compass

[Brad Bilger]

I know this isn't a critical feature, but I'm taking an inventory of features on my phone. I got my Note 9 in November and my One UI update came in 2 days ago. Testing out stuff and checking settings and I found my compass is 90 degrees off. 3 different apps all say the same. Went to the sensors screen (*#0*# from the dialer) and it shows no calibration needed. Went ahead and calibrated. Still 90 degrees off. Moved outside and did it again. Still 90 degrees off. GPS app, compass app, mapping app all show 90 degrees off. Anyone else?

 

[B. Diddy]

Is it always pointing in a certain direction, or does it change direction depending on the phone's orientation (but still 90 degrees off from the true direction)? If it's always pointing in a certain direction, is it in a case with a magnet in it?

 

[Brad Bilger]

Always 90 degrees off, give or take a bit. Pointing North always says East. In the house, outside, standing in a field, always 90 degrees off. Check calibration, always green. Every app reports no calibration needed. The phone is in an OtterBox silicone case, no magnets or metal.

 

[jimd1050]

I just checked mine when I read this and it's pointing North!

Always 90 degrees off, give or take a bit. Pointing North always says East. In the house, outside, standing in a field, always 90 degrees off. Check calibration, always green. Every app reports no calibration needed. The phone is in an OtterBox silicone case, no magnets or metal.

 

[Samaca29]

I'm off by about 90 degrees too, my compass says that north is east. I took my phone out of the case, went to the sensor screen just like OP, recalibrated even though everything said it was fine, and restarted my phone. I live in a rural area and went outside and away from the house just in case with no change. My husband also has a note 9, he hasn't updated yet. His compass is accurate... he's going to update tonight, so I'll be interested to see if his is off afterward.

 

[jimd1050]

...that is strange!!!

 

[Brad Bilger]

Did it help? Still showing 90° off? I tried looking at the sensors. In one room it said no calibration was needed. In another it said it was needed, but refused to calibrate after turning and spinning it for several minutes.

 

[jimd1050]

I just calibrated - STUPID! Now mine is off by 90, but to the west - I'm in Massachusetts! WTH? How can anyone OS change the damned sensors?

 

[Samaca29]

I'm off by about 90 degrees too, my compass says that north is east. I took my phone out of the case, went to the sensor screen just like OP, recalibrated even though everything said it was fine, and restarted my phone. I live in a rural area and went outside and away from the house just in case with no change. My husband also has a note 9, he hasn't updated yet. His compass is accurate... he's going to update tonight, so I'll be interested to see if his is off afterward.

Well, he updated, and his compass is off. It's the same as mine, so at least the error is consistent

 

[Brad Bilger]

OK Boys and girls.... heres another thread from the Samsung Forum. Same thing as what we are having problems with. EXACTLY. Compass was working prior to the update and now, roughly 90 degrees offset to the Right. If you point North, the compass says East.
Different Carriers, Same phone, calibration reports that all is all right, with a 90 degee shift to the right.

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5...mpass-error-after-Pie-update/m-p/456626#M9337

 

[Brad Bilger]

All i know, if this causes my Drone to crash or get lost, I'm sending Samsung the bill....

LOL

 

[B. Diddy]

Heck, what if it sends you driving off a cliff instead of along the coastside road?

 

[mustang7757]

I dont know guys how much I can trust a compass on a phone compared to real compass calibrated .
like having a pencil tire pressure gauge to measure your tire pressure vs a 40.00 tire gauge that's calibrated much better. maybe I'm wrong but that's my thoughts on it

 

[Brad Bilger]

Oh certainly. I'll use my Dashboard GPS every time. HOWEVER, I also use my Note as a viewscreen/Controller for my DJI Drone and I really don't like my compass in my phone to be off that much. AND If I spend this much money for a Phone, with all these bells and whistles, I want the bells to sound nice and clear. It's bad enough that they screwed up the Text message tones, I don't want to lose a drone over a faulty compass.

 

[mustang7757]

Oh certainly. I'll use my Dashboard GPS every time. HOWEVER, I also use my Note as a viewscreen/Controller for my DJI Drone and I really don't like my compass in my phone to be off that much. AND If I spend this much money for a Phone, with all these bells and whistles, I want the bells to sound nice and clear. It's bad enough that they screwed up the Text message tones, I don't want to lose a drone over a faulty compass.

Definitely agree, those drones are expensive especially you have a good one .

 

[jimd1050]

Oh certainly. I'll use my Dashboard GPS every time. HOWEVER, I also use my Note as a viewscreen/Controller for my DJI Drone and I really don't like my compass in my phone to be off that much. AND If I spend this much money for a Phone, with all these bells and whistles, I want the bells to sound nice and clear. It's bad enough that they screwed up the Text message tones, I don't want to lose a drone over a faulty compass.

My Samsung compass has always been dead nuts (though it's happening to me as well now) all the way back to my Note 4 - accurate as hell! Doesn't really make sense that an OS update would screw up internal hardware like that! That stuff (the sensors themselves) is usually firmware controlled, not software! ???

 

[wilsodw]

I cannot believe with all the beta testing that a 90 degree error was not caught. This problem seems to be wide spread, enough to warrent a fix ASAP. With a week or 2 before Verizon rolls this out, what are the chances its fixed?

 

[DARK Vader777]

day 3 of pie update. compass very unstable. it's not like we use the damn thing but on $1,000 phone we like it to work. on my wife's S9 plus it works fine after the update. so we'll see what happens in the next couple weeks.

 

[bobbyleebrown.bb]

Its happening on the note 8 pie beta also.

 

[Rhyalus]

Does this not have an impact on driving apps, like Google Maps?

I don’t use the compass ever, but I think most of use use these GPS apps which must have some connection to the compass? Or is direction always based on moves relative to the satellites?

R