# iPhone 3G - GPS



## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

I've got a handheld Garmin which clearly shows a large GPS chip used to help track satellites... it is interesting when it works, but half of my problem has been very poor signal quality here in Victoria. I get seemingly worse connectivity when sitting in my new car, even when positioned right by the window. Usually it takes 10 minutes of scanning before I can eventually get a fix on my location, and thus becomes a frustrating exercise.

Battery life wasn't exactly spectacular either.

So, I was mystified by the slightly smaller size of the new iPhone, AND the inclusion of GPS. I had thought with the use of cell towers and wifi connections, that would be decent enough to track location.

Well, it would appear that the GPS implemented does indeed use cell towers to help track location. A-GPS - Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dunno how well it will work, but good to see a good technology being put to use. Anyone know of any limitation of using A-GPS as opposed traditional GPS?


----------



## Flipstar (Nov 7, 2004)

Try reading the Apple website regarding GPS

iPhone - Features - GPS - Apple Canada


----------



## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Just connects faster.... still just as accurate as GPS.

Regarding battery life, I think most people are going to get a cradle for it and plug it in... most GPS users already do this, so it's logical to assume that's the way to use the iPhone as well.

I hope a 3rd party developer releases some better software. I think using Google maps for GPS is pretty lame... I'd like to see something a little nicer graphically for navigating.


----------



## ender78 (Jan 23, 2005)

kloan said:


> Just connects faster.... still just as accurate as GPS.
> 
> Regarding battery life, I think most people are going to get a cradle for it and plug it in... most GPS users already do this, so it's logical to assume that's the way to use the iPhone as well.
> 
> I hope a 3rd party developer releases some better software. I think using Google maps for GPS is pretty lame... I'd like to see something a little nicer graphically for navigating.


TomTom has issued a press release that they have an iPhone ver of their software ready. Depending on how well this works, I guess by dad will get my almost new TomTom 720 and I will just have the iPhone


----------



## jdurston (Jan 28, 2005)

Info from the above link:

_Get the signal.

In addition to A-GPS, iPhone 3G uses signals from GPS satellites, Wi-Fi hot spots, and cellular towers to get the most accurate location fast. If GPS is available, iPhone displays a blue GPS indicator. But if you’re inside — without a clear line of sight to a GPS satellite — iPhone finds you via Wi-Fi. If you’re not in range of a Wi-Fi hot spot, iPhone finds you using cellular towers. And the size of a location circle tells you how accurately iPhone is able to calculate that location: The smaller the circle, the more accurate the location._


----------

