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Hi Everybody,
I am very interested in purchasing the Tmo-US version of this phone when it is avaliable and I would like to know how is the GPS on these phones? How fast does it lock and for those who are coming from SGS, can you see a big difference in GPS performance? I am currently using a SGS vibrant on tmo-us and GPS is very bad on it. Thanks
better than thge galaxy s.
First time i used it it took like 10 minutes to lock on lol, but then each time after that pretty much instant (or close enough)!
Not perfect for mine, sometimes under the sky also cant lock any satellite or scan no satellite in car. But other people are getting pretty good result though. That's why i am not sure it's my problem or not.
I edited the gps.conf file for my location (not sure if neccesary, but had the file from my previous HD2 so figured wtf..)
gps locks in 15 seconds when outside
Mine is MUCH snappier than my previous HTC desire
Best gps I've experienced on a phone. Better than my omnia, hero and my wife's galaxy s, which is terrible
Thanks for the quick replies. I am sure with some new updates the performance will improve even better. I cant wait to get my hands on G2x now.
Also extremely happy with the GPS. Using MileageTrac everyday, and the GPS locks within 3-4 secs every time.
GPS is perfect. It locks satellites in 7-20 seconds. Accuracy is 5m.
so a few more uses and yeah still instant. thumbs up!
for those who got fast gps fix time, may I know what baseband are you guys using?
Can it be used for car navigation like the Desire HD? Anyone tried it?
I think I fixed mine.
Solution was (at least one among them)
- push appropriate gps.conf to /system/etc
- modify APN type of Mobile data to "default,supl"
- turn off wireless while aquiring GPS fix
My GPS now fixes within seconds with mobile data enabled.
Have any of you tried GPS Status? It helped alleviate slow-to-lock AGPS issues on my Incredible. If you launch the app, it forces a new download of the carrier's GPS file. GPS lock went from 2-3 minutes on some buggy ROMs to under 20 seconds.
It's not the most elegant of solutions, but it works.
pascaliut said:
Can it be used for car navigation like the Desire HD? Anyone tried it?
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yup, quite a few times works great.
I agree. Use it everyday. It seems more stable than the DHD with better signal lock.
The demo unit at the T-mobile store I went to yesterday had a horrible GPS.
It would freeze up google maps and wouldn't lock AT ALL when the satellite antennae was turned on.
With the antennae turned on, google maps worked, but the circle for your location was huge (obviously).
Tarzanman said:
The demo unit at the T-mobile store I went to yesterday had a horrible GPS.
It would freeze up google maps and wouldn't lock AT ALL when the satellite antennae was turned on.
With the antennae turned on, google maps worked, but the circle for your location was huge (obviously).
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Click to collapse
Were you trying to use it indoors or did they let you take it outside to test it out?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA Premium App
Tarzanman said:
The demo unit at the T-mobile store I went to yesterday had a horrible GPS.
It would freeze up google maps and wouldn't lock AT ALL when the satellite antennae was turned on.
With the antennae turned on, google maps worked, but the circle for your location was huge (obviously).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try GPS on any other phones? Signal could have been bad inside the building.
Being a Vibrant owner, with all its GPS issues, I'm very interested in how the this works on the G2X before I consider switching.
Thanks.
Worked fine whilst I was out today. Only problem was a lack of a data connection.
Sent from my LG-P990 using Tapatalk
This might seem like a really stupid question to some. When I was on my last trip I thought it would be nice to try out the GPS function while on the road or even on the plane. I would have loved to follow my movements on the Xoom!
So I downloaded some apps that looked promising (GPS Status, GPS Test, and Maverick). I thought I would get at least the coordinates and maybe an altitude and speed reading. But all three applications failed to acquire sufficient GPS satellites to determine my position. After the plane ride I decided it might have been that the GPS receiver is turned off during airplane mode. So I enabled all radios, made sure all location settings are correct, and tried it again. Still nothing. I see a few satellites in range but they are not sufficient for some reason.
I then tested the Google map app. I tried different settings (use wireless network etc.) and it seems that the GPS location is never really showing correctly.
Am I doing something wrong? Any help is appreciated!
All of those programs you mentioned should have done the trick. Keep in mind that you were in a big metal tube and GPS signals are pretty weak. You would need to get the Xoom close to a window and even then it may not work very well due to poor coverage. I am in a building with a metal roof and no luck getting a GPS lock, but as soon as I step outside it works fine.
HuckFinn said:
I am in a building with a metal roof and no luck getting a GPS lock, but as soon as I step outside it works fine.
