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im considering buying this phone,but i hear there's problems with the GPS. my current phone has a great GPS receiver and i use it a lot for day to day navigation.How much will i be disappointed if i were to expect the same from the galaxy s?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/search.php?searchid=42858169
Here in holland I have no problems with the GPS reception...
Personally, I found that straight out of the box the gps was dreadful, but an hour later after I did the simple gps fix, it navigated me on a hundred and fifty mile round trip with no problems at all.
The fix is simple and easy and takes literally no skill. When you take your sgs out of the box, see if the gps works for you, then try the fix. If there is still no joy then take it back and say the navigation is busted and you want a different handset.
I'd certainly say its worth trying at least. Chances are can get it working and everything else that you like about droid is better on the galaxy .
It's worth remembering that the gps is not battery friendly and you'll need a potent (2A output)car charger to keep you running on the move.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Basically, in summary:
1) In late firmware, the lock is quite quick, especially compared to car GPS units. Maybe not as fast as some other phones, but fast enough. Certainly faster than my Garmin Forerunner
2) The accuracy boundaries on this phone are wrong sometimes (at least in XXJM5), but this may be a bug in that specific pre-release.
3) With JM5, the unit seems to only lock onto 8 satellites max, but, some people are saying apparently newer firmware's are locking onto more
4) People are complaining of issues getting locks when moving with the unit. However, I've experienced this on ALL GPS units I've owned. AGPS should help with this though (but I've never tested initial lock whilst moving except in a firmware where GPS was 100% broken for me).
5) In some cases, the GPS goes skitzo, this might be fixed in later firmwares
6) Finally, sometimes the track is a bit off to the side, and doesn't handle cornering well.. This is likely related to (2). But this makes it useless for fitness at the moment
Anyway, the GPS is usable, but there are serious accuracy problems with it still. Samsung has said that they are working on optimising GPS for a September update. My best advice is wait until then, because if it isn't fixed in September, the possibility that it is due to poor hardware design seems to grow significantly..
thank you for your valuable input,this forum really is the best on the internet.I'm gunna be buying it next month anyway,so lets see if the update fixes the GPS or not.To be honest,theres no other phone that can match it,so theres no alternative to this phone even if the GPS IS dodgy
The GPS sucks so hard that I'd rather use a regular map for navigation.
My Galaxy S has no gps problems. The first time i went out from house to check GPS accuracy I got GPS signal after 3 seconds. It's stable in 100% cases.
Acquiring signal is not the issue. I don't understand why people keep comparing signal to accuracy. it's not the same thing.
Exactly, there are people in other topics that are just inflating the whole issue, their claims are way exaggerated, and the original issues has already been fixed on newer firmwares, yet they refuse to accept it.
AllGamer said:
Exactly, there are people in other topics that are just inflating the whole issue, their claims are way exaggerated, and the original issues has already been fixed on newer firmwares, yet they refuse to accept it.
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Go for a 20min jog then and show a track of your perfect GPS. I have a lower standard than many of them, but all tracks I saw lost lock excessively at some point or another..
I haven't tried it myself, but can on tuesday.
damn,so many different opinions on this issue.also not being able to track my runs is a BIG minus but still not a deal breaker.day-to-day city navigation is a must though.
It's just as simple as that - you don't check gps functionality just by its fix time. you put it in your car, and start driving - if it's accurate (highly unlikely), gewd. if not - go back here and whine.
kingofkings2603 said:
damn,so many different opinions on this issue.also not being able to track my runs is a BIG minus but still not a deal breaker.day-to-day city navigation is a must though.
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The big problem is that many of them seem to be testing quickly from their chair.. There is overwhelming evidence that the GPS doesn't work accurately, but barely any showing it does.. In fact, in one case, I saw someone claim the unit was working perfectly, but the track they showed was on a straight highway, and was fluctuating excessively between both sides of the highway. And the most vocal of those who claims it works perfectly don't seem to be posting logs..
There is also some confusion between whether it is "fitness grade" or "car grade". Car navigation GPS can snap to tracks, and has more room for accuracy errors, because it can assume you always exist on the closest road, and if you use directions, it can assume you took the correct turns when it told you to do so (and correct itself a bit later). That's what most car units seem to do, and it helps compensate for most inaccuracies. It can lead to a bit of pain though if you make lots of turns, some of which aren't correct. Some people are possibly happy because they have used dedicated car units before which suck (some navman's take at least 5 mins to get a basic lock, negating any benefits of having them), but, since some phones offer better directions apparently, people are complaining it should be better.
Fitness grade requires MUCH higher resolution to be usable, because the distance is shorter (generally), and if your GPS veers off course, it gives you a false indication of jogging distance. Garmin forerunners feel generally like they are within 1 or 2 meters a of the time (but occasionally veers off 3), but from what I've observed standing still, the flaws may be less visible when moving, but simply appear as slightly off course.
Then there are those people who stare at the SNR/locked satelites for hours at end without checking whether the long/lat is actually correct, or the accuracy boundary (they see 5m accuracy, but don't actually check if it is accurate within 5 meters). I was one of these, until I realised that the accuracy boundary was wrong..
Part of the issue also comes down to firmware though. People are using pre-release/leaked firmware (which might not even be complete) and are judging the GPS quality based on that. No comment needed except, don't assume that Samsung aren't working on fixes because there is no fix in pre-release firmware.
I haven't properly tested either though personally because I use a forerunner for jogging (waterproof), and since I fly, I prefer to use maps to understand locations better. I did notice though that leaving my phone on my desk for a long period of time sometimes allowed the signal accuracy boundary to not include me (ie, allow a position of 20m away from me, but show 5m accuracy) intermittently. And this might explain the fluctuations in position many others have gotten..
Either way, it is debatable. The biggest issue is that the assumption so far is that everyone got exactly the same hardware, and exactly the same revisions. But the other problem, is that GPS quality is open to opinion, because in some areas, roads are so far spread out that even inaccurate GPS works fine for driving. It really depends on your needs. But the facts are, the accuracy of the GPS isn't worth debating anyway currently, because Samsung have already told us they are "optimising" the GPS in Sept, which may make this unit as good as a garmin forerunner anyway. All any of us can tell you as that we'll know the TRUE potential of the unit after the september patch.
But for me anyway, I think the GPS is fine (I don't need perfect accuracy, even if I needed this as a fallback in a plane)
The GPS is bad to the point of being unusable for car navigation or fitness tracking. Yes you may get a lock in GGps test but when moving the reported location is all ov
er the place.
andrewluecke said:
Then there are those people who stare at the SNR/locked satelites for hours at end without checking whether the long/lat is actually correct, or the accuracy boundary (they see 5m accuracy, but don't actually check if it is accurate within 5 meters). I was one of these, until I realised that the accuracy boundary was wrong..
