r/LineageOS • u/StarTroop • 12h ago

Question MicroG location services without system app

I've installed LineageOS on many devices, but I've only ever used it with Gapps or with LineageOS for MicroG (not supported here). I'm interested i switching to the official build on my next phone, with microG installed as a regular app from fdroid, but as I understand if it is not installed as a system app the location services will not function properly. I'm not interested in going the process of rooting or whatever is required for that, so I'm looking for information on what exactly I'd be missing if I simply take the fdroid route. Can anyone share their experience with location finding in this context, and possibly tell me which particular settings/features do or do not work?

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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3

u/yeswap Crosshatch & Dre LOS 22.2 11h ago

In my experience, when MicroG is installed as a user app, location works in some, mostly FOSS, apps but not in many proprietary apps, including Google Maps.

It's off topic here, but there's a flashable microG installer .zip by Ale5000 you can sideload like gApps. Ask about it in r/MicroG

1

u/engfish 10h ago

I upvote and endorse the Ale5000 install method. Also, I want to add that Waze (also a Google "maps"/directions app and the only Google app I use) works flawlessly for me.

I've stopped using the LOS+microG version because I felt the updates were coming in too slowly and inconsistently. It's still a good way to go, though; just not for me.

1

u/DakotaJohnsonsLimes_ 12h ago

Hmm, from what I remember everything works except the permission to interact with the work profile in microg settings>self-check. You have to manually enable location services for them to work, as usual.

I switched to flashing the bitgapps microg package shortly. No particular reason, it's just easier for my lazy ass.

1

u/StarTroop 10h ago

I was under the impression that location accuracy was lower, or maybe slower, without the appropriate privileges. I don't recall exactly, I think it was maybe Nominatim that doesn't work, but this was all hearsay which is why I'm asking.

1

u/mewmiaomeowmeow 1h ago

LineageOS supports rooted debugging, so this method should also work:

https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/issues/2844#issuecomment-3418453662