ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION SecurityException despite specifying the permission in the manifest file

Question

My app is attempting to access the device's location and I have included the following in the AndroidManifest.xml:

<manifest 
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
    package="com.app">
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

    <application>
        <meta-data android:name="com.google.android.gms.version" />
    </application>

</manifest>

I have implemented the GoogleApiClient.ConnectionCallbacks as follows to access the location service:

public class BackgroundLocationService implements
        GoogleApiClient.ConnectionCallbacks,
        GoogleApiClient.OnConnectionFailedListener {

    private static final String TAG = BackgroundLocationService.class.getSimpleName();

    private static GoogleApiClient googleApiClient;
    private static PendingIntent locationCallback;

    public static int LOCATION_INTERVAL = 10000;
    public static int FAST_INTERVAL = 5000;

    @Override
    public void onConnected(Bundle bundle) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Connected to Google API");

        LocationRequest request = new LocationRequest();
        request.setInterval(LOCATION_INTERVAL);
        request.setFastestInterval(FAST_INTERVAL);
        request.setPriority(LocationRequest.PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY);

        LocationServices.FusedLocationApi.requestLocationUpdates(googleApiClient, request, locationCallback);
    }

    @Override
    public void onConnectionSuspended(int i) {
        Log.i(TAG, Integer.toString(i));
    }

    @Override
    public void onConnectionFailed(ConnectionResult connectionResult) {
        Log.i(TAG, connectionResult.toString());
    }
}

When I trigger the location service call, the following exception is thrown:

java.lang.SecurityException: Client must have ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission to request PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY locations.
    at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1599)
    at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1552)
    at com.google.android.gms.location.internal.zzi$zza$zza.zza(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.location.internal.zzk.zza(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.location.internal.zzl.zza(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.location.internal.zzd$7.zza(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.location.internal.zzd$7.zza(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.internal.zzlb$zza.zzb(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.internal.zzlf.zza(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.internal.zzlf.zzb(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.internal.zzli.zzb(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.location.internal.zzd.requestLocationUpdates(Unknown Source)
    at com.localz.spotzpush.sdk.service.BackgroundLocationService.onConnected(BackgroundLocationService.java:45)
    at com.google.android.gms.common.internal.zzk.zzh(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.internal.zzlg.zznU(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.internal.zzlg.onConnected(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.internal.zzli$2.onConnected(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.common.internal.zzj$zzg.zzpf(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.common.internal.zzj$zza.zzc(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.common.internal.zzj$zza.zzt(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.common.internal.zzj$zzc.zzph(Unknown Source)
    at com.google.android.gms.common.internal.zzj$zzb.handleMessage(Unknown Source)
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:148)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5417)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:726)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:616)

I am using an actual device to produce this issue and have been scratching my head on why the exception is thrown.

Answer 1

The issue was caused by a new feature for Android 6.0.

Beginning in Android 6.0 (API level 23), users grant permissions to apps while the app is running, not when they install the app.

http://developer.android.com/training/permissions/requesting.html

To get around the issue when the permission is not explicitly granted, I had put in a check to wrap location service calls (as per the Google Documentation, slightly modified).

int permissionCheck = ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(context, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION);

if (permissionCheck == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
    //Execute location service call if user has explicitly granted ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION..
}

The Google Documentation also steps through how to request for the permissions that are needed.

UPDATED 12th Oct 2016

Adding in @Siddharth's update to include a more helpful answer for checkSelfPermission()

//For this example, run the check onResume()
@Override
public void onResume() {

    if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION)
                != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {

        // Should we show an explanation?
        if (ActivityCompat.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(this, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION)) {

            // Show an expanation to the user *asynchronously* -- don't block
            // this thread waiting for the user's response! After the user
            // sees the explanation, try again to request the permission.

        } else {

            // No explanation needed, we can request the permission.
            // PERMISSION_REQUEST_ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION can be any unique int
            ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this, new String[]{Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION}, PERMISSION_REQUEST_ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION);
        }
    }
}

@Override
public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode,
                                       String permissions[], int[] grantResults) {
    switch (requestCode) {
        case PERMISSION_REQUEST_ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION: {
            // If request is cancelled, the result arrays are empty.
            if (grantResults.length > 0
                    && grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {

                // permission was granted, yay! Do the
                // contacts-related task you need to do.

            } else {

                // permission denied, boo! Disable the
                // functionality that depends on this permission.
            }
            return;
        }

        // other 'case' lines to check for other
        // permissions this app might request
    }
}