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Case in point to illustrate what andrewluecke is trying to explain here about the accuracy not being exactly...well, accurate. Take a look at the attached screenshot. My GPS had a great fix with accuracy of 5m (the best it's able to report), stable for a few minutes, everything was working perfectly. Or so it seems. Except for the slight problem that I was actually standing where the red dot is... There's no scale on the screenshot, but it's a good 30-40 meters off. And that's quite common for me.
Case_ said:
Case in point to illustrate what andrewluecke is trying to explain here about the accuracy not being exactly...well, accurate. Take a look at the attached screenshot. My GPS had a great fix with accuracy of 5m (the best it's able to report), stable for a few minutes, everything was working perfectly. Or so it seems. Except for the slight problem that I was actually standing where the red dot is... There's no scale on the screenshot, but it's a good 30-40 meters off. And that's quite common for me.
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Exactly Case_. The point of the accuracy measurement is to say "you are somewhere within this range". But, with the Galaxy S, it isn't, and that shouldn't happen, at least not as often as it does (except maybe at the beginning whilst obtaining a lock"). Professional systems have something known as RAIM and FDE which detect when the accuracy may be incorrect due to external factors (such as shonky satelite, or serious atmospheric interference). But this happens a LOT, and I would have thought it affects GPS units equally (unless the Garmin forerunners in fact DO ship with fault detection, which could explain it, in which case, Samsung should implement fault detection and exclusion too, to make it usable).
Anyway.. What I am trying to say is summed up easiest with Case's post.
Fatherboard said:
Acquiring signal is not the issue. I don't understand why people keep comparing signal to accuracy. it's not the same thing.
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It most certainly is an issue. It takes a minute or longer to acquire a lock in some cases despite stationary and clear line of sight.
The people who stomp their feet with "The GPS is fine" are no different than the iPhone4 users who claim there is no attenuation in their phones.
In my case with the DDJG4 update, I see some minor issues.
Once in a while when I am at home (indoors with no visible satelites) my location shifts from bangalore to toronto. All my stuff changes to that. It looks like AGPS is not turned on or buggy becuase 80% of the times it works well. Does anybody else face the same problem ?
So when my phone takes me to toronto, i restart the phone and everythng is back to normal
SOmetimes, the location service fails to find where I am and shows Toronto in Google website. Is there anyway to avoid this.
It's just like what most people say, you can get a fix, and GPS seems fine. Try to use it, and it's a whole different story.
Somebody on the forum posted a link of a run, where the SGS GPS went everywere but on the straight line, it even made a hilarious loop. Too bad i can't find it.
People need to stop saying "Firmware updates fixed it already" as that's just not true.
Hah, there it is, posted by sjdean.
Desire, and SGS GPS.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...52.48542,-1.742063&spn=0.014138,0.045319&z=15
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...=52.48082,-1.761761&spn=0.01414,0.045319&z=15
I have had continuous issues with the Droid 3. One of my biggest issues is that the GPS seems completely unstable. I have tried turning on/off GPS options, etc...
Weather I try to use Google Maps or another application such as Endomondo, it cant maintain a lock. It seems to be able to locate me within 12 - 30 feet and then within a mile!!!
Using an application like Endomondo (running, cycling, etc), is completely useless. It can't track my location at all and when it does lock on, it only holds for a few seconds and then gone again.
I took the phone in to Verizon with a complaint about the GPs and screen issues (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1239980) and the rep said both were normal for this phone...
Has anyone figured out a way to resolve this problem?
I, too, have the same issue with GPS. I use SportyPal Pro, and cannot use my Droid 3 when running/walking. I can go for a 5 mile run, and SportyPal will show I had ran 6 miles. I can run north to south in a straight line, and when finished, SportyPal will show that I went east and west as much as 400-500 feet off of that straight line and because of that can add anywhere from .1 miles to .5 miles to that 1 mile run.
It is so unreliable that I will use my older decommisioned Droid2 to run with. It works perfectly with the same software.
If anybody has any suggestions, I'm all ears.
bishop0114 said:
I have had continuous issues with the Droid 3. One of my biggest issues is that the GPS seems completely unstable. I have tried turning on/off GPS options, etc...
Weather I try to use Google Maps or another application such as Endomondo, it cant maintain a lock. It seems to be able to locate me within 12 - 30 feet and then within a mile!!!
Using an application like Endomondo (running, cycling, etc), is completely useless. It can't track my location at all and when it does lock on, it only holds for a few seconds and then gone again.
I took the phone in to Verizon with a complaint about the GPs and screen issues (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1239980) and the rep said both were normal for this phone...
Has anyone figured out a way to resolve this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly, I have the same issues.
Well with only 3 people chiming in, maybe it is bad hardware?
bishop0114 said:
Well with only 3 people chiming in, maybe it is bad hardware?
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Click to collapse
God, I hope not. I have enough problems with this phone as it is.
No problems with GPS for me
Sent from my DROID3 using xda premium
kshen1 said:
No problems with GPS for me
Sent from my DROID3 using xda premium
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Are you using it for navigation only? Or a similar application for running/walking?
The reason I ask is because I do not notice a problem during navigation. It works great for that without any problems. Until I get to downtown Chicago. I almost expect problems there. Even with my Droid2.
i've only had issues with my gps in areas with lte. when im at college im in a city with lte support and my gps doesn't work (my friend who has an X also has issues with his gps when in areas with lte). when im home where there isnt lte support my gps works fine.
No it's not hardware mine works flawlessly and almost instantly fixes position, tho i have modded the gps.conf found in the etc folder. Details for tweaking this for your region can be found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13537801&postcount=1
Many thanx to 75markus for this.
Since we don't have a recovery yet to flash a zip you will need to edit the gps.conf file manually.
Oceanic region can be found in my sig below apart of my camera mod.
-smc
The problem I was having with the GPS from Day 1 is that I would occasionally notice that it would not start up at all when openning a GPS-dependant app (such as Maps or Weatherbug, etc). Whenever that happened, I would have to restart the phone, and then the GPS would be able to initialize again... at least, for a while.
Eventually, I was digging around in the setting and found the "VZW location services" option under "Location & security settings". I unchecked that option and, ever since, I've had no problem with the GPS. It seems that th VZW-based location services were causing the problem. Of course, since then, I've rooted and frozen all of the VZW bloat, so I might be able to turn that option back on with no ill effect. Still, it was as simple enough fix.
My issue might not sound exactly the same as yours, but you could give this a try and see if it helps.
-SR-
I'm not having any GPS issues on my phone. Perhaps it's based on the area your in?
I know it's satellite but.. just a guess.
WarER4X said:
The problem I was having with the GPS from Day 1 is that I would occasionally notice that it would not start up at all when openning a GPS-dependant app (such as Maps or Weatherbug, etc). Whenever that happened, I would have to restart the phone, and then the GPS would be able to initialize again... at least, for a while.
