Maps & Location

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Learn how to integrate MapKit and Core Location to unlock the power of location-based features in your app.

Maps & Location Documentation

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Background Modes Capability Missing in App ID Configuration
Hello, I upgraded my Apple Developer account from free to paid (Individual), but I cannot enable “Background Modes” (specifically “Location updates”) for any of my App IDs—including both old App IDs created while on the free account and brand new App IDs created after upgrading. When I go to Apple Developer Portal > Identifiers > [select App ID] > Edit, the option for “Background Modes” is missing from the list of capabilities. This is preventing me from enabling required entitlements for background location in Xcode, and all provisioning profiles fail with errors such as: Provisioning profile "iOS Team Provisioning Profile: [my bundle id]" doesn't include the com.apple.developer.location.always and com.apple.developer.location.background entitlements. Steps I’ve Taken: Upgraded to a paid Apple Developer Program (verified in my account). Created new App IDs after upgrading—Background Modes is still missing. Created new Xcode projects with new App IDs and bundle identifiers—same result. Refreshed provisioning profiles, cleaned Xcode, logged out/in—no change. Contacted Apple Support; advised to file a Code-Level Support request, but the issue is with the portal/App ID capabilities, not my code. My Question: Has anyone experienced this issue where Background Modes capability is missing for all App IDs, even after upgrading to a paid account? Is there any workaround, or does this require intervention from Apple Developer Support to “unlock” the missing capabilities for my developer account? Any insight or advice would be appreciated! Thank you.
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430
Jun ’25
Constraining Beacon with CLBeaconIdentityCondition
In reference to this webpage, I'm turning my iPad to an iBeacon device. class BeaconViewModel: NSObject, ObservableObject, CBPeripheralManagerDelegate { private var peripheralManager: CBPeripheralManager? private var beaconRegion: CLBeaconRegion? private var beaconIdentityConstraint: CLBeaconIdentityConstraint? //private var beaconCondition: CLBeaconIdentityCondition? override init() { super.init() if let uuid = UUID(uuidString: "abc") { beaconIdentityConstraint = CLBeaconIdentityConstraint(uuid: uuid, major: 123, minor: 456) beaconRegion = CLBeaconRegion(beaconIdentityConstraint: beaconIdentityConstraint!, identifier: "com.example.myDeviceRegion") peripheralManager = CBPeripheralManager(delegate: self, queue: nil, options: nil) } } func peripheralManagerDidUpdateState(_ peripheral: CBPeripheralManager) { switch peripheral.state { case .poweredOn: startAdvertise() case .poweredOff: peripheralManager?.stopAdvertising() default: break } } func startAdvertise() { guard let beaconRegion = beaconRegion else { return } let peripheralData = beaconRegion.peripheralData(withMeasuredPower: nil) peripheralManager?.startAdvertising(((peripheralData as NSDictionary) as! [String: Any])) } func stopAdvertise() { peripheralManager?.stopAdvertising() } } In Line 10, I'm using CLBeaconidentityConstraint to constrain the beacon. Xcode says that this class is deprecated and suggests that we use CLBeaconIdentityCondition. But if I try to use it, Xcode says Cannot find type 'CLBeaconIdentityCondition' in scope I've just updated Xcode to 16.4. I still get the same error. So how do we use CLBeaconIdentityCondition to constrain the beacon? My macOS version is Sequoia 15.5. Thanks.