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Click to collapse
I thought I gave it a good chance but you are right; I should be fair and have the Xoom enjoy the nice weather outside with me once I get off work.
getting a GPS signal while flying in the air at 600mph+ is kinda hard... I've tried without success except for 1 occasion (and finally got my Garmin app on my old Nokia to register a max speed of 569mph haha)
funnycreature said:
...it might have been that the GPS receiver is turned off during airplane mode. So I enabled all radios, made sure all location settings are correct, and tried it again. Still nothing...
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I have a similar, but not the same issue, but the work around might be helpful.
I have found that if I turn off the GPS radio, and then turn it back on, it really does not turn back on. The work around is to turn on your GPS in the settings and then turn your Xoom off (long press the power button only), and then turn it back on. Now try your GPS and see if it works.
I opened the Maps app and it put me in the exact part of my house in 5 seconds. Literally.
Sent from my Xoom
Being outside did the trick. I guess I overestimated the power of GPS satellites indoors. I am thankful for all the suggestions!
[sent with Xooming Android technology]
the xoom must have a super-GPS chip because it catches the signal and puts you instantly in the right spot on earth a lot faster than the nexus one on 3g/gps ... awesome.
MitchRapp said:
the xoom must have a super-GPS chip because it catches the signal and puts you instantly in the right spot on earth a lot faster than the nexus one on 3g/gps ... awesome.
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Maybe that's because of the aGPS which takes advantage of the WiFi and wireless signals for positioning? I don't have 3G activated but the WiFi surely helps and is pretty accurate.
just tried it with the WIFI off on my xoom and booya... quick lock and exactly in the right spot in the building I'm in
this thing is awesome.
MitchRapp said:
getting a GPS signal while flying in the air at 600mph+ is kinda hard... I've tried without success except for 1 occasion (and finally got my Garmin app on my old Nokia to register a max speed of 569mph haha)
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Yes, it's possible if fortune (and satellites) on your side But you will need to stick your phone to the window for a few minutes, also helps if get location just before boarding to a plane.
MitchRapp said:
the xoom must have a super-GPS chip because it catches the signal and puts you instantly in the right spot on earth a lot faster than the nexus one on 3g/gps ... awesome.
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Tablets probably have a bigger GPS antennas, Asus Transformer and even NI Adam have a great signal reception.
I've searched for people with a similar situation as mine. Unlike everyone elses... My GPS Locks on but when I'm in the car driving.. it doesn't work like it used to. The GPS is really weak and the arrow in google maps doesn't follow along anymore. Worked fine Since Froyo but I haven't tried going back to that yet. I think I will to see if there's a diff later, don't wanna wipe the phone right now ugh. Weird thing is GPS locks on fine with 3G and even more accurate with WiFi. Just doesn't seem to work well on the road just wondering if anyone has a solution.. Thanks
The arrow on the map does not represent a GPS lock or its status.
Get GPS status from the market. That will give you detailed info about your GPS. Once all the fields on the bottom of that app are filled in you have a GPS lock. Until then you don't.
albundy2010 said:
The arrow on the map does not represent a GPS lock or its status.
Get GPS status from the market. That will give you detailed info about your GPS. Once all the fields on the bottom of that app are filled in you have a GPS lock. Until then you don't.
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Yep I don't think I said that the arrow is a gps lock. it definitely does lock on.. just doesn't move as my car moves but if I'm at home on 3g it locks on but about 2500m accuracy after about 30 seconds it locks on the correct location. My current solution now is to turn on gps status and then run Google maps. It'd be nice if I didn't have to rely on that. Thanks though
What I am saying is that you don't have a a GPS lock which is why it doesn't move. We are saying the same thing I think just misunderstanding.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
i just find it weird that if i stand in 1 spot the gps will lock on really accurate but when i'm driving it doesnt move with me. That's what I didn't understand .. how was it not locked on when it shows on the map the right spot but doens't when im moving sry.
I have to turn on GPS status and switch back and forth with google maps to have an accurate location which is a pain in the butt and really slow. Never had this issue until I started with gingerbread
The "accurate" one in the beginning is most likely just the regular network location. For example when. I am home with with data signal and wifi the loocation is accurate to about 50 meters. This sounds like the case for you as well.
Still you should not have to load up GPS status to get a lock.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
I am out in a parking lot and accurate to 30meters with GPS off.
But on regular maps it looks Like a GPS lock.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
GPS Status will surely fix you up
So I used my Droid 4 for the 1st time today for navigation. I had to go to Downtown Minneapolis and I use Google Navigation. A few times ,in Downtown, I lost the GPS signal and therefore took a wrong turn. How has navigation with Google Maps been working for everybody?