Eventually, I was digging around in the setting and found the "VZW location services" option under "Location & security settings". I unchecked that option and, ever since, I've had no problem with the GPS. It seems that th VZW-based location services were causing the problem. Of course, since then, I've rooted and frozen all of the VZW bloat, so I might be able to turn that option back on with no ill effect. Still, it was as simple enough fix.
My issue might not sound exactly the same as yours, but you could give this a try and see if it helps.
-SR-
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I have been experiencing the exact same problem and temporary solution (restarting) since day 1, on both my first and second droid 3's. Difference is, I've had VZW location services unchecked since around the time I first got the phones, and I am still experiencing the problem... even as recently as last night. I just double-checked the setting, and indeed, VZW location services is stil unchecked.
Once I have lock I usually have no problem continuously using GPS. Last night, I tracked a two and a half hour walk using the My Tracks app, including a 45 minute stop for dinner indoors. For the first 10 minutes, it couldnt find a signal, so I restarted. It got a lock almost instantly following the restart and never lost it after that. I had the app running for the whole excursion. As expected, it got a little confused while I was inside, but automatically picked the signal right back up when I got back outside and tracked my entire walk back home.
a_lazy_dude said:
I have been experiencing the exact same problem and temporary solution (restarting) since day 1, on both my first and second droid 3's. Difference is, I've had VZW location services unchecked since around the time I first got the phones, and I am still experiencing the problem... even as recently as last night. I just double-checked the setting, and indeed, VZW location services is stil unchecked.
Once I have lock I usually have no problem continuously using GPS. Last night, I tracked a two and a half hour walk using the My Tracks app, including a 45 minute stop for dinner indoors. For the first 10 minutes, it couldnt find a signal, so I restarted. It got a lock almost instantly following the restart and never lost it after that. I had the app running for the whole excursion. As expected, it got a little confused while I was inside, but automatically picked the signal right back up when I got back outside and tracked my entire walk back home.
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When you look at your walk on the map, is it true to where you actually walked? If I do that same walk on my phone, it will show me deviating off course as much as a 1/2 block and then back. I can tolerate that deviation once and maybe twice during my runs/walks. However, mine does it the majority of the time, adding bogus mileage to my walks/runs. In an hour's time, it will deviate approximately 20-30 times.
eallison978 said:
When you look at your walk on the map, is it true to where you actually walked? If I do that same walk on my phone, it will show me deviating off course as much as a 1/2 block and then back. I can tolerate that deviation once and maybe twice during my runs/walks. However, mine does it the majority of the time, adding bogus mileage to my walks/runs. In an hour's time, it will deviate approximately 20-30 times.
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Just took a closer look at the track it recorded. I definitely do see these kinds of deviations, but they seem to only be in areas where I think it'd be reasonable to expect them. I live in a suburb, so I don't have any tall building to mess with the GPS reception, instead, I have somewhat steep hillsides. It seems I get a fair amount of deviation in the (significantly) hilly areas (it looks like I was walking down people's driveways, then across their front yards, when in reality I was just walking more or less straight down the sidewalk), but in the flat areas the line has almost no significant deviations, just some minor noise. Next time, at the risk of my fiance calling me a geek, I'll take my Droid 1 along for the trip, and see how the two records compare.
a_lazy_dude said:
Just took a closer look at the track it recorded. I definitely do see these kinds of deviations, but they seem to only be in areas where I think it'd be reasonable to expect them. I live in a suburb, so I don't have any tall building to mess with the GPS reception, instead, I have somewhat steep hillsides. It seems I get a fair amount of deviation in the (significantly) hilly areas (it looks like I was walking down people's driveways, then across their front yards, when in reality I was just walking more or less straight down the sidewalk), but in the flat areas the line has almost no significant deviations, just some minor noise. Next time, at the risk of my fiance calling me a geek, I'll take my Droid 1 along for the trip, and see how the two records compare.
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I've attached screenshots from two runs. D2 is this morning's run with my Droid 2. It's flawless. D3 is the last run I did with my Droid 3. Looking at it you can understand my disgust with it. Ignore the big missing section from both shots. I wouldn't want anyone knowing the exact location of where I live. Someone might come steal my Droid 3.
eallison978 said:
I've attached screenshots from two runs. D2 is this morning's run with my Droid 2. It's flawless. D3 is the last run I did with my Droid 3. Looking at it you can understand my disgust with it. Ignore the big missing section from both shots. I wouldn't want anyone knowing the exact location of where I live. Someone might come steal my Droid 3.
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WOW... That is awful but a great example of the concern with this phone. You are actually doing much better than me. Mine is only able to triangulate down to about 20 feet and then it bounces between 20 and 300 feet!!!
I am going to call VZW today and see about a replacement phone but I doubt it will resolve the problem.
I just called VZW and once again, they said the accuracy was normal... They said none of their phones can lock on with the accuracy I described and if it has, I have been lucky. He said their phones are only accurate within 500 feet!
I explained to him that with that accuracy, it would be totally useless to use as a navigation device...
He looked through their documentation and said he has no record of other people having issues with the GPS... He also said he has no record of the blue tint when taking pictures.....
Oh well. I hope the replacement fixes it...
bishop0114 said:
WOW... That is awful but a great example of the concern with this phone. You are actually doing much better than me. Mine is only able to triangulate down to about 20 feet and then it bounces between 20 and 300 feet!!!
I am going to call VZW today and see about a replacement phone but I doubt it will resolve the problem.
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Click to collapse
With that kind of change in accuracy, it seems like it isn't using the GPS as all, but just the cell towers. Is the GPS logo showing in the notification bar when that is happening? If it's there, is it blinking or solid?
-SR-
bishop0114 said:
I just called VZW and once again, they said the accuracy was normal... They said none of their phones can lock on with the accuracy I described and if it has, I have been lucky. He said their phones are only accurate within 500 feet!
I explained to him that with that accuracy, it would be totally useless to use as a navigation device...
He looked through their documentation and said he has no record of other people having issues with the GPS... He also said he has no record of the blue tint when taking pictures.....
Oh well. I hope the replacement fixes it...
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Click to collapse
My humble opinion of VZW representatives...they're all full of BS. They're going to tell you what they need to tell you to get your out of the store or off of the phone if you're not buying anything. A representative's main concern is sales. Sell him another phone, renew his contract, add a line, add a feature.
This issue may be better addressed to Motorola directly. I may make that phone call today.
I just got off the phone with Motorola tech support. Same story as VZW gives. There are NO known issues with the Droid 3. I asked about the GPS, the bluish pics the cam takes and battery life. The only thing the tech would say is the phone "needs to be evaluated"
Hi, I purchased S3 mini around december 2012, one of the main reasons why I bought it was the gps/glonass-feature, since I figured it would provide me with more accurate tracking while running. Previously I had used a Samsung Galaxy Gio phone for running, and with rooting and a gpsfix (changed the server) it provided accurate gps in long half-marathon runs and so forth. The issue with that phone was that the battery life was terrible.
