arch-anx1ety opened a new issue, #295:
URL: https://github.com/apache/cordova-plugin-geolocation/issues/295
# Bug Report
## Problem
CDVLocation.m ignores the `maximumAge` parameter passed from the JS layer,
causing stale cached positions to be returned even when `maximumAge: 0` is
specified.
### What is expected to happen?
When `navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(success, error, { maximumAge:
0 })` is called, the plugin should only return a position whose age (current
time minus position timestamp) is within the `maximumAge` window. With
`maximumAge: 0`, the plugin should reject any cached position and wait for a
fresh GPS fix from `CLLocationManager`, per the [W3C Geolocation specification
§6.3](https://www.w3.org/TR/geolocation/#dom-positionoptions-maximumage):
> "If the implementation does not have a cached position available whose age
is no greater than the specified `maximumAge`, then it must acquire a new
position."
The JS layer (`www/geolocation.js` line 147) correctly passes `maximumAge`
as argument index 1 to the native side:
exec(win, fail, 'Geolocation', 'getLocation', [options.enableHighAccuracy,
options.maximumAge]);
### What does actually happen?
CDVLocation.m getLocation: (line 193) never reads argument index 1. Only
enableHighAccuracy (index 0) is extracted:
// Line 197 — the ONLY argument read:
BOOL enableHighAccuracy = [[command argumentAtIndex:0] boolValue];
First CLLocationManager callback is thus accepted unconditionally — In
didUpdateToLocation:fromLocation: (line 167), the first position received is
stored and returned to all waiting callbacks without checking its age:
cData.locationInfo = newLocation; // No age check — line 173
The first callback from CLLocationManager after startUpdatingLocation is
always the locationd daemon's cached position, which can be minutes or hours
old.
Real-world impact: Field sales reps physically present at a store are told
they are 2-3 miles away because the GPS position from their last outdoor
location persists indefinitely. The position returned in 4-5ms (impossible for
real GPS acquisition) with maximumAge: 0 and timeout: 20000.
## Information
<!-- Include all relevant information that might help understand and
reproduce the problem -->
1. Walk outdoors and let the iPhone acquire a solid GPS fix at Location A
(verify in Apple Maps — high accuracy, ~5m)
2. Move indoors to Location B (a building interior where GPS signal is
blocked, >500m from Location A)
3. Wait 2-3 minutes for the GPS fix to go stale
4. Call navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(success, error, {
maximumAge: 0, timeout: 20000, enableHighAccuracy: true })
5. Result: The success callback fires in <10ms with Location A's
coordinates, not Location B
6. Call again — same stale Location A coordinates returned
7. Restart the app — call again — still Location A
Why this is hard to reproduce casually: If the tester is stationary or
outdoors with GPS signal, the locationd cache happens to be approximately
correct, making the stale position indistinguishable from a fresh one. The bug
manifests when the user moves indoors after having an outdoor GPS fix.
### Command or Code
<!-- What command or code is needed to reproduce the problem? -->
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(
pos => {
console.log('Position:', pos.coords.latitude, pos.coords.longitude);
console.log('Accuracy:', pos.coords.accuracy, 'm');
console.log('Timestamp:', new Date(pos.timestamp));
},
err => console.error('Error:', err.code, err.message),
{ maximumAge: 0, timeout: 20000, enableHighAccuracy: true }
);
### Environment, Platform, Device
<!-- In what environment, on what platform or on which device are you
experiencing the issue? -->
Platform: iOS only (Android has a separate native implementation that is not
affected)
Devices: Any iPhone or cellular iPad with a GPS chip
iOS versions tested: iOS 17, iOS 18
Not reproducible on: WiFi-only iPads (no GPS chip — they use WiFi
positioning which doesn't have the same caching behavior)
### Version information
<!--
What are relevant versions you are using?
For example:
Cordova: Cordova CLI, Cordova Platforms, Cordova Plugins
Other Frameworks: Ionic Framework and CLI version
Operating System, Android Studio, Xcode etc.
-->
cordova-plugin-geolocation: 5.0.0
cordova-ios: 7.1.1
cordova-android: 13.0.0 (not affected)
Xcode: 26.0.1
Cordova CLI: 12.x
## Checklist
<!-- Please check the boxes by putting an x in the [ ] like so: [x] -->
- [x] I searched for existing GitHub issues
- [x] I updated all Cordova tooling to most recent version
- [x] I included all the necessary information above
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