Location services

When building native mobile apps, you can access location services just as you would in a web app. While they may appear to function the same way, there are technical differences between location services on native mobile and web apps.

Location services in native mobile apps vs. web apps

Location services work differently in native mobile apps compared to web apps in a browser.

• Desktop web app: Location access relies on the browser’s , which estimates location using:

  • Wi-Fi networks

  • IP addresses

  • GPS (if available)

  Accuracy depends on:

  • The user granting permission in their browser

  • The device’s hardware and how the browser utilizes location services (such as GPS)

• Mobile web app: Functions similarly to desktop web apps but may offer increased accuracy if the mobile device has GPS and the browser supports it.

• Native mobile app: location services use the device’s built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, cell towers, and Bluetooth, providing more precise and real-time location tracking.

Because mobile apps use direct OS-level location services, they offer more accuracy and control than browser-based location tracking.

Using location services in native apps

Workflows

• Get current location: This workflow action pings the device’s location and returns it for use in the next workflow step, such as saving it to the database or setting a custom state. If the user has not yet granted location permissions, this action will prompt them. If permission is denied, no location data will be returned.

• Request location permissions: This workflow action prompts the user with the system’s location permission request, similar to how Bubble handles camera and push notification permissions.

Additionally, new permission request fields have been added in the , allowing you to customize the message displayed when requesting location access. This text string is required to comply with Apple App Store guidelines to prevent app rejection.

Data sources

• Current geographic position: This data source now works in native mobile apps, using the same operator as on the web. It retrieves the device’s location, but only as a one-time ping when a view initializes—it does not update continuously as the device moves. The user must have already granted location permissions for this data source to function.

• Has granted location permissions: This new data source returns yes or no, indicating whether the user has allowed location access. If the user has not yet been asked for permissions, it will return no until they are prompted.

To use the map feature on iOS and Android, a Google Maps API key is required. The key must be generated in your Google Cloud account, just like for web apps, but with the following APIs enabled:

• Maps SDK for Android (for Android apps)

• Maps SDK for iOS (for iOS apps)

Once generated, the API keys should be entered in Settings – General.

Note: A Google API key is not required if the app exclusively uses Apple Maps on iOS.