Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue [Note 3]

[Jeremy Waitman]

Good morning,

I'm experiencing an issue with Google Maps, wherein the blue dot's (my location) arrow seems to point in a direction other than the one I am traveling in. Is or has anyone experienced this issue, and if so, is there a remedy? Also, is this a hardware or software issue with the Note 3 or is it something to do with the Maps App? As you can see from the attached screenshot, the arrow is pointing in a northerly direction, while in reality, I am actually traveling south bound on this freeway.

Best

 

[mrwallyy]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

I think it's a Google issue because it did the same for me with my old HTC phone too.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Jeremy Waitman]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

I think it's a Google issue because it did the same for me with my old HTC phone too.

Posted via Android Central App

That was my thinking as well. It also seems to be a compass issue, since, to my knowledge, GPS simply calculates location, not direction.

 

[anon8126715]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

I'm getting that as well. The heading is never exactly correct and I had it in a previous phone. I think eventually an update took care of it.

 

[anon8126715]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

I turned off most of my "smart" features such as the eye motion detection and other advanced settings, and performed the "figure 8" calibration and now my compass heading is correct.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk 2

 

[ioannisgk]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

I turned off most of my "smart" features such as the eye motion detection and other advanced settings, and performed the "figure 8" calibration and now my compass heading is correct.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk 2

How did you calibrate the compass?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[anon8126715]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

How did you calibrate the compass?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Some people download a Compass app and some people just turn on any app that uses the GPS and then they do what the guy is doing below.

 

[nitronate33]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

I have this same problem, but ONLY while in the car. It is really annoying, since the older versions of google maps worked just fine.

My theory is that the car causes a lot of magnetic interference (surrounded by lots of metal, near an alternator that generates a magnetic field) that ultimately renders the compass in your phone useless. The older versions of the google maps app used heading with GPS positioning, now it is using direction with the compass.

Why they made this change, I don't know. It would make more sense to either use a hybrid of the two or allow you to decide in a setting. Heading with GPS positioning works well when you are moving, but not when you are still or moving slowly, in which case direction works better with the compass. The BIG monkey wrench is that the engineers/developers obviously didn't consider that most people would be using google maps in a car where the compass doesn't work very well.

Honestly, I think the new version of googld maps sucks and they took a lot of steps backward for a few (minor) steps forward.

 

[Lukkari93]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

I have this problem in car and also when navigating on foot. Newest version of maps seems to correct my direction right when using car navigation, but on foot navigation still uses compass to show my direction. It's usually 45 degrees off, and it's always been this way on my GS4. No calibration seems to affect this. It's sad, sometimes I'd really like to navigate city streets also on foot! :-\

 

[recDNA]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

Ever since maps v8.0

 

[Simon Ashton]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

Has anybody got a fix for this yet? My compass shows exactly the problem of the original poster when I'm in the car. So does a traditional compass. There is too much metal and other magnets in a car.

In navigation mode it often thinks I have taken slip-roads off the motorway just as I drive past, or the wrong exit on a roundabout. I assume it is using a hybrid of the gps data and the compass so gets things wrong.

Surely there is a way to set gmaps to determine direction from the way you travel like it used to?

 

[jrsharp70]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

Has anybody got a fix for this yet? My compass shows exactly the problem of the original poster when I'm in the car. So does a traditional compass. There is too much metal and other magnets in a car.

In navigation mode it often thinks I have taken slip-roads off the motorway just as I drive past, or the wrong exit on a roundabout. I assume it is using a hybrid of the gps data and the compass so gets things wrong.

Surely there is a way to set gmaps to determine direction from the way you travel like it used to?

I can't say for sure that this will fix your issue, and I can't say scientifically which step solved MY issues... but I can say I was having a hard time getting a GPS lock and I did 2 things and now get a rapid GPS lock with much more accurate measurements.

First, I took the back off and tightened all of the screws. Most of them were very loose from the factory.

Second, I installed an app called GPS status & toolbox.

Maybe one worked and the other did nothing. But I can say that now I at least get a fix quickly (after the initial GPS fix is established), and that I get accurate directions, whereas before these 2 steps, I thought the phone was defective.

 

[Gabriel Bourke]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

Following on from the above thread, the calibration feature doesn't appear on my Note 3 when I need it. There doesn't seem to be a way of going into it in google maps to get to a "calibrate your compass" button in settings. When driving, the compass is always pointing sideways rather than forward. Any ideas? Searching the forums and web, I have not been able to find a quick fix how to activate the "calibrate your compass" function manually...

 

[FixupAndroid]

Re: Google Maps Compass/GPS Issue

My fix was very simple. I removed the back-lid and tighten all the visible screws. After this my GPS was up and running. I tried a lot of Apps but none could get more than a couple satellites on board. Any GPS fix or accuracy was non existent and google maps was lagging all the time and putting the map backwards or sideways, missing roads etc.. This happened some time after getting my display replaced for a new one and been driving with a Smartphone holder (which vibrates quite a bit). So i'm guessing the guys at the shop did some sloppy work at tightening the screws and the holder in my car took care of the rest.
Still have a wrong direction indication while standing, but i think there is a setting in google maps to calibrate your compass for the car, home, and work or something
Saludos, Uber driver.

 

[M Zafar1]

I am doing uber and bcoz of large display i prefer using samsung devices but sadly i have experianced alot trouble. I bought a new galaxy j5 and also used my existing ph s6 edge but retlsult is just same i.e. gps positioning isnt accurate esp starting point. Whereas iphone has no such issues with google maps or any nav app even iphone 5 works good all day 9-10hr nav.
Firstly i thought this is bcoz of low spec so i used s6 edge which indeed advance but no difference even navigation stucks like its being run on a really slow device.