Now, the S3 mini is brilliant in battery consumption, but the gps accuracy has been horrid. It locks a satellite within seconds, several satellites are in use immediately. So, nothing to complain there. However, it is almost one street off, throughout my run. It tracks usually 1-2 kilometers less distance than the Gio, which manages to stay on the road I'm running on perfectly. If I'm to believe the S3 mini, I frequently run in water and through people's backyards...
Now, I have attempted the usual tricks, cleared agps, updated it before runs, calibrated the compass with GPS status indoors and outdoors. But nothing seems to work. Many times the gps will track perfectly when I'm headed, let's say northwards for several kilometers, but then when I turn to go west-east or southwards (for example) the gps accuracy goes off. I'm hoping this is an issue that could be easily fixed, since it's a shame that such a fabulous phone like the s3 mini fails to be a good running partner.
My S3 mini is not rooted, most of the gps fixes only fix satellite locking. My issue is inaccuracy, and yes, many people think it's normal, but having had perfect tracking with an entry-level smart phone like Samsung Galaxy Gio, I fail to understand why my S3 Mini does not excel in this area.
What else should/could I try? or just use my gio while running and hope it doesn't run out of battery in 1,5 hours.
I have also noticed the inaccurate gps of the s3 mini. After some positional testing I have decided that the gps is just not V good on this phone including being mounted on shoulder.
I also have an issue where gps locks up and freezes when the phone sleeps. I have yet to overcome this. I'm hoping it's a kernel issue brought about by flashing.
After years of smartphone soul searching, I now use a Garmin 405cx for sports, etrex10 for work and hiking, and a tomtom for sat navigation. I only now rely on the shoddy gps for View ranger Os mapping on the phone. Based on its performance I've started purchasing paper maps and now use those to navigate while walking and hiking.
This makes me very sad. I love android and like the s3mini. However yesterday I contemplated throwing it across lane 3 of the M20.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk 2
Hi, I have a same problem with my new Samsung Galaxy S3 mini and Sports Tracker. And many other reporting this problem. Sports Tracker works fine with my ZTE Blade. The first I thought that the fault is in bad GPS module in my phone. But the GPS work fine with Navi software. I realized that in Navi software the phone screen is always on and with Sport Tracker go in stanby. And when the screen go in standby the gps stop working. And when the signal is repeatedly interrupted then for a long time does not want to connect. Solution is that you in Sport Tracker settigs set Screen backlight to Always on. Now the problem is that the random clicking Stop suspended yor current workout. I do not know if fault is with Jelly Bean ROM or with Samsung Galaxy phones. Later I again tested navi app IGO Primo and if I turned off the screen GPS also go on off.
Phone screen always ON is also not an ideal solution. Because the signal is still losing, but every once for a second.
I tried various apps: GPS Status (settings: Background behavior/The app will keep the GPS running even the device screen is turned off.
But it does not work).Tracker Booster, Keep My GPS Alive, but without success
Is there any solution for this?
I've got the same problem while using GPS in a running application (like runkeeper, runtastic or endomondo).
I know this is an old thread, but I want to ask if anyone has found a solution for this problem.
I would be very thankful!
I have the exact same problem. After two months of GPS hell with my SII I got a new SIII mini. Initial GPS lock and detection goes really quick (22 satellites). If I do a quick turn in running it seems that it tracks a bit of until the end. It may be 100 meter or 200 meter on a 10 kilometer (and people indeed say it's normal, but with my SII it was perfect)
Could it be processor related? I run with a bluetooth heart rate sensor, google music, running app, etc. I tend to believe if I switch of 3G that it goes better.
Any other suggestions on this?
I have basically come to the conclusion that the GPS on this phone is ****, primarily due to the OS sleeping it. Which is a battery saving strategy. We do have very good battery life on these devices.
The GPS doesn't have any issues if an app is using it, like (Viewranger recording a track). This prevents the OS sleeping it. However accuracy of the GPS on SGS3M is poor. But really if you after doing serious tasks that require even a hint of accuracy then purchasing a dedicated device is the way forward. If you run try the Garmin range of fitness devices. If it's work try a hiking GPS I use a etrex 20 for assisting in surveying trees. Recording my movements across a site and the locations of any trees with works associated.
I think the phone manufacturer decided that the accuracy issue was not a concern as many navigation apps would snap the users location to roads and such.
Don't hold out for any solution. I can say the only thing to ensure is the latest firmware. I have the latest which isn't available on the "BTU" location code. However the German firmware works fine with my UK device. Check the Dev thread for latest stock rom, (pretty rooted).
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
gaze eademno
ninjalandpirate said:
I have basically come to the conclusion that the GPS on this phone is ****, primarily due to the OS sleeping it. Which is a battery saving strategy. We do have very good battery life on these devices.
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Click to collapse
I don't know what to think from it. If I track a car drive with it (using Endomondo), it uses a perfect track to road tracking.
Also initial running tracking using Endomondo is fine. It seems that a sudden change in direction (eg a sudden change from south to nord) let's down the accuracy. It's strange because the device has a very good satelite detection and fast lock.
NicolasBE said:
I don't know what to think from it. If I track a car drive with it (using Endomondo), it uses a perfect track to road tracking.
Also initial running tracking using Endomondo is fine. It seems that a sudden change in direction (eg a sudden change from south to nord) let's down the accuracy. It's strange because the device has a very good satelite detection and fast lock.
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Click to collapse
This morning I had a spectacular improvement.
What has changed:
I installed the latest 4.1.2 official build from sammobile.com
I ran without 3G location services. (pure on GPS)
I also switched the device from being upside down on my left arm, to being straight on my right arm.
Possible something that has nothing to do with it: my work e-mail policy was not yet enabled on the device.
I also ran a slightly other route (but there was still a sharp turn halfway involved), and the signal corrected itself perfectly.
My bluetooth heart rate was enabled, 3G was enabled and google play music was enabled.
So the thing I'm eager to try is: enabling location services again, and doing the route that caused trouble again.
But to be honest ... I think it's the new 4.1.2 build that solved it.
My gf's phone has XXAMG1 build and it has exactly this same issue. GPS shuts down a couple of minutes from start.
Recently I found out that my GPS becomes inaccurate when I enter into the forest. I use it mostly for navigation while mountain biking. The position defers after 10 to 20 minutes for 200 to 400 metres. The position error direction is almost every time in the direction of departure point that means that GPS position stays behind me. When I check GPS reception with GPS test, there are always 5 to 12 satellites in use with estimated error up to 5 metres. The interest thing is that if I switch GPS off and then again ON, the new first fix is very accurate. After that, if I continue cycling, the position becomes inaccurate again. I have tried different programs (sports tracker, view ranger, orux maps, Google maps) with same results.
Any suggestions very welcome.
