How can I determine which app is accessing GPS?

Question

I have an Evo 4G with one app that I allow to access GPS periodically so I leave GPS enabled. However I see the GPS icon show up far more frequently than is scheduled for that app. I've shut down everything I could find that was a likely source. Any way to tell which app is accessing the GPS?

I do have some other apps that can be battery hogs at times so watching battery usage isn't really going to cut it on this one without some usage changes. I'm hoping for either an app, a setting, or a log that will tell me.

Answer 1

Download Spare Parts.

When in the app, tap "Battery history", then in the first dropdown select "GPS usage".

In the second dropdown select whichever you want to see ("Since last unplugged", "Total since boot", or "Total in all time") and you should see which apps have accessed the GPS.

Answer 2

Try the 'Testing' mode. I'm lead to believe it's a standard part of Android, so should work on your EVO - it works on my HTC Desire HD.

Dial the following number:

*#*#4636#*#* (or *#*#INFO#*#*)

Then, to see GPS stats, tap Battery History, Other Usage and then GPS Usage.

If I'm reading this right, this then displays a list of all the apps that have caused the GPS to consume battery power, which I think is almost what you're looking for.

Answer 3

Occasionally the browser will access GPS since the browser on my phone has location turned on. So most likely the application(s) runs in the background and updates data based on your location. Social networking, maps/directions apps and other location-sensing apps could be accessing GPS data as they run in the background. Try to narrow it down by seeing which apps sync and how often.