com.google.android.iwlan

longridge

Am new user with pixel 6a. All good so far - installation easy, phone not getting hot etc.
It all seems to offer what I wanted - phone calls, texts, occasional internet access and privacy - no desire for social media, games, youtube etc.
Only app I might want as extra is an ordnance survey mapping app that clearly would need location ON.
If I choose to install I think I'll need sandboxed Google Service etc - have tried installing APK but can't get that to work.

However - with privacy in mind - would likely set up such an app in a second user profile.
Thats OK - but can someone explain the apparent difference when turning LOCATION ON in Owner Profile as against 2nd User Profile.
With the OWNER Profile (and before installing any extra app) - App location permissions state 0 of 4 apps have access to location. (the 4 are Camera,Gallery,Phone and Vanadium)
If I switch to 2nd user profile (nothing extra installed) and turn on LOCATION - the default position says 3 of 7 apps have access to location - the 4 not allowed are as above.
However -----
FUSED LOCATION is "allowed all the time"
Settings and "com.google.android.iwlan" are "allowed only while in use".

Am not clear what "FUSED LOCATION" and com.google.android.iwlan" are used for - and why they appear as default in "2nd User Profile" and NOT Owner Profile.
Grateful if someone can explain their purpose, why the difference between profiles - was expecting the default pixel/graphene would not involve google (and google would only "appear" if I choose to let it in eg sandbox)

Thanks

matchboxbananasynergy

longridge "com.google.android.iwlan" is part of AOSP. Google makes Android/AOSP, so some of the system apps have Google as part of the app ID.

The reason why you may be seeing this in one profile and not another is that you've perhaps chosen to show system apps in the secondary profile.

abcZ

Fused location is like a combination of the two main methods of determining the device's location -- GPS and Network, however, the network provider is not implemented in AOSP (only available if google services are installed). In addition to GPS location, it also stores the LAST KNOWN LOCATION, which generally means that some location is instantly available (although it could be quite out of date), and as new locations become available, it will progressively become more accurate.

longridge

Thanks for comments.
The second profile seems to show Fused Location and "iwlan" in any scenario.

You comment that they are system apps so they are not removable as such.

I assume this means that google would always have the potential to note location - possibly even if Location turned off.

Is this the only access that GOOGLE has to my phone?
(Apologies for the simple question)

Thanks

matchboxbananasynergy

longridge Again, this is not a Google service. It's part of AOSP. It doesn't give access to Google. It's completely fine for it to have the permissions it has, it's part of the OS.

abcZ

longridge I may have inadvertently confused you when I was describing the network location provider. You can have fused location WITHOUT the network provider being available, it just means that its GPS-only + last known location.

Its only if you install the network provider (google services) that google will know your location.

matchboxbananasynergy

abcZ Even if you do install Sandboxed Google Play, that won't be the case by default.

https://grapheneos.org/usage#sandboxed-google-play-configuration

By default, apps using Google Play geolocation are redirected to our own implementation on top of the standard OS geolocation service. If you want to use Google's geolocation service instead, you can disable the "Reroute location requests to OS APIs" toggle and manually grant "Allow all the time" Location access to Google Play services. For it to be fully functional, you also need to use "Google Location Accuracy" link to access the Google Play services menu for opting into their network location service. This will send the nearby Wi-Fi and cellular networks provided via the Location permission to their service to retrieve a location estimate. The Nearby Devices permission can also be granted to give it access to nearby Bluetooth device IDs. If you stick with the default enabled redirection mode, none of this needs to be granted for working geolocation in apps. In order to fully take advantage of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning, you also need to enable the scanning toggles in Settings ➔ Location ➔ Location services which are disabled by default rather than enabled by default like the stock OS.

longridge

Many, many thanks for your comments - understand better now.
Am really pleased I've gone down the pixel/graphene route - was on /e/ before on an old phone - and most "friends" were trying to get me buy an iphone 14!!!!

I feel I'm up and running now - with confidence to move forward.

I'll keep regular checks on this forum - and hopefully learn more in the future.

Again many thanks - for speedy and informative comments.

Cheers.