Poor GPS without wifi switched on?!

[stevedo]

Ok so I've had gps on, wifi off and wanted to use maps, have a quick look at Ingress and my location was waaay out. A mile in fact.

Switched on WiFi (but nothing to connect to here, so purely scanning) and my location becomes accurate.

Is this just happening to me? Its a bit convoluted to have to switch on wifi anytime i want maps, google now cards etc to give me sensible information. That mile difference starts me off the other side of a river.

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[moonlitwingsx]

Its a good question, and I was always wondering the same! However, I would get GPS results even with ignoring the WiFi suggestion message.

What I do know is--
Cellular phones come with A-GPS (Assisted Global Positioning Systems) .. Not so much a "Pure" GPS system.. It uses cellular towers, together with the GPS signal from the satellite to locate you. Unless there's a process I'm unaware of, I believe Google Maps would also use any public WiFi in the area to further pinpoint your location if the allotted time or signal strength for GPS location is insufficient, it would suggest turning on WiFi to speed things up. GPS signals have always been finicky for me. I've seen GPS signals go to crap with anything from an overcast day, to a dead spot in the city.. I think at one point early this year my phone's GPS was completely useless that time we had a massive solar flare about March 2012 or so, where it couldn't pinpoint my location at all, or inaccurately so for a few days.

 

[Hubertsng]

the GPS in the phone isn't accurate and it needs the use of cellular towers to get an accurate lcation. If you don't have wifi or data, it will take some time to locate you and it won't be that accurate.

 

[stevedo]

Great, thanks for the responses.

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[gone down south]

It shouldn't be a MILE off, though.

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[Hubertsng]

It shouldn't be a MILE off, though.

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Eh, it's pretty poor but I guess. Try a different location and time.