How do I get a background location update every n

Question

I'm looking for a way to get a background location update every n minutes in my iOS application. I'm using iOS 4.3 and the solution should work for non-jailbroken iPhones.

I tried / considered following options:

• CLLocationManager startUpdatingLocation/startMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges: This works in the background as expected, based on the configured properties, but it seems not possible to force it to update the location every n minutes
• NSTimer: Does work when the app is running in the foreground but doesn't seem to be designed for background tasks
• Local notifications: Local notifications can be scheduled every n minutes, but it's not possible to execute some code to get the current location (without the user having to launch the app via the notification). This approach also doesn't seem to be a clean approach as this is not what notifications should be used for.
• UIApplication:beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler: As far as I understand, this should be used to finish some work in the background (also limited in time) when an app is moved to the background rather than implementing "long-running" background processes.

How can I implement these regular background location updates?

Answer 1

On iOS 8/9/10 to make background location update every 5 minutes do the following:

1. Go to Project -> Capabilities -> Background Modes -> select Location updates

2. Go to Project -> Info -> add a key NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription with empty value (or optionally any text)

3. To make location working when your app is in the background and send coordinates to web service or do anything with them every 5 minutes implement it like in the code below.

I'm not using any background tasks or timers. I've tested this code with my device with iOS 8.1 which was lying on my desk for few hours with my app running in the background. Device was locked and the code was running properly all the time.

@interface LocationManager () <CLLocationManagerDelegate>
@property (strong, nonatomic) CLLocationManager *locationManager;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSDate *lastTimestamp;

@end

@implementation LocationManager

+ (instancetype)sharedInstance
{
    static id sharedInstance = nil;

    static dispatch_once_t onceToken;
    dispatch_once(&onceToken, ^{
        sharedInstance = [[self alloc] init];
        LocationManager *instance = sharedInstance;
        instance.locationManager = [CLLocationManager new];
        instance.locationManager.delegate = instance;
        instance.locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBest; // you can use kCLLocationAccuracyHundredMeters to get better battery life
        instance.locationManager.pausesLocationUpdatesAutomatically = NO; // this is important
    });

    return sharedInstance;
}

- (void)startUpdatingLocation
{
    CLAuthorizationStatus status = [CLLocationManager authorizationStatus];

    if (status == kCLAuthorizationStatusDenied)
    {
        NSLog(@"Location services are disabled in settings.");
    }
    else
    {
        // for iOS 8
        if ([self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(requestAlwaysAuthorization)])
        {
            [self.locationManager requestAlwaysAuthorization];
        }
        // for iOS 9
        if ([self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(setAllowsBackgroundLocationUpdates:)])
        {
            [self.locationManager setAllowsBackgroundLocationUpdates:YES];
        }

        [self.locationManager startUpdatingLocation];
    }
}

- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager didUpdateLocations:(NSArray *)locations
{
    CLLocation *mostRecentLocation = locations.lastObject;
    NSLog(@"Current location: %@ %@", @(mostRecentLocation.coordinate.latitude), @(mostRecentLocation.coordinate.longitude));

    NSDate *now = [NSDate date];
    NSTimeInterval interval = self.lastTimestamp ? [now timeIntervalSinceDate:self.lastTimestamp] : 0;

    if (!self.lastTimestamp || interval >= 5 * 60)
    {
        self.lastTimestamp = now;
        NSLog(@"Sending current location to web service.");
    }
}

@end

Answer 2

if ([self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(setAllowsBackgroundLocationUpdates:)]) {
    [self.locationManager setAllowsBackgroundLocationUpdates:YES];
}

This is needed for background location tracking since iOS 9.

Answer 3

Attached is a Swift solution based in:

Define App registers for location updates in the info.plist

Keep the locationManager running all the time

Switch kCLLocationAccuracy between BestForNavigation (for 5 secs to get the location) and ThreeKilometers for the rest of the wait period to avoid battery drainage

This example updates location every 1 min in Foreground and every 15 mins in Background.

The example works fine with Xcode 6 Beta 6, running in a iOS 7 device.

In the App Delegate (mapView is an Optional pointing to the mapView Controller)

func applicationDidBecomeActive(application: UIApplication!) {
    if appLaunched! == false { // Reference to mapView used to limit one location update per timer cycle
        appLaunched = true
        var appDelegate = UIApplication.sharedApplication().delegate as AppDelegate
        var window = appDelegate.window
        var tabBar = window?.rootViewController as UITabBarController
        var navCon = tabBar.viewControllers[0] as UINavigationController
        mapView = navCon.topViewController as? MapViewController
    }
    self.startInitialPeriodWithTimeInterval(60.0)
}

func applicationDidEnterBackground(application: UIApplication!) {
    self.startInitialPeriodWithTimeInterval(15 * 60.0)
}

func startInitialPeriodWithTimeInterval(timeInterval: NSTimeInterval) {
    timer?.invalidate() // reset timer
    locationManager?.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBestForNavigation
    timer = NSTimer.scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval(5.0, target: self, selector: Selector("getFirstLocationUpdate:"), userInfo: timeInterval, repeats: false)
}

func getFirstLocationUpdate(sender: NSTimer) {
    let timeInterval = sender.userInfo as Double
    timer?.invalidate()
    mapView?.canReportLocation = true
    timer = NSTimer.scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval(timeInterval, target: self, selector: Selector("waitForTimer:"), userInfo: timeInterval, repeats: true)
}

func waitForTimer(sender: NSTimer) {
    let time = sender.userInfo as Double
    locationManager?.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBestForNavigation
    finalTimer = NSTimer.scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval(5.0, target: self, selector: Selector("getLocationUpdate"), userInfo: nil, repeats: false)
}

func getLocationUpdate() {
    finalTimer?.invalidate()
    mapView?.canReportLocation = true
}

In the mapView (locationManager points to the object in the AppDelegate)

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    var appDelegate = UIApplication.sharedApplication().delegate! as AppDelegate
    locationManager = appDelegate.locationManager!
    locationManager.delegate = self
    canReportLocation = true
}

  func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager!, didUpdateLocations locations: [AnyObject]!) {
        if canReportLocation! {
            canReportLocation = false
            locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyThreeKilometers
        } else {
            //println("Ignore location update")
        }
    }