Same issue here (example included)
Same issue here. S3 Mini and Endomondo. Tracks start to differ after a certain amount of time (refer to attached JPG)
Chatted with Samsung about this issue and they told me that this is caused by the fact that all Galaxy phones have AGPS, where an internet connection is neccessary for the GPS to work. But I am not sure that this is the problem...
Samsung told me that I am the only person indicating this is a problem so it's probably my phone. Perhaps good to file an official support request at Samsung?
My few thoughts on this...
On stock rom everything was working well. except for the rom itself.
On maclaw cm 10.1. gps worked well until after an hour or so of use for tracking. then gps decided that I'm cca 100 meters away from spot where I was standing. it just translated my position and stayed translated the whole time until I turned gps on/off.
On Stock i8190XXAMJ3 gps was amazing, it was locking onto satelittes even inside the house, but it had the same issue like cm10.1 rom.
Now I'm on S5style_i8190XXANA2_v1 and for now gps look good, didn't have any issue, hope it will stay like this.
just to say, I've played with gps.conf, with various apps like gps status, gps test, resetting agps data, trying different apps for tracking and nothing worked. after a while, gps simply translates my position and stays like that.
to reply to myself...
for some reason every stock rom I flashed with cwm apparently didn't flash baseband with it (or something went wrong), so phone was showing original baseband version. then I flashed baseband ANA2 separately and now gps shows no problems stated in previous post.
I've had the same problem on my S3 mini. I'd tried a few apps to track my sport activities before I've found working one - Navime Sport Tracker. Since then I've been using it and faced no problems with GPS and tracking. Unfortunately app only works in Poland. So you may ask why I'm writing about this. I do so because I reckon that problem sometimes lies in a tracking app itself. E.g. in the same place where Navime was detecting 7-13 satellites Endomondo (with identical GPS settings) managed to find 1 or 2. That's how I solved my problem. And one more thing - I use stock-Samsung Android 4.1.2 (newest).
My usual GPS config:
- GPS is ON (obviously)
- using wireless network to fix GPS is OFF (option on the top)
- GPS data available for Google services is ON (option on the bottom)
- data connection is ON
Proof:
navime.pl/trasa/348283/Katowice-Pszczyna+17.04.2014
Hi pcm266
I know this is a reply to a post a year old, but this is the closest description of the problem I continue to experience. Perhaps you and others are still looking for a solution.
This is NOT simply a matter of poor connections due to loose screws. I tried a month ago tightening screws, checked every setting but the problem persists. Loosened then tightened screws again yesterday. Today I ran with both my S3mini and my old Samsung GIO. The GIO recorded perfectly!
Your sentence "Many times the gps will track perfectly when I'm headed, let's say northwards for several kilometers, but then when I turn to go west-east or southwards (for example) the gps accuracy goes off. " is pretty well what I see happening.
What is puzzling is that S3mini worked perfectly in a race on 29 March. ??? Have not been able to repeat that.
Tightening screws is certainly not helping me. I am sure that this is a software error. There is a consistency in the type of error that is not is the type of error I would expect from intermittent connections.
Another strange thing is that the S3mini tracking is pretty good when travelling in a car. It is when I ran - which is of course much slower than a car - that the tracking is worse. Something to do with collecting too much data and doing some sort of averaging????
My son runs with an S3. Never had a single tracking problem.
A tip re the GIO battery: The Lithium-hydride batteries in laptop battery packs have the same charging characteristics as the batteries in the Samsung phones. I simply soldered wires from the contact points in the phone to a battery taken from an old laptop pack. (Usually when these battery packs fail, most of the individual cells are still good. I use them in all sorts of applications. ) The battery is fastened to the back of the Gio with duct tape. The phone no longer has a simcard in it, so I keep it on airplane mode. The battery stays charged for days!
Guys, I've never experienced this GPS problem. My S3 Mini has completely accurate readings both in car and while walking. You can try and update your phone to a newer firmware version if it's still on a firmware from a year ago. Don't know what else to suggest, God bless my S3 Mini for not having this problem, 'cause I use GPS frequently
Hello, I have the same problem with inaccurate gps after some time. Is there any solution. I use this phone only for running, so for me it is not a problem to flash another rom. I hope someone can give me a solution or a rom that works while running.
Hello there !
Just have a look at this:
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Top left: Note 4. Bottom left: S4. Right hand side: Z2 Tablet.
All devices are configured to use the built-in GPS receiver only.
The photo was taken after waiting for more than 5 minutes.
Z2 Tablet and S4 receive 23 satellites, S4 using 18, Z2 Tablet using 16 (after a couple of seconds). But Note 4 receives 11 satellites, uses 0 (ZERO) - even after 5 minutes.
Here's a quick and shaky video: http://youtu.be/nVOF2n8AYDk
Software: I used "GPS Test" by "Chartcross". Other apps show the same results.
I tried countless comparisons, using A-GPS data and without, tried resetting the radios via the service menu - nothing helps: Note 4 GPS receiver does "see" some satellites (but always less than other devices), but just doesn't get a fix, at least not indoors.
It DOES work outdoors, but the results are similar and very poor: Note 4 takes a lot of time for the fix, uses less satellites, provides a less precise position and/or permanently loses the fix again. Even with using A-GPS data, a fix takes ages if the Note succeeds with a sat fix at all, situation becoming even worse if moving in a car. Z2 Tablet and S4 provide an almost instant fix, don't drop the fix again.
Of course I searched the net (and XDA) for that issue, found just some posts claiming the same.
Problem: Most users just see it does work outdoors, but don't realize the poor, close to subzero performance. So they believe it's all ok.
It is not.
I really hope it's just a software bug. If not, our Note 4 GPS becomes close to unusable if used in forests, under heavy rain, indoors or under other adverse conditions.
Please do a comparison yourself, check against any other GPS-enabled device - let's see if your results differ or are similar.
Please note: It does not help if your GPS just works outside. It does. But it's far, far worse than other devices - just see the photo above.
----
I found two videos showing a part of the problem (without being noticed by the "reviewer"):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHDVZEKBD8M
GPS test starting at 3:41. Note that the Note 3 retains it's satellites after the fix (8/21), while the number of the satellites used by the Note 4 wildly changes.
At 4:17, it drops to 4, causing losing the fix for a moment - note that the colors of the satellite signals momentarily change from green to yellow/grey.
Similar with the other video of the same reviewer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X3Ucqnu9_g
GPS test starting at 3:57. Note that the Note 3 retains it's satellites after the fix (14 to 15 of 22), while the number of the satellites used by the Note 4 again constantly changes.
At 4:34, it drops to 2, causing losing the fix for a moment - note that the colors of the satellite signals momentarily change from green to yellow/grey.
That's what I observe with my Note 4, too.
And that's what causes that expanding and shrinking of the blue "GPS accuracy" circle around your position in Google Maps, that's what causes showing a momentarily wrong position while driving.
I am not sure if this is a real fault or just the results of a different approach by Samsung - MAYBE they try to use a kind of diversity algorithm causing that short "dropouts".
