRegions
property of any location manager objects you create.
An app can register up to 20 regions at a time. In order to report
region changes in a timely manner, the region monitoring service
requires network connectivity.

IOS App in Background?

I currently have a discussion with my developers, and we're facing an issue.
We are working on an application which should find offers when user is near some latitudes and longitudes in the GPS Position Tracker. It should send a push notification when user is near a position.
The issue is, it works perfectly when app is "on", but when user "quits" the application the app should go in "Background Mode" and still be available to find users gps position and send back to our webservice in the background mode.
How is that possible?
Is this the solution of do you have a better solution?
1. First time user launch the application we find the users position and make call to webservice to get places nearby 100km and save it to local storage incl. the users unique deviceID (UDID).
User quits the application - here it should run in backgroundMode.
User is near a place in our localstorage database for lat and longitude and now we send a push notification to the users device from the localstorage.
Every 20 minutes we make a call for app to refresh all positions for my currently lng and lat to keep it updated ,
You can preconfigure areas for the app to be notified when the user enters those regions without the need for the app to be in the foreground.
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/CoreLocation/Reference/CLLocationManager_Class/CLLocationManager/CLLocationManager.html#//apple_ref/occ/instm/CLLocationManager/startMonitoringForRegion:
So get your places of interest and register those places with the above api, then when your app springs back to life, fire your notification off for whatever you are near.
In iOS, the regions you register with the location manager persist
between launches of your application. If a region crossing occurs
while your iOS app is not running, the system automatically wakes it
up (or relaunches it) in the background so that it can process the
event. When relaunched, all of the regions you configured previously
are made available in the monitoredRegions property of any location
manager objects you create.
The feature you are looking is GeoFencing not push notification. It will create a virtual fence to the specific coordinate and when the user enters into specific distance(say 5km) it will call some delegate methods. So we can implement a local notification with necessary message in that.
I think your solution is something complex and i suggest you to go on with GeoFencing
Find a nice a tutorial here
http://www.creativebloq.com/ipad/get-started-geofencing-ios-9122867

Launch my app from bluetooth iBeacon connection (Private API)

I am creating a private distribution app and I am wondering if it is possible, using any methods or private API's, to open my app when a bluetooth connection has been made.
What I have discovered so far is that with iOS 7 and the ability to use iBeacons you can enter into bluetooth proximity and you can have your app send a notification to allow the user to then open the app.
What I am hoping to do then is have the app running in the background and listen for an iBeacon connection and, if one has been made, actually launch the app without the users control instead of just sending a notification.
I realize this would never be allowed publically, however is there anything private I can look at to achieve this without jailbreaking? I know to launch some apps you can do [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:url]]; however I want my app to listen for an iBeacon and then open itself up.
Is there any way or work around to achieve this?
Moving app from background to foreground without user interaction is pain in the ass. Sorry, don't have a solution, just want to share some information:
I asked the same question here and posted a bounty on it and got no good response:
Show some UI from background in audio player or VOIP app on iOS
At some moment I found a solution with the help of another person. It was based on usage of GSEvent (sending clicks to UI). You can look following questions. However, as I know, in iOS 7 these API became protected by entitlement. So, this method is dead (most likely).
Using GraphicsServices.h/GSEvent as well as compiling CLI iPhone tools with Xcode
Use GSEvent to send touch event,but it's invalid.
Simulating System Wide Touch Events on iOS
iPhone, how to fire a button event in programmatically
Apps can use region monitoring to be notified when the user crosses geographic boundaries or when the user enters or exits the vicinity of a beacon. While a beacon is in range of the user’s device, apps can also monitor for the relative distance to the beacon.
In iOS, regions associated with your app are tracked at all times, including when your app is not running. If a region boundary is crossed while an app is not running, that app is relaunched into the background to handle the event. Similarly, if the app is suspended when the event occurs, it is woken up and given a short amount of time (around 10 seconds) to handle the event. When necessary, an app can request more background execution time.
For detailed info:
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/LocationAwarenessPG/RegionMonitoring/RegionMonitoring.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009497-CH9-SW1
There are two scenarios: you either want users to be able to do something with your device other then use your app, or you want them to always be locked into your app.
In the former case you should trust user. Just show the push, timer or location notification and let them decide to launch the app or not.
In the latter case just lock the device using guided access mode.

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