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179
Jun ’25
"Compiler failed to build request" Spam when using MKTileOverlay
I'm building a weather map that shows the rain on the map. I'm able to retrieve PNG images that are used as tiles to put onto the map. I then reload all the tiles on the map with each timeframe (tile set for every 10 minutes). I'm able to get the map loaded up and I'm able to place the tiles and reload the data for each time slot. But I'm getting a ton of spam on the console every time the tiles are reloaded. Failed to locate resource named "sky20Grey0@2x.png" Failed to locate resource named "sky20Grey0@2x.png" Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Compiler failed to build request Yet the images are showing on the map just fine. But I feel like it's a bit sluggish due to all the spam coming out as I'm reloading this every 0.5 seconds with a timer. I've tried to load the data from a remote server on demand by overriding the - (void)loadTileAtPath:(MKTileOverlayPath)path result:(void (^)(NSData *tileData, NSError *error))result function. But due to the timer this can lead to the data not getting loaded fully before it switches to the next time slot of data. I therefore pre-load everything. I can then store the NSData in memory and use loadTileAtPath or the NSURL to a stored file and use - (NSURL *)URLForTilePath:(MKTileOverlayPath)path. Both cases work. But both cases have this spam. I've further refined things such that the MKTileOverlayRenderer is reused but that didn't help. Here's the function for that.. - (MKOverlayRenderer*)mapView:(MKMapView*)mapView rendererForOverlay:(id<MKOverlay>)overlay { if ([overlay isKindOfClass:[MKTileOverlay class]]) { if (!self.rainRenderer) { self.rainRenderer = [[MKTileOverlayRenderer alloc] initWithTileOverlay:overlay]; self.rainRenderer.alpha = 0.5; } return self.rainRenderer; } return nil; } I'm using one MKOverlay and then just reloading the tiles as needed. Otherwise there is quite a pronounced flicker. Here's that function which is triggered by the NSTimer to happen every 0.5 seconds. - (void) updateRainFrame { self.currentFrameIndex = (self.currentFrameIndex + 1) % self.timestamps.count; if ((self.currentFrameIndex >= 0) && (self.timestamps.count > self.currentFrameIndex)) { NSLog (@"self.currentFrameIndex = %lu", self.currentFrameIndex); NSString *timestamp = self.timestamps[self.currentFrameIndex]; [self.overlay setTimestamp:timestamp]; [self.rainRenderer reloadData]; } } In that function I'm updating the "timestamp" in the overlay which is the time slot that contains all the tiles for that time. This way my overridden MKTileOverlay can then pass the correct path for the tiles. For example for loading from a file: - (NSURL *)URLForTilePath:(MKTileOverlayPath)path { return [self getWeatherTileFileURLForPath:path]; } Or NSData stored in memory - (void)loadTileAtPath:(MKTileOverlayPath)path result:(void (^)(NSData *tileData, NSError *error))result { return [self getWeatherTileDataForPath:path]; } But no matter which way I use I keep getting this spam and unfortunately there is no error or anything to point to why it is spamming out. Also the tiles themselves are PNG files either 256x256 or 512x512 in pixel size. I saw that this could be something to do with Metal but I'm assuming that's something that MapKit uses. Very much welcome any thoughts to what could be causing this?
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117
Jun ’25
Ios26 CarPlay, not working
I have a Nissan Rogue 2021 and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Carplay was working fine until I decided to update to the new beta program and now my carplay does not seem to want to operate at all. I do the fixes online suggest in rebooting both systems, forgetting entirely and reconnecting. In the process of doing so, I can get the prompts to start with "Allow while unlocked?" But once selecting that I am unable to actually use the Carplay from the phone. It doesn't even give option to switch to it when I attempt to change audio output.
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384
Jun ’25
Dynamic Location Tracking using CLServiceSession and CLBackgroundActivitySession
Hello, I'm currently implementing code to track routes and determine if users have arrived at their destination using CLServiceSession, CLBackgroundActivitySession, and CLLocationUpdate.liveUpdates. I want to obtain location data across all app states: foreground, background, and terminated. I have two questions: Background Location Indicator Issue: I'm using CLBackgroundActivitySession to get location updates in the background. Normally, the background location indicator (blue bar) doesn't appear at the top left of the screen for my app. However, when another app (e.g., LiveUpdatesSample) activates CLBackgroundActivitySession, my app's background location indicator suddenly becomes visible. Can you explain why this happens? or Can I Control showsBackgroundLocationIndicator in CLBackgroundActivitySession Session Management: Is there a way to terminate all currently active CLBackgroundActivitySessions? I understand that when CLBackgroundActivitySession is activated and the app is terminated and then relaunched, a new CLBackgroundActivitySession needs to be created. In this case, are the previously created and running CLBackgroundActivitySessions automatically released when the app is relaunched?
