Support for external Bluetooth GPS

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Could you add support for external Bluetooth GPS devices? This works since 
Android 2.0. It would be great. My external GPS device is way better then the 
phone.

Here is an example app that shows that it works:
http://www.androidpit.de/de/android/market/apps/app/googoo.android.btgps/Bluetoo
th-GPS

I tried that and it works without any problems. You just have to go to 
bluetooth settings and pair the device (give for example code 0000). Then an 
application can connect to it and talk with that.

You could maybe ask the developer to give you the code or an tell how to 
implement.

There are also other application that uses this functionality to be able to use 
external gps devices. For example this one: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv9QbIx-IL8
or this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7BZ2majqho

thanks a lot

Original issue reported on code.google.com by gentoo.l...@gmail.com on 13 Jun 2010 at 1:34

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Unfortunately Android doesn't seem to support directly external GPS according 
to what I've found on the web and 
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=9057 . My understanding is 
that Android supports RFCOMM protocol since 2.x that allow to talk to an 
external GPS device (or any compatible bluetooth device) at a low (serial) 
level.

That means that the current Android API doesn't support external GPSes and it 
would require a decent amount of work to communicate with an external device as 
it needs to re-implement a "driver". It should be feasible, but I can't make it 
a priority.

Patches are welcome as always ;-) but I expect that Android will provide that 
function in the future especially since it make sense on other devices than 
phones, like tablets...

Original comment by nguillau...@gmail.com on 15 Jun 2010 at 8:52

• Added labels: Priority-Low, Type-Enhancement
• Removed labels: Priority-Medium, Type-Defect

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hello, excellent application! The external GPS support would be great not only 
because of the signal quality but also when recording long paths so you don't 
have to hold the phone. I use Motorola Milestone with Android 2.1.

If this could be of use for the developers, ther is a similar application 
called "Trekbuddy" which works in Android and does the trick: 
http://www.trekbuddy.net/forum/

Maybe some code could be used from it!

Original comment by luciomar...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2010 at 4:10

[GoogleCodeExporter]

It is not needed any more!

http://www.androidpit.de/de/android/market/apps/app/com.Argotronic/Bluetooth-GPS
-Mouse-frei

It makes all gps-programs working with bluetooth gps :)

Here the full version:
http://www.androidpit.de/de/android/market/apps/app/com.Argotronic2/Bluetooth-GP
S-Mouse-voll

Original comment by gentoo.l...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2010 at 4:18

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Bluetooth-GPS-Mouse does not work with my external GPS. Moreover, even if it 
worked, my Motorola Milestone does not allow me to buy applications on the 
market (it is a known issue).

Original comment by luciomar...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2010 at 6:47

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I also own an motorola milestone. Did you have Firmware 2.36 running? Here it 
works fine and the applications i tested till now works. I hear also first time 
of the error that you cant buy something. The free version is same as full but 
with a build in timer. The timer just "klick" on disconnect after 10minutes and 
you have to open the bluetooth gps program again and klick on connect once 
again.

Original comment by gentoo.l...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2010 at 10:18

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I tried again and actually yes, Bluetooth-GPS-Mouse works. The only strange 
thing is that while the blue led that should stay fixed when the external gps 
is locked to the device, it instead continues to blink.
About the problem buying applications, I just succeded in buying Navdroyd after 
a few unsuccessful tries. It seems I was not the only one with the problem, as 
reported here http://navdroyd.com/ but Google probably fixed the issue.

Original comment by luciomar...@gmail.com on 6 Sep 2010 at 7:33

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I'm working now on the external GPS support for osmtracker-android.
The main features which I plan to implement:

* External Bluetooth GPS
* External USB GPS (USB On-The-Go)
* NMEA protocol
* SiRF Binary protocol
* Raw data logger

Is anybody interested in this issue yet?

My repository: 
https://github.com/littlesavage/osmtracker-android/tree/externalGps

Original comment by ls.illar...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2012 at 9:23

[GoogleCodeExporter]

External Bluetooth GPS in osmtracker would be great. It would be very
usefull also to implement the compass so that when you write a note or
take a picture the orientation of the device is also recorded.

Bye

Original comment by luciomar...@gmail.com on 9 Sep 2012 at 4:02

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Recent Android versions all support this out of the box. You dont need to 
implement this any more.

Original comment by gentoo.l...@gmail.com on 10 Sep 2012 at 10:06

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I suggest closing this issue.
This is already supported, either out of the box by Android, or by the free 
application 'Bluetooth GPS'. The latter can pose as a GPS device, meaning that 
ALL programs on the phone will use the external GPS.
There is no need to implement a bluetooth-pairing mechanism (plus 
fault-detection etcetera) in every application that supports GPS.

Original comment by gerben...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2012 at 8:42

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Always happy to close issues :)

Original comment by nicolas@guillaumin.me on 13 Nov 2012 at 9:29

• Changed state: WontFix

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Issue 224 has been merged into this issue.

Original comment by nicolas@guillaumin.me on 31 Aug 2013 at 1:30