Today marks a significant advancement in the integration of location data for Amazon Sidewalk-enabled devices with the introduction of the AWS IoT Core Device Location service. This new feature eliminates the need for installing GPS modules in Sidewalk devices, thereby enhancing the developer experience related to location data resolution. Devices that utilize small coin cell batteries, such as smart home sensor trackers, rely on Sidewalk for connectivity. The inclusion of built-in GPS modules can be both costly and challenging, particularly when it comes to optimizing battery performance and longevity. With this launch, manufacturers of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and developers of solutions can create asset tracking and location monitoring systems through Sidewalk-enabled devices by transmitting Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data to AWS IoT for location resolution. The resolved location data can then be directed to an MQTT topic or an AWS IoT rule, allowing for interaction with various Amazon Web Services (AWS), thus simplifying software development and providing greater flexibility in selecting the best location source, ultimately enhancing product performance. This development addresses previous obstacles and reduces architectural complexity, as location sensing is not required on network-based devices when leveraging the Sidewalk infrastructure for device location, which in turn minimizes the reliance on power-hungry and expensive GPS hardware. Additionally, this feature allows for efficient measurement and reporting of location data from GNSS and Wi-Fi, thereby extending battery life. Consequently, developers can create more effective solutions for asset tracking and location-aware IoT applications through these improvements.
Understanding Amazon Sidewalk and AWS IoT Core Device Location Service
For those who may not be acquainted with Amazon Sidewalk and the AWS IoT Core Device Location service, a brief overview of their development and purpose is in order. If you are already knowledgeable about these services, feel free to skip ahead to the section outlining how to begin using them.
AWS IoT Core Integrations with Amazon Sidewalk
Amazon Sidewalk operates as a community network aimed at enhancing device performance through improved connectivity options. This network is designed to support a variety of consumer devices, facilitating functions from tracking pets and valuables to managing smart home security, lighting controls, and remote diagnostics for appliances and tools. Amazon Sidewalk is a secure network that utilizes Amazon Sidewalk Gateways—also known as Sidewalk Bridges—such as compatible Amazon Echo and Ring devices, to provide cloud connectivity for IoT endpoint devices. The Sidewalk infrastructure supports low-bandwidth and long-range connectivity both at home and in broader environments, employing BLE for short-range communication alongside LoRa and frequency-shift keying (FSK) radio protocols operating at 900MHz frequencies to ensure extensive coverage. Currently, Sidewalk reaches over 90% of the U.S. population, enabling long-range connectivity solutions for both communities and businesses. Users with compatible Ring cameras or Alexa devices that function as Sidewalk Bridges can voluntarily share a portion of their internet bandwidth, which is collectively utilized to establish a shared network benefiting all Sidewalk-enabled devices in the vicinity. In March 2023, AWS IoT Core enhanced its integration with Amazon Sidewalk, facilitating the seamless provisioning, onboarding, and monitoring of Sidewalk devices using qualified hardware development kits (HDKs), software development kits (SDKs), and sample applications. Presently, AWS IoT Core serves as the sole method for customers to connect to the Sidewalk network. Through the AWS IoT Core console, users can add their Sidewalk devices, provision and register them, and link their Sidewalk endpoints to the cloud.
Launch of the AWS IoT Core Device Location Service
In November 2022, the AWS IoT Core Device Location service was introduced, enabling users to obtain geo-coordinates for their IoT devices even if those devices lack a GPS module. The Device Location service can be accessed as a straightforward HTTP API for requests and responses or can be utilized within IoT connectivity pathways like MQTT, LoRaWAN, and now Amazon Sidewalk. The AWS IoT Core console allows users to test the Device Location service by importing device payload data to resolve the device’s location. The reported resource location comes in a GeoJSON format, providing a structured way to convey geographical data. Various industries, including automotive, supply chain, and industrial tools, have expressed a need for a more streamlined solution such as the Device Location service to extract location data from Sidewalk products. This would facilitate smoother software development for customers and offer more choices for optimal location sources, ultimately enhancing their products.
Getting Started with Device Location Integration for Amazon Sidewalk
To enable Device Location for Sidewalk devices, users should navigate to the AWS IoT Core for Amazon Sidewalk section under LPWAN devices in the AWS IoT Core console. From there, they can either provision a new device or modify an existing one by selecting the option to activate positioning in the Geolocation settings during the creation or update process. When activating positioning, it’s necessary to specify a destination for the location data, which can be either an AWS IoT rule or an MQTT topic. A sample AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) command to enable positioning during provisioning of a new Sidewalk device is as follows:
$ aws iotwireless createwireless device --type Sidewalk \
--name "demo-1" --destination-name "New-1" \
--positioning EnabledOnce the Sidewalk device connects to the Amazon Sidewalk network, the device SDK will transmit GNSS, Wi-Fi, or BLE-based information to AWS IoT Core for Amazon Sidewalk. If positioning has been enabled, AWS IoT Core Device Location will resolve the location data and send it to the designated destination. Upon transmitting location measurement data, the resolved geographic coordinates along with a map pin will be displayed in the Position section for the selected device. Additionally, the location information will be delivered to the specified destination in GeoJSON format, as illustrated in the following example:
{ "coordinates": [ 13.376076698303223, 52.51823043823242 ],
"type": "Point",
"properties": {
"verticalAccuracy": 45,
"verticalConfidenceLevel": 0.68,
"horizontalAccuracy": 303,
"horizontalConfidenceLevel": 0.68,
"country": "USA",
"state": "CA",
"city": "Sunnyvale",
"postalCode": "91234",
"timestamp": "2025-11-18T12:23:58.189Z"
}
}Users can monitor the Device Location data flow between their Sidewalk devices and the AWS Cloud by enabling Amazon CloudWatch Logs for AWS IoT Core.
General Availability Announcement
The integration of the AWS IoT Core Device Location with Amazon Sidewalk is now fully available in the US East (N. Virginia) Region. For further insights into use cases, documentation, sample codes, and compatible devices, users are encouraged to explore the AWS IoT Core for Amazon Sidewalk product page. Interested parties can try it out in the AWS IoT Core console and provide feedback to AWS re:Post for AWS IoT Core or through their usual AWS Support contacts.
