Leaked photographs from Android 4.4, KitKat, show that Google has made some changes to the Location access screen. For example, in Android 4.4 it is now simply called Location with the on/off toggle switch moved to the top right corner. The Location sources in Android 4.3 ask you to check off twice to allow GPS to pinpoint your location. The second check box allows apps to use Google's location service to find your location faster.
Those two have been replaced in Android 4.4 by three choices. You can choose from High Accuracy, which uses GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks to estimate location. Select the Battery Saving option and Wi-Fi and mobile networks are used to find you. If you decide to pick Device sensors, the GPS on the phone will be used to determine your location. Nothing really changes from a functionality standpoint, but the new settings eliminate some duplications
Judging from the screenshots, a new feature of the Location page will be the ability for you to see a history of recent location requests.This might come in handy when your battery is getting drained because of an unknown app hooked into your GPS. With this feature, you should be able to find the culprit and turn it off.
Recommended For You
Remember that this is based on some leaked photos and the final version of Android 4.4 that is released might end up looking different or have different features.
Comparing the new Location settings supposedly on Android 4.4 (L) with the current set up on Android 4.3
Get Visible as low as $20/mo for 1 year. Limited time offer with code: FRESHSTART
$20
/mo
$25
$5 off (20%)
Offer Ends 6.1.2026 at 11.59pm ET. New members get $5/mo off the $25/mg Visible plan, $35/mo Visible+ plan, or $45/mo Visible+ Pro plan for the first 12 months. Promo code FRESHSTART required at checkout.
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: