[Bug]: GPS position from Pixel 8 Pro removed from EXIF when using Upload thought Nextcloud app on Android

[petemagnusson]

⚠️ This issue respects the following points: ⚠️

• This is a bug, not a question or a configuration/webserver/proxy issue.
• This issue is not already reported on Github OR Nextcloud Community Forum (I've searched it).
• Nextcloud Server is up to date. See Maintenance and Release Schedule for supported versions.
• I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct.

Bug description

I am and have been using the nextcloud Android app for years, last phone i had was a Samsung S 22 Ultra and i changed to a Google Pixel 8 Pro in October.
Moved my apps over and started using it as before only to discover that my GPS position is missing from the EXIF data of the photos when taken with the Pixel 8 Pro.
Doing some testing and manually uploading the photos will keep the GPS position for me, while the automatic upload will remove it.

Steps to reproduce

1. Mapp photo folder of your phone to your nextcloud folder ( in my case a SMB share )
2. Take a photo - Check that you see the EXIF data and it includes the GPS position in the photo on your phone.
3. Wait for the nextcloud app on Android to upload your photo to your server.
4. Check the properties of the photo uploaded. In my case no GPS position.
5. Open the nextcloud app on Android.
6. Upload the same photo to the server.
7. Check the properties of the photo you manually uploaded. In my case with GPS position.

Expected behavior

Seeing GPS position in the EXIF data of the photo

Installation method

Community Docker image

Nextcloud Server version

27

Operating system

Debian/Ubuntu

PHP engine version

None

Web server

None

Database engine version

MySQL

Is this bug present after an update or on a fresh install?

None

Are you using the Nextcloud Server Encryption module?

Encryption is Disabled

What user-backends are you using?

• Default user-backend (database)
• LDAP/ Active Directory
• SSO - SAML
• Other

Configuration report

{
    "system": {
        "memcache.local": "\\OC\\Memcache\\APCu",
        "datadirectory": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "instanceid": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "passwordsalt": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "secret": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "trusted_domains": [
            "[REDACTED]",
            "[REDACTED]"
        ],
        "dbtype": "mysql",
        "version": "27.1.3.2",
        "overwrite.cli.url": "https:\/\/[REDACTED]",
        "dbname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbhost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbport": "",
        "dbtableprefix": "oc_",
        "mysql.utf8mb4": true,
        "dbuser": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbpassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "installed": true,
        "memories.exiftool": "\/config\/www\/nextcloud\/apps\/memories\/bin-ext\/exiftool-amd64-musl",
        "memories.vod.ffmpeg": "\/usr\/bin\/ffmpeg",
        "memories.vod.ffprobe": "\/usr\/bin\/ffprobe",
        "memories.vod.path": "\/config\/www\/nextcloud\/apps\/memories\/bin-ext\/go-vod-amd64",
        "memories.vod.disable": false,
        "maintenance": false,
        "preview_max_memory": 2048,
        "preview_max_filesize_image": 256,
        "filelocking.enabled": true,
        "enabledPreviewProviders": [
            "OC\\Preview\\Image",
            "OC\\Preview\\HEIC",
            "OC\\Preview\\TIFF",
            "OC\\Preview\\Movie",
            "OC\\Preview\\MKV",
            "OC\\Preview\\MP4",
            "OC\\Preview\\AVI"
        ],
        "memories.gis_type": 1,
        "mail_smtpmode": "smtp",
        "mail_smtpsecure": "ssl",
        "mail_sendmailmode": "smtp",
        "mail_from_address": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_domain": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtphost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtpport": "465",
        "mail_smtpauth": 1,
        "mail_smtpname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtppassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "theme": "",
        "loglevel": 2,
        "default_phone_region": "SE",
        "preview_max_x": 1024,
        "preview_max_y": 1024,
        "twofactor_enforced": "true",
        "twofactor_enforced_groups": [],
        "twofactor_enforced_excluded_groups": [
            "task_users"
        ],
        "memories.index.mode": "0"
    }
}

List of activated Apps

Enabled:
  - activity: 2.19.0
  - circles: 27.0.1
  - cloud_federation_api: 1.10.0
  - cloud_py_api: 0.1.8
  - comments: 1.17.0
  - contactsinteraction: 1.8.0
  - cookbook: 0.10.2
  - dashboard: 7.7.0
  - dav: 1.27.0
  - external: 5.2.1
  - federatedfilesharing: 1.17.0
  - federation: 1.17.0
  - files: 1.22.0
  - files_external: 1.19.0
  - files_pdfviewer: 2.8.0
  - files_reminders: 1.0.0
  - files_rightclick: 1.6.0
  - files_sharing: 1.19.0
  - files_trashbin: 1.17.0
  - files_versions: 1.20.0
  - firstrunwizard: 2.16.0
  - logreader: 2.12.0
  - lookup_server_connector: 1.15.0
  - memories: 6.1.0
  - metadata: 0.19.0
  - nextcloud_announcements: 1.16.0
  - notes: 4.8.1
  - notifications: 2.15.0
  - oauth2: 1.15.1
  - password_policy: 1.17.0
  - photos: 2.3.0
  - privacy: 1.11.0
  - provisioning_api: 1.17.0
  - recognize: 5.0.3
  - recommendations: 1.6.0
  - related_resources: 1.2.0
  - serverinfo: 1.17.0
  - settings: 1.9.0
  - sharebymail: 1.17.0
  - support: 1.10.0
  - survey_client: 1.15.0
  - suspicious_login: 5.0.0
  - systemtags: 1.17.0
  - text: 3.8.0
  - theming: 2.2.0
  - twofactor_backupcodes: 1.16.0
  - twofactor_totp: 9.0.0
  - twofactor_webauthn: 1.3.0
  - updatenotification: 1.17.0
  - user_status: 1.7.0
  - viewer: 2.1.0
  - weather_status: 1.7.0
  - workflowengine: 2.9.0
Disabled:
  - admin_audit: 1.17.0
  - bruteforcesettings: 2.7.0
  - calendar: 4.5.3 (installed 4.5.3)
  - contacts: 5.4.2 (installed 5.4.2)
  - encryption: 2.15.0
  - facerecognition: 0.9.31 (installed 0.9.31)
  - mail: 3.4.4 (installed 3.4.4)
  - mediadc: 0.3.7 (installed 0.3.7)
  - richdocuments: 8.2.2 (installed 8.2.2)
  - side_menu: 3.11.2 (installed 3.11.2)
  - spreed: 17.1.2 (installed 17.1.2)
  - user_ldap: 1.17.0

Nextcloud Signing status

No response

Nextcloud Logs

No response

Additional info

No response

[joshtrichards]

Do you know if you chose "All Files" (Full Access) or "Read only access" (to photos and videos) only when you installed the client on your new phone?

If the latter, it's possible that's the cause.

On my Pixel 7 I don't have this issue in mode All Files/Full Access permission mode.

If you aren't sure what you chose at install time, you can check. Unfortunately it's not under the normal app permissions, but usually somewhere privacy specify elsewhere. On the Pixel you should be able to go to your phones Settings then use the settings search bar to search for "All files access" to see if the Nextcoud client is there.

Without that mode, I think a different approach has to be taken by the app. Related: #6248

[petemagnusson]

Thanks @joshtrichards you are/were 100% spot on! I moved my installation over from my old phone, and honestly i dont think i ever saw the question of full access, but removing and access and then going in to upload again i saw it and you were 100% correct. Sorry for raising black ticket and thanks for a great product and awesome support!