How does not having a compass in G4 Plus effect the usage?

[biklenut]

Hello .... I'm new to Android and thinking of getting the G4 Plus but I don't understand how it will effect my usage of the phone since it doesn't have a compass. What will I be able to do or not be able to do? Can anyone please explain? I'm coming from an iPhone 5S. Thank you!

 

[Krolt]

when you load maps, or a GPS app, until you start moving it can't tell which way you are facing. It does get a little annoying.

 

[geekeedee]

It loads a map or GPS app alright, you will see the dot (your car) moving on the map alright as you drive, but the map will NOT ORIENT in the direction you go. So, for example, if you drive in the SOUTH direction of a north/south street, you would EXPECT the map to be FLIPPED up side down so you can see the DIRECTION you're going. Without a compass, it can not FLIP and orient the map. The map stays in a FIXED orientation. Yes, very annoying.

Without a compass, you also cannot use astronomy apps like Sky Map or any star gazing, planetarium apps. No orienteering apps (don't get lost in the woods...). I also heard that some features of Pokémon Go cannot be used properly, but I don't play Pokémon Go, so Pokémon players can say more about that.

 

[biklenut]

Thank you very much for your answers. This is a deal breaker for me.

 

[smccloud]

It loads a map or GPS app alright, you will see the dot (your car) moving on the map alright as you drive, but the map will NOT ORIENT in the direction you go. So, for example, if you drive in the SOUTH direction of a north/south street, you would EXPECT the map to be FLIPPED up side down so you can see the DIRECTION you're going. Without a compass, it can not FLIP and orient the map. The map stays in a FIXED orientation. Yes, very annoying.

Without a compass, you also cannot use astronomy apps like Sky Map or any star gazing, planetarium apps. No orienteering apps (don't get lost in the woods...). I also heard that some features of Pokémon Go cannot be used properly, but I don't play Pokémon Go, so Pokémon players can say more about that.

When I'm using Google Maps on my G4 Plus it orients properly so I don't know why it isn't working for you. Also Pokémon Go works better than it did on my Galaxy S6.

 

[RoccoH]

Same here, absolutely no problem navigating with a G4 Plus.

 

[ElronTheElder]

Hello .... I'm new to Android and thinking of getting the G4 Plus but I don't understand how it will effect my usage of the phone since it doesn't have a compass. What will I be able to do or not be able to do? Can anyone please explain? I'm coming from an iPhone 5S. Thank you!

Time doesn't recognize zone changes. That's what I blame it on anyway.

 

[cupofcloud]

Time doesn't recognize zone changes. That's what I blame it on anyway.

I'd be inclined to blame it on the gps/location settings than to blame it on the compass. Unless I'm missing something, the phone doesn't need a compass to be able to detect that you've crossed into a new time zone.

 

[RoccoH]

Time zone is part of the gsm signal from your provider so your phone will set the time zone automatically from the signal. If this doesn't work then the provider is not providing time zone information (our your time zone setting is set to manual instead of automatic).

Absolutely no relation with the compass. In fact, a compass can never tell your location, so you can't use it to determine time zone!