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
I haven't had any issues with the GPS. You can always improve performance by enabling Google location and WiFi. GPS often works poorly in cities due to poor visibility (tall buildings, etc). Wifi-location helps a lot. I remember my old iPod touch did an amazing job locating me on Wifi alone (in NYC).
podspi said:
I haven't had any issues with the GPS. You can always improve performance by enabling Google location and WiFi. GPS often works poorly in cities due to poor visibility (tall buildings, etc). Wifi-location helps a lot. I remember my old iPod touch did an amazing job locating me on Wifi alone (in NYC).
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I had Google location enabled. What is the GPS chipset on the Droid 4? I don't remember having had problems with Google Navigation on the Galaxy Nexus in Chicago. I believe the Nexus has a Sirf 3 chipset.
Got my d4 yesterday, GPS seemed to lock on quickly and work well for me -- just as good as my d1 if not better/faster.
GermanGuy said:
So I used my Droid 4 for the 1st time today for navigation. I had to go to Downtown Minneapolis and I use Google Navigation. A few times ,in Downtown, I lost the GPS signal and therefore took a wrong turn. How has navigation with Google Maps been working for everybody?
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
I haven't used mine in downtown Minneapolis, but I use it in south Minneapolis and the suburbs a lot with very few issues. Sometimes if I hit a fork in the road it'll read me on the wrong fork for the first stretch until the forks are separated enough to read the difference, that's the only hiccup I've had.
mattvirus said:
Got my d4 yesterday, GPS seemed to lock on quickly and work well for me -- just as good as my d1 if not better/faster.
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The GPS locks on quickly indeed, but navigation is definitely a weak point in my opinion. There seems to be a lag of about 2-3 seconds where the GPS icon on the map is trying to catch up to your true position when driving in the car (similar to the Touch Pro 2 I believe). Also, even when driving in suburban areas (no tall buildings), the GPS stutters where it needs to relock onto your position. Kinda sad since I absolutely love everything else about the phone. I have until Monday to decide whether to keep it. I really don't want to go back to the Nexus with its crappy radio. Has anybody tried out GPS navigation (not just simple GPS lock) on the leaked ICS ROM?
I always have raved on how great the GPS is on my S4. It will lock onto satellites with 10' accuracy in the house. It was always spot on and never gave me any issues. That was until the 4.3 update. (I am not positive this was the reason - but it is around that time).
I am a runner so I use my phone 3-4 days a week to track my run 3-10 miles each time out. Before it was always perfect. Now it will lock on and track for a various amount of time.. from a few minutes to 15 minutes - but it will eventually just stop working. If I turn on the phone to look, the GPS icon at the top is not there, and the app does not know it lost gps signal. I can touch the screen and then the gps icon reappears, blinks, reconnects and all is good. I turn off the screen and go about my run and it will work for some period of time and then off again.
It "seems" like to me some app is using the gps and then not playing friendly and turning it off for the other apps. I don't know if that is what is happening but it seems that way.
I get the same results no matter if I use Google Maps, Waze, Runkeeper, or GPS Test... so it is not application issue persay.
I restored to factory and installed only what I need to run (Runkeeper and Google Play music) and it worked without a hitch for the entire 6 mile run. Great! Fixed! So I re-installed my apps and now it is doing the same thing again. So that seems to indicate another app not playing nice like I mentioned above. So I uninstalled any apps that I thought might be an issue and it is still there. So I fear it might be one of the ATT bloatware apps that I cannot uninstall.
Before I undertake the very tedious task of restoring to factory, running 6 miles, installing 1 app, running 6 miles, repeat --- until I find the culprit - I was hoping someone might no a quicker solution?
Thanks!
Obeg said:
I always have raved on how great the GPS is on my S4. It will lock onto satellites with 10' accuracy in the house. It was always spot on and never gave me any issues. That was until the 4.3 update. (I am not positive this was the reason - but it is around that time).
I am a runner so I use my phone 3-4 days a week to track my run 3-10 miles each time out. Before it was always perfect. Now it will lock on and track for a various amount of time.. from a few minutes to 15 minutes - but it will eventually just stop working. If I turn on the phone to look, the GPS icon at the top is not there, and the app does not know it lost gps signal. I can touch the screen and then the gps icon reappears, blinks, reconnects and all is good. I turn off the screen and go about my run and it will work for some period of time and then off again.
It "seems" like to me some app is using the gps and then not playing friendly and turning it off for the other apps. I don't know if that is what is happening but it seems that way.
I get the same results no matter if I use Google Maps, Waze, Runkeeper, or GPS Test... so it is not application issue persay.
