BluetoothLeScanner.startScan with Android 6.0 does not discover devices

Question

I'm trying to use the function BluatoothLeScanner.startScan instead of the deprecated one BluetoothAdapter.startLeScan. Yesterday I updated my Nexus 5 to Android 6.0 and since that moment my app does not work anymore. I firstly add the preferences required ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION as found here, https://developer.android.com/about/versions/marshmallow/android-6.0-changes.html#behavior-hardware-id. Then I added the permission as described here: https://developer.android.com/training/permissions/requesting.html. But at the end it seems not working, it does not send back the ble devices.

This is my code:

manifest

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
          package="com.stm.sensitronapp">
          <uses-sdk android:maxSdkVersion="23"/>
          <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.bluetooth_le" android:required="true"/>

          <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH"/>
          <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN"/>
          <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION"/>`

DeviceScanActivity

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
...

if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this,Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION)
            != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED){
        if (ActivityCompat.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(this,
                Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION)) {
        } else {
            ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this,
                    new String[]{Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION},
                    MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_ACCESS_COARSE);
        }
    }

// Device scan callback.
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP) {
        if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this,Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION)
                == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            mScanCallback = new ScanCallback() {
                @Override
                public void onScanResult(int callbackType, ScanResult result) {
                    super.onScanResult(callbackType, result);
                    mLeDeviceListAdapter.addDevice(result.getDevice());
                    mLeDeviceListAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
                }
            };
        }
    } 
}
final BluetoothManager bluetoothManager =
            (BluetoothManager) getSystemService(Context.BLUETOOTH_SERVICE);
mBluetoothAdapter = bluetoothManager.getAdapter();

if (mBluetoothAdapter.getState() == BluetoothAdapter.STATE_ON) {
        mSwipeRefreshLayout.setRefreshing(true);
        mLeDeviceListAdapter.clear();
        mBluetoothLeScanner = mBluetoothAdapter.getBluetoothLeScanner();
        if(ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this,
                    Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION ) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
                mBluetoothLeScanner.startScan(mScanCallback);
            }
        }

EDIT: to solve this problem I only turned on the GPS. It is easy to do it programmatically in this way.

Answer 1

if permissions granted, have a try: turn ON the GPS.

Answer 2

Is you app prompting for Location permission on startup? If it's not, handle the code somewhere else so that it is being prompted.

Also you can check this to test if your app is working fine:

Open Settings > Apps > YourApplication > Permissions and enable Location and then try to scan for results.

Location will be listed under permissions only if you have provided ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION on manifest.