openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Feature]: Pass Android device GPS location to agents [1 comments, 1 participants]

Summary

Surface Android companion app GPS coordinates to agents via inbound message metadata when the user has opted in via the existing location sharing toggle.

Problem to solve

The Android app has a location sharing toggle (Off / While Using with Precise Location ON), but GPS data is never delivered to agents. Users who opt in expect location-aware responses (weather, nearby services, timezone-aware scheduling), but agents cannot access coordinates. Currently agents must ask users to manually provide their city or coordinates, creating friction for the most common mobile use cases.

Proposed solution

Extend the inbound message metadata to include GPS coordinates when the user has enabled location sharing. Agents already consume metadata from openclaw.inbound_meta.v2 — adding latitude, longitude, and optional accuracy/timestamp fields would enable location-aware assistance without requiring agents to query a new API endpoint.

Alternatives considered

1. Plugin-based location API — A skill queries a device location endpoint. Downside: requires a new async fetch per session; metadata is simpler and already piped to every agent session.
2. Manual user input — Agents ask for city/coords. Downside: defeats the purpose of the opt-in toggle; poor UX on mobile.
3. Skill-scoped location — Only expose location to specific skills (e.g., weather). Downside: artificially limits utility.

Impact

• Affected: Android app users who enable location sharing
• Severity: Medium — location is a top mobile UX expectation; the toggle exists but delivers zero value to agents
• Frequency: Every mobile session that could benefit from location context
• Consequence: Agents appear location-blind on mobile; users must manually input location despite having already opted in

Evidence/examples

• The Android app already has a location sharing toggle in Settings
• The metadata schema (openclaw.inbound_meta.v2) already transports device context to agents — GPS is a natural extension
• Comparable platforms (Google Assistant, Siri) automatically use device location when permitted

Additional information

• Privacy: Must respect the existing opt-in toggle — no silent collection. GPS data should only flow when the user has explicitly enabled "While Using" location sharing.
• Staleness: Coordinates should include a timestamp so agents can evaluate data freshness.
• Scope question: Per CONTRIBUTING.md, open to guidance on whether this belongs in core or as a plugin SDK capability. The current design (metadata extension) is the simplest core path; happy to explore alternatives.

<img width="256" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/442e452d-40b3-43f3-9115-8118edee375e" />