In any case - it's a bad thing. And an issue wreaking havoc in the background, broadly unnoticed by the majority of Note 4 owners (which regard the GPS as working perfectly just because the sat fix doesn't take long), I fear.
But it might be model or firmware specific.
So please check if your Note 4 shows the same behavior.
The speed of a GPS fix does not say anything as there are too many different factors of influence involved; sorry.
---
I had been asked why indoor reception is important at all. Here's the answers:
1) Indoor reception is an indicator of the sensitivity of a GPS receiver. Under the open sky, just every GPS receiver delivers a sound performance - so you cannot see differences.
But if you've got a good indoor reception, you'll also get a high sensitive under problematic conditions - e. g. under bad weather conditions, in cities where you are surrounded by tall buildings, or in regions like forests or even underwater. Performance in locations like forests is highly important for outdoor enthusiasts or people doing geocaching.
And you'll be quite happy if your navigation software leads you to your destination even if it's raining cats and dogs - instead of being forced to leave your car to ask for directions.
So if your device performs well indoors, it is very likely to also perform well in every demanding outdoor situations.
Practical, personal example: Every year, I leave for a months vacation to Asia. I usually don't follow the beaten tourist tracks, I prefer the secluded, more unknown places. That often leads me into jungle regions, tall trees everywhere. If I can't rely on a solid GPS fix, I can get lost in no time.
If I know that my Note 4's indoor reception is pretty good, I can be assured it won't leave me if I'm out in the middle of nowhere.
2) Most of the time, you use for mobile phone indoors. At your home, at shopping malls, you name it.
Of course you know where you are, so it might sound needless to know your GPS position.
But just have a look at your power options, at the information about your battery drain: Settings > Power Saving, tap the chart.
Then have a look at the "Location on" graph.
You'll notice that your GPS receiver is active pretty often - even if you don't use it actively and knowingly.
That's because many apps use the GPS in the background - like Google does; GPS is used every time you utilize e. g. Google Now, or use your browser (remember the question if you wish to allow the browser know your location ? - If you agreed, it will use GPS, even if you aren't aware of that).
If you've got good GPS reception, GPS will be used just for a very short time. But if the reception is bad (e. g. caused by bad indoor reception), the GPS receiver will be on for a long time; could be for hours.
That drains your battery significantly.
So good indoor reception is also one of the keys to good battery life.
You see, it's not just over nothing. It SEEMS like that at first sight - but be rest assured: I am a very practical person (e. g. I don't care at all about benchmarks - if a device just fulfills my needs, I don't need any more information). I don't care if e. g. the front camera distorts my pretty face.
But I care if a malfunction shortens battery life or leads to vital features becoming unusable if external conditions aren't optimal.
And please don't forget about the most important impact of such discussions: This way, Samsung gets aware of a problem. So there's a chance that the problems will be solved by an update - for the benefit of ALL users, even if they weren't aware about the problem at all.
If you report the problem to the Samsung "support", you can be sure nobody will care about it. I checked that myself (for Germany, to be precise): I reported a problem more than seven times. Always the same problem, always using a different name. The staff always assured me that the issue was stored in the system and forwarded to the technicians. Guess what ? - At every next call (or chat), I was told that I was the only one reporting it, nobody else had that problem.
But threads at XDA are likely to be noticed by Samsung - and the media.
For me, if it can get me from place A to B when I'm driving or walking in an unknown area, then it's OK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's one of the reasons why I raise that problem.
As said: If your GPS receiver works well, it WILL navigate you safely from A to B. But if it's sensibility is weak, it will do so under bright sunshine, but will fail if there's heavy weather, as such conditions attenuate the GPS signal strength significantly. Result: Under heavy rain, your device will be unable to navigate you safely from A to B.
If you search the net a bit, you'll also find a lot of similar threads where people ran into exactly that situation with the Note 4: On the road, the GPS lost position, leading them nowhere, showing their location 100 m away from the street, and so on.
---
Here's three COMPARISON (!) videos I just took.
Note 4 GPS vs. Z2 Tablet GPS - indoors, good conditions (near window)
Note 4 GPS vs. Z2 Tablet GPS - indoors, worse conditions
Note 4 GPS vs. Z2 Tablet GPS - outdoors
Identical device settings (internal GPS use only, A-GPS data loaded).
If you wonder why the Note 4 performs worse outdoors: It's because the device is flat on the ground. Reception is better with the Note 4 slightly angled.
We got a GPS fix in all three cases; in two cases, the Note 4 achieved a real quick GPS fix.
That's what's making most of you cry out in ecstasy: "Oh ! I've got a fix ! And so fast ! It's such a great device !"
But: Note 4's GPS sensitivity proved far worse than the Z2 Tablet's GPS in all three cases.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM, GUYS.
What I ended up doing once is opening the phone and pulling the springs a bit for better contact with the GPS antenna. Was good to me on the Note 3.
you have a defective phone. i just measured time to cold fix and it was 1.5 seconds indoors on my 910U.
Mine is set to GPS only, google location services OFF.
Have the same lousy gps and bad reception compared to my iPhone 6 plus. Got the phone replaced today but still bad gps and bad signal so in my house I can't even call with it when the same sim in my iPhone gives enough signal for calling. Gonna return the note, feels like they did a "Apple" antennagate with som bad antenna design
Skickat från min iPhone med Tapatalk
What "Location Mode" do you have on? When mine is on "high accuracy" it jumps all over. When i set it to "gps only" its pretty good. Not sure this has anything to do with you issue or not.
I just tried that software, and after about 60 seconds it was locked on 14 and accurate to 12 feet, sitting indoors.
ChickenWingSoup said:
What "Location Mode" do you have on? When mine is on "high accuracy" it jumps all over. When i set it to "gps only" its pretty good. Not sure this has anything to do with you issue or not.
I just tried that software, and after about 60 seconds it was locked on 14 and accurate to 12 feet, sitting indoors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you open Google Maps and scroll in all the way, how far is the dot from where you're actually sitting in your house?
Like right on the money or 5', 10', 20', ?
My S4 was on the money. My Note 3 consistently has me about 30-50' from where I actually am.
It's one of the reasons I'm considering an N4 upgrade.
@Class said:
What I ended up doing once is opening the phone and pulling the springs a bit for better contact with the GPS antenna. Was good to me on the Note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I saw, the GPS antenna is not in the cover; so it won't help pulling any springs. :/
ChickenWingSoup said:
What "Location Mode" do you have on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried both modes, results are similar. Right now the Note 4 is next to me, trying to get a fix.
Number of used satellites is permanently changing second-wise: 4, 3, 2, 3, 2, 1, 3, 3, 2, 2, 3, 1, ...
I just tried that software, and after about 60 seconds it was locked on 14 and accurate to 12 feet, sitting indoors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't help much as an indoor fix heavily depends on many factors like satellite positions, positions of windows and phone, wall material, and so on.