I restored to factory and installed only what I need to run (Runkeeper and Google Play music) and it worked without a hitch for the entire 6 mile run. Great! Fixed! So I re-installed my apps and now it is doing the same thing again. So that seems to indicate another app not playing nice like I mentioned above. So I uninstalled any apps that I thought might be an issue and it is still there. So I fear it might be one of the ATT bloatware apps that I cannot uninstall.
Before I undertake the very tedious task of restoring to factory, running 6 miles, installing 1 app, running 6 miles, repeat --- until I find the culprit - I was hoping someone might no a quicker solution?
Thanks!
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Click to collapse
Are you sure it's not staying connected but not displaying the icon? Ie, if the app hasn't realised the connection has dropped, maybe that's because the connection hasn't dropped, just the icon has? In tech terms, to solve a problem you must first find it by isolating the cause, which would be the tedious task you're referring to.
Even then, it is possible it's a hardware or firmware issue, so a factory reset still might not fix it. Have you tried an app like this? It ill set your NTP Server without searching for it so that it connects quicker, maybe (I'm not sure) it will be able to keep it connected to that server.
Do you have CWM? You could flash a different ROM.
I can confirm this problem. It is intermittent. GPS loses the location fix. I had a similar problem with certain Motorola Attic ROMs that had something to do with a conflict with the "Use Wireless Networks" setting. I'm those ROMs, I could turn that setting off, and GPS would work fine. That workaround doesn't work for this ROM. I only mention it to help rule some things out. I thought that it worked fine right after I updated, but I may not have used the GPS much our maybe I just didn't notice. Yesterday, it was barely usable. I remember that epinter, in the Atrix 4g forums, had a tool that reset some GPS settings. I'm see if I can find it and test it. I will report back.
Update: Today, GPS works perfectly fine. Seems to be intermittent.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
Still having the issue. Reset my phone to factory again this time taking the extra step to format the SD card to just in case. By the way - I am running stock AT&T 4.3. This time when I reset I did not connect to the WiFi so it would not automatically install / update any apps.
I then added only 2 apps - Runkeeper and Play Music and went for a run. The GPS tracked perfectly for a 5 mile run.
I then installed GPS test and let it run for an hour or so. It never lost connection.
So I updated GMAIL. Repeat GPS Test.
Updated Hangouts. Repeat GPS Test.
And so on.. finally after about the 10th app it failed. The last app I had installed was Facebook.
So uninstalled. Failed again. Uninstalled the previous app to that which I think was My Fitness Pal.
It seemed better - it would go hours before failing... and then only seemed to fail when a phone call came in. So thought I could live with that.
So went to the gym and to test it I used Google Maps to navigate. Terrible! Would not work for more than a mile. I finally gave up.
When I say it is not working - I mean the GPS says it is on. The GPS Test app says the GPS is on. But the icon at top goes away and Google Maps says "GPS Signal Lost." In my Run Keeper app - same thing - icon goes away and no more mileage is recorded. If I turn on the phone, open Runkeeper - it then restarts the GPS and all is good for another few feet or maybe a mile and then it does it again.
I tried turning off the Use Wifi for GPS option and that has not helped. Thanks for the suggestion though - you gave me hope.
I have have been a software developer for 20 years and this just smells like buggy code somewhere and not a hardware issue. Either something to do with the new OS update from ATT (but why is no one else complaining) or some combination of apps I use. Runkeeper. My Pebble. Something. But it is driving me nuts. The GPS really is the main app I use on this phone... so it is making for a really expensive mistake at this point and I hate to admit that since I love Samsung and Android.
I should have updated my status again. The problem is intermittent, but it happens often. Like you, I am fairly certain that the ML2 update brought bugs with it. My GPS always worked perfectly before that. Now, even when it does work, it doesn't work well. The fix is jumpy and slow to update. My guess is that others also have the problem, and they don't use their GPS often enough to notice or care. I bet that Samsung is aware of it, but so many people had problems installing the last update that they will not be so quick to provide an update that doesn't affect many people. I guess a better way to put it is that Samsung probably doesn't want to take a chance that a small update might break more than it fixes.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
I also have same GPS issue since 4.3 , same issues note 3 is having actually if I plug my active in while GPS is on it will stop working and when switching data network types it will lose GPS signal
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Convinced it is the 4.3 ATT Active update now after repeated and very controlled resetting and testing.
Frustrating and makes my phone fairly useless to me for my main purposes. Today during a 7 mile run - it lost connection at least a half a dozen times. I have to run with the phone in my hand and restart the gps constantly.
Some people said they had success using Odin to flash the MF1 modem bin file. The thread discusses it here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2691264
However, this did not fix my issues with GPS unfortunately, but thought maybe I'd post it in case it helps someone else.
