title: Google Maps Android API v2 - APIs related to my location deprecated. Why?
body: <p>Since the Google I/O 2013 we can read in several places of <a href="https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the documentation of Google Maps Android API v2</a> that</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>This method / interface is deprecated.</p>
  <p>use com.google.android.gms.location.LocationClient instead. LocationClient provides improved location finding and power usage and is used by the &quot;My Location&quot; blue dot. See the MyLocationDemoActivity in the sample applications folder for example example code, or the <a href="https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android/location" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Location Developer Guide</a>.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>While it is great the new API appeared, I can't think of any good reason to put <code>@Deprecated</code> on these methods.</p>
  <p>They are indeed a very convenient way of accessing location pointed to by the blue dot.</p>
  <p>A single line</p>
  <pre><code>Location location = map.getMyLocation();
  </code></pre>
  <p>to retrieve my location vs the amount of setup code we need to write using the new Location API to achieve the same result speaks against having them deprecated.</p>
  <p>From the MyLocationDemoActivity (under <code>ANDROID_SDK/extras/google/google_play_services/samples/maps/src/com/example/mapdemo/MyLocationDemoActivity.java</code>):</p>
  <pre><code>// These settings are the same as the settings for the map. They will in fact give you updates at
  // the maximal rates currently possible.
  private static final LocationRequest REQUEST = LocationRequest.create()
          .setInterval(5000)         // 5 seconds
          .setFastestInterval(16)    // 16ms = 60fps
          .setPriority(LocationRequest.PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY);
  </code></pre>
  <p>The comment suggests that these hardcoded values are the same as in the map, but this may change in an undesirable way in future.</p>
  <p>So after all the pros and cons are here, <strong>what could be the reason behind desision to deprecate these APIs?</strong>.</p>