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199
Jul ’25
Lifecycle and Usage of CLServiceSession after the app is terminated
Hi, I am creating a Driving Behaviour Monitoring app in which I range beacons and I require location updates in foreground, background and in terminated state all the time. I am using CLServiceSession with "Always Authorisation" to get location events. I create CLServiceSession object in the foreground and start monitoring driving and then re-create it when the app is relaunched after termination. Doing this works fine. But sometimes when app is terminated and is not opened again, the app runs on its own even when the device is stationary ( I can see the app is using Location in the Control Centre) and after that Location updates are not received and I am not able to track the driving behaviour. I tried to add diagnostics to know the cause and found "Insufficiently In Use" and then "Service Session Required" in the diagnostics. It would be of great help if the proper usage of CLServiceSession is provided. Important Question: When does the CLServiceSession gets invalidated or destroyed that was created when the app was in foreground ? What happens to the CLServiceSession which was created in the foreground if the app is not opened for long duration, let's say a day or two?
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107
Aug ’25
Bluetooth permissions Query
Hi Team, when our customers turn on bluetooth connectivity whether Apple creates a profile of the user or their locations and if it is used for any other purpose. Could you please clarify this? we are getting the below message in the Bluetooth permissions popup below the map "Information from Bluetooth devices can be used to determine your location and create a profile of you." What is this profile? and what is the purpose of creating it while the user uses Bluetooth in ios app.
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94
Aug ’25
Do I need to maintain CLServiceSession when app relaunches from terminated state due to CLMonitor events?
I'm currently testing the CLMonitor API and have a question about CLServiceSession management. When my app is relaunched from a terminated state in the background due to CLMonitor events, do I still need to create and maintain a CLServiceSession instance? I'm wondering if CLServiceSession is necessary even when I don't need to continuously receive GPS updates through liveUpdates. Since CLMonitor can trigger app launches for region monitoring events without requiring constant location updates, I'm unclear about whether the CLServiceSession is still required in this scenario. Any clarification on the proper implementation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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192
Sep ’25
Country from MKReverseGeocoding
As GeoCoder is now deprecated I am struggling to get the country only information from the new MKReverseGeocoding. Maybe someone can guide me or give me direction? Or is this just not possible anymore? let request = MKReverseGeocodingRequest(location: self.lastLocation ?? fallbackLocation) request?.getMapItems { items, error in guard let items = items else { return } self.cityName = items.first?.addressRepresentations?.cityWithContext ?? "" self.countryName = items.first?.addressRepresentations?.regionName ?? "" } I couldn't find anything here, sure you can get the full Address but I need single values to store so the user can search for (example City, Country) In case the structure is always the same, let us say the country is always third part, sure I could split the string but it is not a reliable way to do this, at least for me. Any help would be much appreciated.
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140
Sep ’25
SwiftUI issue with onTap using Map using IOS 26
I have a sample that stop working on IOS 26, using the latest XCode and IOS sdk, the onTapGesture event is no longer happening. Maybe this is no longer the way to drop pins on the map. Also not working on the iPhone 17 sim or iPhone 16 max pro device upgrading to IOS 26 Thanks, any help Sample: import SwiftUI import MapKit import CoreLocation import Foundation struct Pin: Identifiable { let id = UUID() let coordinate: CLLocationCoordinate2D } struct ContentTestPinDropView: View { @State private var pins: [Pin] = [] var body: some View { MapReader { reader in Map(selection: .constant(nil)) { ForEach(pins) { pin in Marker("Pin", coordinate: pin.coordinate) } } .onTapGesture { screenPoint in if let coordinate = reader.convert(screenPoint, from: .local) { pins.append(Pin(coordinate: coordinate)) } } } } }
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204
Oct ’25
External GPS receiver
Hello, We are a software and hardware development company for the forestry and environmental sectors. We have been based in Quebec (Canada) for over 30 years now. Our Canadian market covers Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritime provinces in the east. We are currently expanding across Canada and into the northern United States. We are on Android platforms with several map and data entry applications. To ensure the success of our expansion, we aim to become part of the Apple family, which is why we are contacting you today. We have developed our own GNSS receiver to increase the location accuracy of our users. It uses Bluetooth BLE to communicate with mobile devices and a high-precision GPS that transmits its position using the NMEA protocol. We would like this device to be compatible with an iPhone/iPad. We have developed a mock location application in MAUI (multi-platform). Based on our interpretation of your documentation, we understand that the concept of mock location does not exist at Apple. How can we ensure that our Bluetooth GNSS device is compatible with your iPhone/iPad devices and that they can use the position of the Bluetooth device rather than the internal GPS of your devices? We are a reseller for Juniper Systems, and we know that they have an app on the App Store that has the same features as our product. https://junipersys.com/index.php/support/article/14709 We look forward to your follow-up and recommendations.