So it appears that it is, as suggested, the radio that causes this issue.
A "workaround" for using the GPS is to put the phone into airplane mode (turning off the Radio and WiFi) fixes the GPS 100% in my testing.
However this is not a real fix for real use of the GPS to navigate since you have no access to data.
It appears these are the circumstances that cause my GPS to drop:
- Cell radio changes towers (which happens a lot in my remote area)
- WiFi changes antennas
- Phone is plugged in or unplugged
- A phone call is received.
So yeah - as long as your don't use your phone as a telephone - you are grand!
The new HTC One is looking mighty nice to me right now. First non Samsung component (phone, laptop, TV, etc) that I have considered in years...
Obeg said:
So it appears that it is, as suggested, the radio that causes this issue.
A "workaround" for using the GPS is to put the phone into airplane mode (turning off the Radio and WiFi) fixes the GPS 100% in my testing.
However this is not a real fix for real use of the GPS to navigate since you have no access to data.
It appears these are the circumstances that cause my GPS to drop:
- Cell radio changes towers (which happens a lot in my remote area)
- WiFi changes antennas
- Phone is plugged in or unplugged
- A phone call is received.
So yeah - as long as your don't use your phone as a telephone - you are grand!
The new HTC One is looking mighty nice to me right now. First non Samsung component (phone, laptop, TV, etc) that I have considered in years...
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Click to collapse
It's weird that even in airplane mode my Active won't get a gps signal. Used a few apps to test as well: GPS Status, FasterGPS, GPS test, and all say no satellites in site.
I was getting GPS issues for quite some time, until I tightened the screws at the back of my case. It was supposed to be a fix for the S3 but it worked fine on my S4 as well.
Hope this helps
trenzterra said:
I was getting GPS issues for quite some time, until I tightened the screws at the back of my case. It was supposed to be a fix for the S3 but it worked fine on my S4 as well.
Hope this helps
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On your S4 Active? I'll try. Thanks!
TransformixS4 said:
On your S4 Active? I'll try. Thanks!
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Click to collapse
Mine was a normal S4 but I guess it might be the same on the S4 Active as well
trenzterra said:
Mine was a normal S4 but I guess it might be the same on the S4 Active as well
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Click to collapse
I've tried tightening up the screws a bit, which they did, but still no GPS for me. Going to do a backup and another full wipe and restore.
AT&T fixed my phone
I too had the GPS signal lost issue after the 4.3 update on my S4 active on AT&T. I called AT&T yesterday and they advised me they were aware of the issue. Their instruction was to take my phone to Best Buy where they have a "Samsung Solutions / Experience" dept / kiosk. So I did. They flashed my phone to 4.4.2. I am happy to report that all GPS problems are resolved. I drove for over an hour using Google Maps this AM with no problem at all.
GPS is a big deal for me too. I drive in a lot of unfamiliar towns. I'm also a sportsman and spend a lot of time in unfamiliar woods. I rely on my phone to allow me to retrace my steps back if need be. I also use it to set waypoints and mark areas for possible future hunts. The woods look a lot different at night then during the day. So I rely on the phone to help navigate off the beaten trail and get to my tree stand. GPS failures are not an option. Pure and simple. I can get out of the woods with a compass - but I may not find my tree stand in the dark without my phone.
I don't know about rooting this ROM, etc as I don't have need to root my phones. But it did fix the GPS issue and the phone seems a little faster with battery battery life too. YMMV.
Thanks for your post! Did you l lose any data with the update to 4.4.2?
I have the same exact problem with my S4 active, definitely a software issue. For a while I used the airplane mode work-around which was great, until a recent update to Google Maps causes maps to crash when airplane mode is on, so now I'm back to having no navigation. I'm frustrated that AT&T has dragged their feet on getting an update out to the public. They must have zero QA to let a bug this obvious get into the public. I wonder when they'll push 4.4.2 out as a regular update?
AtrixInFL said:
Thanks for your post! Did you l lose any data with the update to 4.4.2?
I have the same exact problem with my S4 active, definitely a software issue. For a while I used the airplane mode work-around which was great, until a recent update to Google Maps causes maps to crash when airplane mode is on, so now I'm back to having no navigation. I'm frustrated that AT&T has dragged their feet on getting an update out to the public. They must have zero QA to let a bug this obvious get into the public. I wonder when they'll push 4.4.2 out as a regular update?
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Click to collapse
No I did not lose any data or apps. I have no complaints. Phone is working great. I'll never accept another update OTA though - I don't care if I have to root to avoid them.
I got the 4.4.2 over the air update, and it fixed my GPS problems. No new problems.