Does Showing User's Current Location on the Map Require 'NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription'?

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I have a desktop application that shows some real estate properties chosen by the user. The application shows those GPP locations on the map. The SwiftUI code is something like the following.

import SwiftUI
import MapKit

struct ContentView: View {
    var body: some View
    	ZStack {
    		mapView
    	}
    }
    
    private var mapView: some View {
        Map(position: $propertyViewModel.mapPosition) {
            ForEach(propertyViewModel.properties) { property in
                Annotation("", coordinate: CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: property.lat, longitude: property.lon)) {
                    Button {
                        
                    } label: {
                        VStack {
                            Image(systemName: "house.circle.fill")
                                .resizable()
                                .scaledToFit()
                                .frame(width: 48)
                                .foregroundStyle(colorScheme == .light ? .white : .black)
                                
                            ...
                        }
                    }
                    .buttonStyle(.borderless)
                }
            }
            UserAnnotation()
        }
        .mapControls {
            MapUserLocationButton()
        }
        .mapControlVisibility(.visible)
        .onAppear {
            CLLocationManager().requestWhenInUseAuthorization()
        }
    }
}

The application only wants to use the CLLocationManager class so that it can show those locations on the map relative to your current GPS position. And I'm hit with two review rejections.

Guideline 5.1.1 - Legal - Privacy - Data Collection and Storage

Issue Description

One or more purpose strings in the app do not sufficiently explain the use of protected resources. Purpose strings must clearly and completely describe the app's use of data and, in most cases, provide an example of how the data will be used.

Guideline 5.1.5 - Legal - Privacy - Location Services

The app uses location data for features that are not relevant to a user's location.

Specifically, the app is not functional when Location Services are disabled.

So I wonder if the application is even required to have 'NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription' and/or 'NSLocationUsageDescription'? just in order to show user's current location so that they can see property locations relative to it? The exact location privacy statement is the following.

The application needs your permission in accessing your current location so that it will appear on the map

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Answer 1

Tomato OP

7h

I've asked Gemini. It says the following.

To answer your question directly: Yes, you absolutely need the Privacy keys in your Info.plist.

Even though you are only using the user’s location to show a "blue dot" on the map, Apple considers the act of calling requestWhenInUseAuthorization() a request for "private" data. If that key is missing, your app will not only be rejected, it will likely crash the moment it executes that line of code on a real device.

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