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130
Oct ’25
OS Location via Bluetooth GPS receiver
Hello, We are a software and hardware development company for the forestry and environmental sectors. We have been based in Quebec (Canada) for over 30 years now. Our Canadian market covers Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritime provinces in the east. We are currently expanding across Canada and into the northern United States. We are on Android platforms with several map and data entry applications. To ensure the success of our expansion, we aim to become part of the Apple family, which is why we are contacting you today. We have developed our own GNSS receiver to increase the location accuracy of our users. This device is called GSFGPS. It uses Bluetooth BLE to communicate with mobile devices and a high-precision GPS that transmits its position using the NMEA protocol. We would like this device to be compatible with an iPhone/iPad. We have developed a mock location application in MAUI (multi-platform). Based on our interpretation of your documentation, we understand that the concept of mock location does not exist at Apple. How can we ensure that our Bluetooth GNSS device is compatible with your iPhone/iPad devices and that they can use the position of the Bluetooth device rather than the internal GPS of your devices? We are a reseller for Juniper Systems, and we know that they have an app on the App Store that has the same features as our product. https://junipersys.com/index.php/support/article/14709 We look forward to your follow-up and recommendations.
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183
Oct ’25
Using Maps in App Intents
I want to use MapKit with App Intents, but the map does not show up.(See attached image) Can anyone help me solve this? import SwiftUI import MapKit struct ContentView: View {   @State private var region = MKCoordinateRegion(     center: CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: 37.334_900,                     longitude: -122.009_020),     latitudinalMeters: 750,     longitudinalMeters: 750   )       var body: some View {     VStack {       Map(coordinateRegion: $region).frame(width:300, height:300)         .disabled(true)     }   } } struct ContentView_Previews: PreviewProvider {   static var previews: some View {     ContentView()   } } import AppIntents import SwiftUI import MapKit struct test20220727bAppIntentsExtension: AppIntent {   static var title: LocalizedStringResource = "test20220727bAppIntentsExtension"       func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult {     return .result(value: "aaa", view: ContentView())   } } struct testShortcuts:AppShortcutsProvider{   @available(iOS 16.0, *)   static var appShortcuts: [AppShortcut]{     AppShortcut(       intent: test20220727bAppIntentsExtension(),       phrases: ["test20220727bAppIntentsExtension" ]     )   } }
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1.3k
Mar ’25
Granularity/Accuracy of delivered locations with live updates
First of all : Thanks for the great presentation (wwdc2023-10180), Siraj ! This new, simple API looks like what we've been looking for for easy manageable background location updates with 'automatic battery drain minimization' :-) There were two questions that came to my mind. As far as I understood, the CLLocationUpdate.LiveConfiguration is used to help the location services to improve the location fixes. Are there other options planned to specify the granularity of delivered locations e.g., how accurate the locations need to be (as the desiredAccuracy and distanceFilter settings for the olden CLLocationManager)? Does the Implementation switch between significant location changes and regular, more expensive ways (like GPS hardware) or just deliver the most feasible accuracy available at the time of notification? I'm just curious - if I get the most feasible granularity, everything is fine for me anyway :-) Thanks again, Michael
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1.1k
Jan ’25
Potential memory leaks in CLLocationUpdate.Updates
