Location service forced after update

Why on earth is my Garmin connect app forcing me to keep location service (on accurate level!) on to keep my Fenix 3 HR connected to my phone?!? Maybe you have realized that the GPS sucks at the watch itself and have to track me via phone? No matter what is the reason, this is certainly not something I accepted when I purchased my watch... So I would suggest you to either give me full refund for my watch (yes that is practically the only feature that actually works on this device) or patch your app so that it won't need the permission.

Did you per-chance upgrade the O/S on your phone to Marshmallow?

Did you per-chance upgrade the O/S on your phone to Marshmallow?

Well I've been running Marshmallow from the beginning (CM 13 and OnePlus One). And this prompt/requirement appeared immediately after Garmin connect app update.

Just from memory here but I remember reading that there is a relationship between the location and GPS permissions and that is why it needs it.

My understanding is that its a Marshmallow requirement, not Garmin.

Yup, lots of the same issues over in the FItbit world; folks upgraded their phones from Android 5.x to Android 6.x Marshmallow, and suddenly they have to have location services on.

Why on earth is my Garmin connect app forcing me to keep location service (on accurate level!) on to keep my Fenix 3 HR connected to my phone?!?

As explained already, it's a requirement introduced by Google for Android‑6, for scanning for Bluetooth LE devices to work properly.

No matter what is the reason, this is certainly not something I accepted when I purchased my watch... So I would suggest you to either give me full refund for my watch (yes that is practically the only feature that actually works on this device) or patch your app so that it won't need the permission.

While I understand the user frustration as a fellow Garmin customer and IT consumer, I always find such misguided (and hollow) ultimatums and
cries of impotent outrage comedic. Garmin's product and app remain compatible with Android (version 4.3 or later) including Marshmallow. You could as well claim you never agreed to enable Bluetooth and Internet connectivity on your phone for the fēnix‑3 to do everything it can (including, say, LiveTrack and syncing with the cloud-based Garmin Connect service), and it's true Garmin neither forces you nor is in a position to force you to enable certain settings. However, if you choose to get in your own way as a user (for whatever reasons, from personal whim to information privacy concerns), that is not something any third-party adjudicator will find in your favour just because you stomp your foot and jump up and down about not having everything your way.

As explained already, it's a requirement introduced by Google for Android‑6, for scanning for Bluetooth LE devices to work properly.

While I understand the user frustration as a fellow Garmin customer and IT consumer, I always find such misguided (and hollow) ultimatums and
cries of impotent outrage comedic. Garmin's product and app remain compatible with Android (version 4.3 or later) including Marshmallow. You could as well claim you never agreed to enable Bluetooth and Internet connectivity on your phone for the fēnix‑3 to do everything it can (including, say, LiveTrack and syncing with the cloud-based Garmin Connect service), and it's true Garmin neither forces you nor is in a position to force you to enable certain settings. However, if you choose to get in your own way as a user (for whatever reasons, from personal whim to information privacy concerns), that is not something any third-party adjudicator will find in your favour just because you stomp your foot and jump up and down about not having everything your way.

But in this case all fault is on Garmin side.
I have also issue with gps. But after update of firmware in my S6 problem disepired and my vivoactive and S6 (android 6.01) working (full synchro) prefectly without gps on. And .... after sometime new update of Garmin app to 3.9 problem apper and gps must be switch on after downgrade to 3.8 (apk not from google store) everything is fine (gps off) so this problem is Garmin fault.

But in this case all fault is on Garmin side.
I have also issue with gps. But after update of firmware in my S6 problem disepired and my vivoactive and S6 (android 6.01) working (full synchro) prefectly without gps on. And .... after sometime new update of Garmin app to 3.9 problem apper and gps must be switch on after downgrade to 3.8 (apk not from google store) everything is fine (gps off) so this problem is Garmin fault.

This. Like I mentioned earlier I have been running the Marshmallow all along (and been using the CM Snapshot, so I am not getting nightlies updated every day). And suddenly this problem occured after the latest Garmin app update. I don't know if they moved to newer APIs or something but this is what happened. Also I am not a fan of downgrading my apps from unknown sources, because that rises several other issues.

As explained already, it's a requirement introduced by Google for Android‑6, for scanning for Bluetooth LE devices to work properly.

While I understand the user frustration as a fellow Garmin customer and IT consumer, I always find such misguided (and hollow) ultimatums and
cries of impotent outrage comedic. Garmin's product and app remain compatible with Android (version 4.3 or later) including Marshmallow. You could as well claim you never agreed to enable Bluetooth and Internet connectivity on your phone for the fēnix‑3 to do everything it can (including, say, LiveTrack and syncing with the cloud-based Garmin Connect service), and it's true Garmin neither forces you nor is in a position to force you to enable certain settings. However, if you choose to get in your own way as a user (for whatever reasons, from personal whim to information privacy concerns), that is not something any third-party adjudicator will find in your favour just because you stomp your foot and jump up and down about not having everything your way.

And yes I understand that these "ultimatums" are childish to you. However I hate people who ignore these kind of stuff (the mass) since it makes it possible for companies do whatever they are willing to do. If I buy a 650€ HRM I would assume it would be an improvement compared to my old HRM (Forerunner 610), but instead it is really a downgrade. Literally nothing works as intended on this Fenix 3 HR period.
I also hate that companies do beta testing on customers. And even if they do they should quite quickly iterate into a decent product which is not the case with Garmin here.
And I also don't like the idea that I should downgrade my OS or do other tricks to get my gadget working, it would be like I would have been enslaved by this product.
So in conclusion when you say that I don't have everything as my way I would defend myself that practically nothing is on this device and this is just the first time I came forward with an issue that is important to me. And yes I admit it is hard to keep emotions away from this issue because these products of Garmin I own really pisses me off. Of course you make bad investment decisions in life. When I decided to invest in Garmin's ecosystem I surely did one.

How it is possible , that i have to activate location services only ONCE when pairinig my epix. Than i dont have to activate GPS of phone whenever i restart my phone or simply connect epix via bt to phone. I have Z3compact with marshmallow and Epix. It was on 3.8 version of GCM and before.

Now with 3.9 i can connect Epix only when fresh, first pairing. After turning off and on BT (doesent matter in epix or phone) epix will not connect again. I have to delete it from GCM and repair (with location services on).

For now i will stay with 3.8 GCM. It IS possible to use GCM withou location services (notifications, synchro and livetracking works normaly).

Garmin, please take this serious!

Ok, now that I finally found this thread I will try to keep emotions low but I want to give my emphasis on the importance of the original request. I experience the same behavior of my vivosmart HR as it was described before: until the beginning of this week, I was able to synchronize my device with my Android phone without having location services turned on. - Now that's not possible anymore.

Now here is the thing: whoever problem or change this was, GARMIN, you guys have to fix this as soon as possible otherwise I predict you will lose a lot of your business here in Europe and probably in other parts of the world, too. Probably it's a cultural thing but over here, data privacy and tracking of location IS an issue and for many people a no-go so we need an option to have this turned off! Otherwise , this is a very fast and certain way to turn happy customers into leavers. It would really be a pity, I did like my device so far.

Ahh, and one more advice: don't wait until this goes to press or social media, please take this issue serious!