Sometimes I get a quick fix indoors, in most cases it just fails.
Different with Z2 Tablet and S4: Just ALWAYS a fast fix, S4 even fets a sat fix in the basement, where the Note 4 doesn't even see a single satellite.
We need comparisons with other devices.
Chefproll said:
Tried both modes, results are similar. Right now the Note 4 is next to me, trying to get a fix.
Number of used satellites is permanently changing second-wise: 4, 3, 2, 3, 2, 1, 3, 3, 2, 2, 3, 1, ...
Doesn't help much as an indoor fix heavily depends on many factors like satellite positions, positions of windows and phone, wall material, and so on.
Sometimes I get a quick fix indoors, in most cases it just fails.
Different with Z2 Tablet and S4: Just ALWAYS a fast fix, S4 even fets a sat fix in the basement, where the Note 4 doesn't even see a single satellite.
We need comparisons with other devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having the almost the same fix and locked satellites on my s5, note 4 and Note 10.1 tablet indoor concrete apartment building . They lock on 12 to 15 satellites in less then 30 seconds. no problem
I had the exact same symptoms with my lg g2. When set to high accuracy, the location would jump around. Also, it would see satellites, but take forever to get a fix.
When set to GPS only, it would work fine.
Never was able to fix it.
I have a feeling that it worked fine at first and that this weird behavior started after a firmware update. Could not verify, coz I did not know how to downgrade.
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Premium HD app
marleyb said:
Having the almost the same fix and locked satellites on my s5, note 4 and Note 10.1 tablet indoor concrete apartment building . They lock on 12 to 15 satellites in less then 30 seconds. no problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on your location; if your room is just under the roof, you'll experience less problems.
I added a quick video to my first post; just have a look. :/
Chefproll said:
Depends on your location; if your room is just under the roof, you'll experience less problems.
I added a quick video to my first post; just have a look. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I understand your Note has a problem just saying mine has not. Even with 8 floors above me I still have a fix within 30 seconds
Got a GPS fix inside my living room in less than 30 sec. 4 meters presicion. Can't post a screenshot cause I don't have enough posts yet lol.
I get instant. No problem so far. Mine is Exynos 7 (5433) edition - N910C.
@Chefproll
What processor do you have in your GN4?
I had 2 different AT&T Snapdragon GN4's with very bad GPS.
I've found the GPS to be outstanding on the note 4. It will even locate in an airplane in under 45 seconds at a point over a thousand miles from where it was when it was last on. My HTC EVO 4G lte could not do this, the original Evo could. As for day to day use, it's been flawless.
Yippee. Another considered "based on my expert opinion and test sample of one" thread from an XDA member declaring all Note 4's to have an issue. These "expose" threads get tedious.
Here' what AnandTech found in their testing and what they are reporting maps to my experiences...
At this point, it really goes without saying that the GNSS solution of choice is the one built into Qualcomm's modem. This allows for fixes based upon initial location and time data that the modem has, and therefore in practice every GPS fix is a hot fix and takes around 5 seconds for a lock in good conditions. In the case of the Note 4, with airplane mode on and no assistance data I saw that it took around 50 seconds to achieve a lock, but this is strongly dependent upon environmental conditions. Once locked, I found that the Note 4 had quite a strong lock and quickly went down to 10 foot accuracy level without issue.http://www.anandtech.com/show/8613/the-samsung-galaxy-note-4-review/9
BarryH_GEG said:
Yippee. Another considered "based on my expert opinion and test sample of one" thread from an XDA member declaring all Note 4's to have an issue. These "expose" threads get tedious.
Here' what AnandTech found in their testing and what they are reporting maps to my experiences...
At this point, it really goes without saying that the GNSS solution of choice is the one built into Qualcomm's modem. This allows for fixes based upon initial location and time data that the modem has, and therefore in practice every GPS fix is a hot fix and takes around 5 seconds for a lock in good conditions. In the case of the Note 4, with airplane mode on and no assistance data I saw that it took around 50 seconds to achieve a lock, but this is strongly dependent upon environmental conditions. Once locked, I found that the Note 4 had quite a strong lock and quickly went down to 10 foot accuracy level without issue.http://www.anandtech.com/show/8613/the-samsung-galaxy-note-4-review/9
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me it works that good when under open air. In the city between high building and threes it is totally worthless. I live in single-storey house made of wood and the Note 4 cant get a fix untill I leave the house. My old SGS 5 had no problems with that and not my current iPhone 6 Plus has no problems with it either. They both get a fix instantly when inside the house. But I have tested three Note 4 and no one of them get a fix inside the house. Think that is a pretty good sign that the Note 4 has worse GPS signal than most other phones. And even the carrier reception is worse with the Notes tested compared to iphone 6 Plus, a Moto G 2013 and a HTC One M8 I have tested in my house. If it is the metall rim or if it is fixable by software I dont know but I am disapointed with my Note, thought I had a faulty one first.
osetivo said:
@Chefproll
What processor do you have in your GN4?
I had 2 different AT&T Snapdragon GN4's with very bad GPS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As mention mine is Exynos 5433 edition. I found most complain is Snapdragon 805 edition. This time Exynos perform better in every aspect.
BarryH_GEG said:
Yippee. Another considered "based on my expert opinion and test sample of one" thread from an XDA member declaring all Note 4's to have an issue. These "expose" threads get tedious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And another "MY Note 4 is ok, so all others claiming their Note doesn't work as expected are wrong. So let's say something negative things about them and don't take it for real.".
You posted a screenshot, making it impossible to see if the device was used outdoors or indoors.
I also get a quite good reception if I am outdoors - but:
a) There's just no fix although the signal strength is sufficient. Here's a screenshot, taken OUTDOORS:
Note the time of the last GPS fix in the lower right corner. Note 4 had been on all the time, with all Google services active, so there had been a constant check for GPS positional data - with NO success all night long.
b) Indoors, reception is a horror - COMPARED WITH OTHER devices.
It's of no further use if you post a screenshot without comparing the reception with other devices.
Just be happy about YOUR device working - but this does not necessarily mean it's the same with other devices.
Hello all,
Had my Nexus 6 since launch day in the UK, and I started out really liking it, but it's getting more and more in my bad books as I live with it. Wonder if anyone who has one could look over this and tell me if these issues are standard with this device, or whether I need to get onto the network (Vodafone - what a pain)
Reboots - I'm getting a number of reboots. I know this can be app caused, and I'm working through. The main problem is that it requires a pin or swipe to start it booting up, so overnight if it happens, you've got yourself a dead phone till you physically get it going again in the morning
slowdown - I've got a couple of games, one is sky force, that worked well on my note 3, but suffers some terrible slowdown on the Nexus. No idea why this would happen with a better processor
not connecting to 5g on the router - my router has a 2 and 5 g aerial. It works fine on the 2 g, and every other device works on the 5g, but the nexus just will not connect.
slowness of starting up the camera - starting the camera can be 30 seconds.