This is my first post here. Please guide me, if I need to provide more information to answer this post. I write a simple application, that monitors GPS position (location). I followed Apple documentation for LiveUpdates: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corelocation/supporting-live-updates-in-swiftui-and-mac-catalyst-apps My app can monitor location in foreground, background or it can completely stop monitoring location. Background location, if needed, is switched on when application changes scenePhase to .background. But it is in the foreground, that memory leaks occur (according to Instruments/Leaks. Namely Leaks points to the instruction: let updates = CLLocationUpdate.liveUpdates() every time I start location and then stop it, by setting updatesStarted to false. Leaks claims there are 5x leaks there: Malloc 32 Bytes 1 0x6000002c1d00 32 Bytes libswiftDispatch.dylib OS_dispatch_queue.init(label:qos:attributes:autoreleaseFrequency:target:) CLDispatchSilo 1 0x60000269e700 96 Bytes CoreLocation 0x184525c64 Malloc 48 Bytes 1 0x600000c8f2d0 48 Bytes Foundation +[NSString stringWithUTF8String:] NSMutableSet 1 0x6000002c4240 32 Bytes LocationSupport 0x18baa65d4 dispatch_queue_t (serial) 1 0x600002c69c80 128 Bytes libswiftDispatch.dylib OS_dispatch_queue.init(label:qos:attributes:autoreleaseFrequency:target:) I tried [weak self] in Task, but it doesn't solve the leaks problem and causes other issues, so I dropped it. Anyway, Apple doesn't use it either. Just in case this is my function, which has been slightly changed comparing to Apple example, to suit my needs: func startLocationUpdates() { Task() { do { self.updatesStarted = true let updates = CLLocationUpdate.liveUpdates() for try await update in updates { // End location updates by breaking out of the loop. if !self.updatesStarted { self.location = nil self.mapLocation = nil self.track.removeAll() break } if let loc = update.location { let locationCoordinate = loc.coordinate let location2D = CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: locationCoordinate.latitude, longitude: locationCoordinate.longitude) self.location = location2D if self.isAnchor { if #available(iOS 18.0, *) { if !update.stationary { self.track.append(location2D) } } else { // Fallback on earlier versions if !update.isStationary { self.track.append(location2D) } } } } } } catch { // } return } } Can anyone help me locating these leaks?
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675
Apr ’25
Background location tracking on iPad fails
My app needs to track background location for a period of several hours while the user is using it, and we want to allow the user to switch apps or lock their phone while this is happening. We don't need to track location permanently and because of this, we don't want to request the "Always allow" permission. The app requests "While in use" permission and it has the "Location updates" background mode enabled. The CLLocationManager has 'allowsBackgroundLocationUpdates' set to true, 'pausesLocationUpdatesAutomatically' false, kCLLocationAccuracyBest, kCLDistanceFilterNone, and .fitness for the activity type (we expect the user to be walking). The app also initializes a CLBackgroundActivitySession while it is tracking location and invalidates it when done. When I test this combination on my iPhone, it works fine. I get location tracking in the background for as long as I need it, regardless of what else I do with the phone. However, my customer says it doesn't work for him. He is using a Wifi-only iPad with an external GPS receiver called "BadElf GPS Pro". He says that the external GPS receiver works fine with other apps on his iPad. With my app, he gets background location tracking only for a short time, and then it stops. The app does monitor the "locationManagerDidPauseLocationUpdates" callback and posts a local notification if it gets called, but it doesn't get called. I've also confirmed with him that he is not force-quitting the app and the app is not otherwise being terminated by iOS. Is there something I'm missing?
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625
Feb ’25
Inquiry About Background Permission Issue in My App
I am writing to address a concern regarding the background permission functionality in my app, which is critical for ensuring user safety as they navigate various terrains. This feature also enables users to smoothly record their navigation tracks for review after their activities. Recently, I've noticed that this functionality is not working as seamlessly as before. Additionally, I observed that the app is not categorized under 'health and fitness'—could reclassifying it improve background activity? Before I delve into a detailed code review, I wanted to check if this issue might be related to sync or settings on the App Store side, such as permission configurations, app updates, or other related factors. Or, is it more likely an issue stemming from the app’s codebase?
