Services in browsers can't get my location

roboruttu

I'm running into a weird problem when trying to use any service that needs my location, for example Google Maps in a browser.

They can't get my location even though I have given the browser permission to access it. However, location works just fine in apps like Organic Maps.

My user setup
Host
Daily
Banking/Untrusted

Browser location only works in the Banking/Untrusted profile. I don't understand what is different about that profile. Location work in all profiles if i use some other app than broser but browser location works only in Banking/Untrusted user.

I have try other browser too (Vanadium and Ironfox)
I also created a brand-new user profile, and it has the same problem.
Is this some weird bug, or am I doing something wrong that I don't understand?

roboruttu

I managed to get IronFox to get my location, but no luck with Vanadium.

I'm not sure what I did differently this time, but it works in IronFox. I hope there is a way to get it working in Vanadium too.

GoSaM

roboruttu same problem since 2-4 weeks, Vanadium issues error dialog showing internet site along with message "Location unavailable". Permissions are set to ask each time in Vanadium. OrganicMaps and Google Maps App do work.

roboruttu

Could say the same..that the location worked a couple of weeks before, but now, no matter how I change the app permissions, it doesn't work. It seems to work in user profiles where Google Play (sandboxed) is installed, but not in profiles where it is not installed.

GoSaM

roboruttu indeed, it does not work in owner profile having GPS not installed, but it does work in owner private space having GPS installed into.

GoSaM

@GrapheneOS websites cannot access location in Vanadium unless GPS are installed, just confirmed with Vanadium 151.0.7922.29. Is this a known limitation or bug?

Speeduser7533

And this is a problem why?

I never let any browser or website access my location.

For navigation, I use a navigation app that runs offline (maps preloaded onto the phone).

GoSaM

I use OrganicMaps unless traffic dependent routing is required. And I prefer browser based services over apps where possible. Location then only on request.

Do you know, if this is a known limitation or bug? I did not find any answer but might have overlooked it in my searches.

GoSaM

just checked github and found an issue entered today: https://github.com/GrapheneOS/Vanadium/issues/1211

GoSaM

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/Vanadium/issues/1211#issuecomment-5134139111

For now, this can be partially worked around by switching Vanadium to only having coarse location access when Play services isn't installed. It's currently an expected limitation we need to resolve.

Carrousel7956

GoSaM yea and you can switch to precise while the geolocation website is running to get it working.

That issue seems to be a duplicate of this one and it's upstream.

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/8383

This behavior was introduced upstream intentionally: https://source.chromium.org/chromium/chromium/src/+/9824d611b921b532090b31c83e36131df0189ad7

GoSaM

Carrousel7956 That issue seems to be a duplicate of this one and it's upstream.

Thx for hinting, have asked for cleaning-up/closure of duplicate at
https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/8436#issuecomment-5136790997

roboruttu

Great to hear this problem is noted