Upside down display camera pics on some apps - KIK for eg? I know others with Lollipop who don't have this issue on their Sammys.
very bad battery - In use, heavy use, it'll be 3 hours. Average use, bit of messaging, a game, internet, could be 4 hours.
lack of focus on camcorder - it won't stay on a fixed
Slowness of booting up - Can be literally 5 minutes to boot to the main screen. Reminds me a bit of Windows at its worse!
I've had smartphones for many years, and I'm used to their foibles, like battery life and apps that cause reboots, but this is probably the most difficult phone I've had to live with!
I love the screen, the hugeness of it is just what I want, and the sound is great.
I'm getting the crashes, primarily when using the camera, doesn't reboot just stops, 3 times in a few minutes on more than one occasion. Sometimes won't connect to home WiFi without a restart. Start up is very slow. Don't suffer from the other issues. I'm on O2 4G.
mozza1976 said:
Hello all,
Had my Nexus 6 since launch day in the UK, and I started out really liking it, but it's getting more and more in my bad books as I live with it. Wonder if anyone who has one could look over this and tell me if these issues are standard with this device, or whether I need to get onto the network (Vodafone - what a pain)
Reboots - I'm getting a number of reboots. I know this can be app caused, and I'm working through. The main problem is that it requires a pin or swipe to start it booting up, so overnight if it happens, you've got yourself a dead phone till you physically get it going again in the morning
slowdown - I've got a couple of games, one is sky force, that worked well on my note 3, but suffers some terrible slowdown on the Nexus. No idea why this would happen with a better processor
not connecting to 5g on the router - my router has a 2 and 5 g aerial. It works fine on the 2 g, and every other device works on the 5g, but the nexus just will not connect.
slowness of starting up the camera - starting the camera can be 30 seconds.
Upside down display camera pics on some apps - KIK for eg? I know others with Lollipop who don't have this issue on their Sammys.
very bad battery - In use, heavy use, it'll be 3 hours. Average use, bit of messaging, a game, internet, could be 4 hours.
lack of focus on camcorder - it won't stay on a fixed
Slowness of booting up - Can be literally 5 minutes to boot to the main screen. Reminds me a bit of Windows at its worse!
I've had smartphones for many years, and I'm used to their foibles, like battery life and apps that cause reboots, but this is probably the most difficult phone I've had to live with!
I love the screen, the hugeness of it is just what I want, and the sound is great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
could be a faulty phone or rom ... I've had mine for a month now and no problems so far and great battery life
mozza1976 said:
Hello all,
Had my Nexus 6 since launch day in the UK, and I started out really liking it, but it's getting more and more in my bad books as I live with it. Wonder if anyone who has one could look over this and tell me if these issues are standard with this device, or whether I need to get onto the network (Vodafone - what a pain)
[*]Reboots - I'm getting a number of reboots. I know this can be app caused, and I'm working through. The main problem is that it requires a pin or swipe to start it booting up, so overnight if it happens, you've got yourself a dead phone till you physically get it going again in the morning
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is actually looking a lot like it may be a software defect. For now, the best solution (i.e. temporary, until 5.1 comes out later this month) is to run the phone withOUT encryption. There are lots of threads around about the minor boot partition change needed to accomplish this.
[*]slowdown - I've got a couple of games, one is sky force, that worked well on my note 3, but suffers some terrible slowdown on the Nexus. No idea why this would happen with a better processor
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two reasons;
1) is that despite the better processor, anything I/O heavy will take a lot of CPU power to just handle the crypto. Hopefully, this is something that will be solved (hwcrypto) with 5.1.
2) android 5.0 has some major changes in the runtime -- ART vs Dalvik. If the application developer broke rules in building the software you are running, then it is possible that it won't work optimally on ART. Hopefully, the application developer can adapt.
[*]not connecting to 5g on the router - my router has a 2 and 5 g aerial. It works fine on the 2 g, and every other device works on the 5g, but the nexus just will not connect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works for me....?
Try a router with OpenWRT.
If I remember correctly, some of the OLDER 5G 802.11AC chips used in a lot of routers, like TPLINK Archer C7v1, which has a Qualcomm Atheros QCA9880-AR1A had hardware that was a bit rushed to market and failed to meet a number of the AC specifications. So if your router is such an AC, then the hardware that is working with it may be using 802.11N (older tech), whereas this phone is trying to negotiate an 802.11AC link with it, and failing. So there is a good chance that the problem is actually on the ROUTER's side, rather than the phone.
[*]slowness of starting up the camera - starting the camera can be 30 seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Something not right there. Mine takes 2 seconds from pressing the camera button.
[*]Upside down display camera pics on some apps - KIK for eg? I know others with Lollipop who don't have this issue on their Sammys.
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There are *two* ways to deal with orientation in jpg images; one is to write the image to the file "upright", the other is to write it to the image file as it comes from the buffer, and just give it an orientation flip flag. The software you are using *may not respect* the orientation flag.
[*]very bad battery - In use, heavy use, it'll be 3 hours. Average use, bit of messaging, a game, internet, could be 4 hours.
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I'm actually finding the battery to be quite phenomenal on this device. With low-moderate usage, it will actually go for TWO ENTIRE DAYS on a charge. Usually to get that kind of battery life, I have to apply very invasive controls against google services to prevent them from setting alarms and holding wakelocks.
However, if you have the screen on high brightness and actually turned on a lot, do remember, the screen is ENORMOUS. It takes power to light it up.
[*]lack of focus on camcorder - it won't stay on a fixed
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I had to check that to verify, and confirm it. That appears to be a bug in the camera application. Try a different camera program for now, and hope that 5.1 fixes it.
[*]Slowness of booting up - Can be literally 5 minutes to boot to the main screen. Reminds me a bit of Windows at its worse!
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Might be software crypto, mine isn't encrypted, and literally boots right up to the unlock screen in about 10 seconds.
I've had smartphones for many years, and I'm used to their foibles, like battery life and apps that cause reboots, but this is probably the most difficult phone I've had to live with!
I love the screen, the hugeness of it is just what I want, and the sound is great.
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Well, the SIZE is almost certainly what is causing you battery life issues. The rest of it is basically because you are running an early version of a MASSIVE system update and simultaneously riding on new hardware that brings in its own batch of *software* bugs. There are some bugs in it that need to be worked out, and hopefully, the majority get worked out with 5.1. There *are* google-private 5.1 builds for Nexus 6 already, so it is just a matter of waiting for them to complete QA and ship it out.
Thanks for this, really appreciate the time, I'll have a good look through later!
Found a fix for the 5ghz router issues on the Google forum.
Apparebtly the nexus favours the American 5g channels... So I've set it to 36 and 40 and its working well! Yey.
Tomorrow I'll try a cache wipe to see what else I can correct before the update.