Google is introducing a new approximate location sharing option in Chrome for Android, replacing the previous all-or-nothing location permission model. Users can now share a neighborhood-level location with websites instead of their exact coordinates. The update was announced on the Google blog and is currently being rolled out on mobile devices first.
According to Google, the feature will be available on Chrome for desktop in the coming months. No specific release date has been provided for the desktop version.
How Chrome’s New Approximate Location Permission Works on Android
When a website asks for your location, Chrome now shows two options along with the usual allow and block buttons. You can choose between precise, which shares your exact coordinates, or approximate, which only provides your general neighborhood.
This gives users more control over which sites get detailed location data and which only receive a broader regional estimate. For example, a recipe site or weather page might only need approximate location, while a food delivery service or map app can access precise coordinates if necessary.
New Developer APIs for Approximate Location Requests
Google is introducing new APIs that enable web developers to specify whether their site needs precise location data or can work with approximate information. Google is recommending that developers opt for approximate location requests when exact coordinates are not necessary.
This update comes after broader location privacy changes introduced in Android 17, which gave users more control over which apps can access their precise location and when.
Google has not announced when the approximate location feature will be available to all Chrome for Android users or which Chrome version will have the change enabled by default.
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