Android Authority has noticed some users are receiving an email notifying them that the changes will take place from November 19. Previously, it was reported that December 1 would be the deadline for this change, but it seems different users are getting different dates.
If you don’t take action before your deadline, Google will reportedly try to export the last 90 days of Timeline data to the first signed-in device you use after the deadline has passed. Data older than 90 days will be deleted. Also, the new location history will be saved to your current device after that deadline has passed.
In the email, you have a link that lets you choose to keep Timeline data until you decide to delete it or auto-delete it data after three months. However, some people are saying they chose the first option but their Timeline data has been deleted anyway, which seems to be an outrageous bug.
Export your Timeline data using Google Takeout
To make sure you keep what you want, it’s recommended you export your Timeline data using Google Takeout if you want to keep a backup of your location history.
If you want to do that, go to takeout.google.com, untick everything other than “Location History (Timeline)”. Then choose Next step and “Create export”.
It seems like Google is in the process of rolling out a button to export your timeline data from individual devices, which should be accessible via Settings, then Location, then Location Services, then Timeline. But this button is only for that specific device, not your entire Timeline history.
The new approach to location history will make it so Timeline access on the web doesn’t exist, and Timeline will be unique to each device.
I personally think that if you need to save your Timeline history, you better act now and create your export as mentioned above. The confusion about the deadline for this change seems rather strange, so better be safe than sorry, in my opinion.