iOS Multi-Tasking Track GPS Location iOS Multi-Tasking Track GPS Location xcode xcode

iOS Multi-Tasking Track GPS Location


This is possible — see this document for multitasking in general and this section of the Location Awareness Programming Guide for "Getting Location Events in the Background". Of course, all these talk about all of the various ways an iOS device can get your location (cell tower triangulation, Skyhook-style wifi network observation and GPS), not exclusive GPS.

In short, from reading those docs: add the UIBackgroundModes key into your info.plist, which is an array, and put the value 'location' into it. You'll then receive CLLocationManager updates even when in the background.

However, if you want to be nice to the battery then you're better off using the startMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges method on a CLLocationManager. Then you get suitably significant location updates even when in the background without being a full on background app. Other parts of the documentation state that a significant change is any change from one cell tower to another.