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491
Jan ’25
Detecting Driving State with Core Motion Framework - Automotive Accuracy Issues
I am working on an iOS app where I need to detect when a user starts and stops driving using the Apple Core Motion framework. I've implemented the following MotionActivityManager class to handle activity updates and display the detected states in a SwiftUI view. While I can accurately detect "Stationary" and "Walking" states, detecting the "Driving" (Automotive) state has been unreliable. The accuracy often fails, and the framework frequently misclassifies driving as other states like "Unknown" or "Walking." Here's the implementation: @Published var motionStates: [MotionState] = [] @Published var startDate: String = "" @Published var confidence: String = "" init() { setupDefaultStates() startActivityUpdates() } private func setupDefaultStates() { motionStates = [ MotionState(label: "Stationary", value: false), MotionState(label: "Walking", value: false), MotionState(label: "Running", value: false), MotionState(label: "Automotive", value: false), MotionState(label: "Cycling", value: false), MotionState(label: "Unknown", value: false) ] } func startActivityUpdates() { guard CMMotionActivityManager.isActivityAvailable() else { print("Motion activity is not available.") return } motionActivityManager.startActivityUpdates(to: .main) { [weak self] motion in guard let self = self, let motion = motion else { return } DispatchQueue.main.async { self.updateProperties(with: motion) } } } private func updateProperties(with motion: CMMotionActivity) { motionStates = [ MotionState(label: "Stationary", value: motion.stationary), MotionState(label: "Walking", value: motion.walking), MotionState(label: "Running", value: motion.running), MotionState(label: "Automotive", value: motion.automotive), MotionState(label: "Cycling", value: motion.cycling), MotionState(label: "Unknown", value: motion.unknown) ] startDate = dateFormatter.string(from: motion.startDate) switch motion.confidence { case .low: confidence = "Low" case .medium: confidence = "Medium" case .high: confidence = "High" @unknown default: confidence = "Unknown" } } } struct MotionState: Identifiable { let id = UUID() let label: String let value: Bool } struct ContentView: View { @StateObject private var motionManager = MotionActivityManager() var body: some View { ScrollView { VStack(spacing: 16) { ForEach(motionManager.motionStates) { state in LabelView(label: state.label, value: state.value ? "True" : "False") } LabelView(label: "Confidence", value: motionManager.confidence) } .padding() } .onAppear { UIApplication.shared.isIdleTimerDisabled = true motionManager.startActivityUpdates() } .navigationTitle("Motion Activity") } } Issues: The motion.automotive state is often not detected accurately. The confidence level remains low for the automotive state, even when the device is clearly in a car. How can I improve the detection accuracy of the "Driving" state using the Core Motion framework?
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503
Jan ’25
New CoreLocation APIs
Hi All, I am currently working on an app that has some navigation functionality, and since my minimum iOS is 18 wanted to incorporate the new APIs that yield a AsyncStream of locations. I have watched both WWDC sessions, the one where the new API is introduced to retrieve the location points, and also the other video where the new authorization process for location is simplified as well. I have an app currently working in its current state, but am noticing some weird quirks when using the CLBackgroundActivitySession to get the elevated background permission. What I am doing here is to create this stream and the background object is below: return AsyncThrowingStream { continuation in let task = Task { do { for try await update in CLLocationUpdate.liveUpdates(updateType) { if shouldStopUpdate { continuation.finish() break } continuation.yield(update) } } catch { continuation.finish(throwing: error) } } state = .started(locationTask: task, background: CLBackgroundActivitySession()) } When I have an active navigation session going and am strongly holding this object and the user force quits the app (or I stop the target through Xcode) the navigation activity indicator in the status bar (or dynamic island) remains present. Even if I relaunch the app, start navigation again, and then call the invalidate method on the CLBackgroundActivitySession I then am seeing that navigation indicator even if I delete my app, and often need to do a full restart to get out of this state. Is there a step I am missing, or do I not understand the way the new API works to run in the background?
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651
Jan ’25