gs3 gps sucks. 3rd phone same problem

[Chad Daniels]

Nicole,

Just FYI, this is how my problem initially began. My GPS would randomly not find any satelites unless I cleared out the maps Cache, or deleted any updates.

Also, I think I may have found the issue. I use the Phone for several hours a day, and have my phone plugged in using a car charging port. My phone was getting pretty hot while using the GPS, and I'm wondering if the prolonged use, and constant charging may have burned out the GPS in all three devices. I am shocked if that's the case... but I'm wondering if it could be a structural issue with the GPS due to overheating... thoughts?

It's a verizon charger, but I'm using one of those outlet converters that you plug into a power socket.

I'm getting my 4th phone, and will avoid using a charger in the car... see if that takes care of it, will let you all know. Thanks for the input.

 

[Tshapiro1000]

Having been a victim of the flawed Galaxy s2 GPS, I was very leary about the gps on the s3. I have 1 Verizon and 3 At&t s3's - completely stock - and all 4 have great gps performance - h even indoors. I expected Samsung to issue more gps issues with the s3 but that hasn't been the case. I find it hard to believe 3 stock s3's have had gps issues.

 

[Shanicenicolle]

Having been a victim of the flawed Galaxy s2 GPS, I was very leary about the gps on the s3. I have 1 Verizon and 3 At&t s3's - completely stock - and all 4 have great gps performance - h even indoors. I expected Samsung to issue more gps issues with the s3 but that hasn't been the case. I find it hard to believe 3 stock s3's have had gps issues.

Luck of the draw. There are enough posts that pop up in a Google search of people complaining that suggests its a fairly widespread issue.

Sent from my Red GS3

 

[zapfrog]

Nicole,

Just FYI, this is how my problem initially began. My GPS would randomly not find any satelites unless I cleared out the maps Cache, or deleted any updates.

Also, I think I may have found the issue. I use the Phone for several hours a day, and have my phone plugged in using a car charging port. My phone was getting pretty hot while using the GPS, and I'm wondering if the prolonged use, and constant charging may have burned out the GPS in all three devices. I am shocked if that's the case... but I'm wondering if it could be a structural issue with the GPS due to overheating... thoughts?

It's a verizon charger, but I'm using one of those outlet converters that you plug into a power socket.

I'm getting my 4th phone, and will avoid using a charger in the car... see if that takes care of it, will let you all know. Thanks for the input.

I use an ATT charger I got from Amazon but no converter and I haven't noticed any heat issues. Hmmm...I would try changing the charger because faulty chargers can damage phones just look at some of the chargers for the iPhone 5 and what they did.

 

[Chad Daniels]

I use an ATT charger I got from Amazon but no converter and I haven't noticed any heat issues. Hmmm...I would try changing the charger because faulty chargers can damage phones just look at some of the chargers for the iPhone 5 and what they did.

We will see. I got my 4th S3 today. I agree, I can see getting 1, or even two faulty GPS's (seeing Samsung's history of Bad GPS's), also, all these replacements are refurbs... so they could have had the same issue when the were brought in.

My new phone is set up, and GPS is working great as it did on the other 3 phones. I'll keep in touch over the next month to let you know if the charger was the culprit. Love this phone, would hate to have to switch.

 

[zapfrog]

We will see. I got my 4th S3 today. I agree, I can see getting 1, or even two faulty GPS's (seeing Samsung's history of Bad GPS's), also, all these replacements are refurbs... so they could have had the same issue when the were brought in.

My new phone is set up, and GPS is working great as it did on the other 3 phones. I'll keep in touch over the next month to let you know if the charger was the culprit. Love this phone, would hate to have to switch.

Did you change chargers?

 

[Chad Daniels]

Did you change chargers?

Yes,

I have an Official car charger, and will not use the power inverter since that seemed to make the phone hot. I Got a new battery, no root, stock rom. I run 5 miles a day, and I'm taking screen shots of map my run to document the degrading of the GPS (If it occurs again). Will post an update in about a month, since that's about the length of time that the GPS's worked on the other 3 phones.

 

[heraldo]

My first s3 had amazing GPS. Then I dropped it and broke the screen. The replacement unit GPS is crap. After nearly 3 months I called today and they are sending me a new device.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Te GPS didn't work on the stock Rom. I only flashed the Rom and rooted after the issues. The problems started before I did anything to the phone.

Also remember, the first two phones could not get a lock on any satellites. To this day I can't get a lock onto any satellites. Its fine Verizon has acknowledged the issue as widespread and is giving free replacements. I was offered a free upgrade to a razor hd Maxx. I have had the Samsung ominia and my buddy had an s 2.. and I always remembered Samsung devices having GPS flaws. Stoked to get rid of this phone and get the maxx. Having 3 GPS fail out of the box and having several Verizon reps telling me they have had and seen the issue widespread!

Samsungs have a GPS flaw?? No they don't. I only buy Samsung, won't take something else for free and have only bought Samsung for years now, I've never had a GPS problem with one single phone.

 

[KreepyKen]

Samsungs have a GPS flaw?? No they don't. I only buy Samsung, won't take something else for free and have only bought Samsung for years now, I've never had a GPS problem with one single phone.

You clearly never owned a Captivate. Beautiful form factor, but you're more likely to get better GPS reception from a loaf of bread than from the phone. The GPS in my GS3 is spot on all the time.

 

[anon(94115)]

Or a fascinate

Sent from my X-Band Modem... TY Genesis

 

[KreepyKen]

Or a fascinate

Yeah, the Fascinate (Verizon) and Captivate (At&T) were basically the same phone, along with the Epic (Sprint) and Vibrant (T-Mobile). US variants of the original Galaxy S. And they all had GPSs in them that were closer to non-functional than they were to being bad. The biggest reason I chose Android over iPhone was for the turn-by-turn navigation...which was completely worthless on the Captivate. I felt ripped off.

 

[anon(94115)]

yeah i know they were but it shows it was fact GPS and not the network.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Samsungs have a GPS flaw?? No they don't. I only buy Samsung, won't take something else for free and have only bought Samsung for years now, I've never had a GPS problem with one single phone.

You must have never owned one or the original Galaxy S variants ... Every one of them plaigued with GPS issues that never really got resolved to most people's satisfaction.



Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(94115)]

sure they did, they moved most people to another phone...lol

i remember the mass exodus from the fascinate in the forums

 

[YourMobileGuru]

sure they did, they moved most people to another phone...lol

i remember the mass exodus from the fascinate in the forums

Yep and a new batch every time a new software update happened that didn't improve the gps and in general made the phone worse. If I had wanted I could have gotten a free update.to the Charge or one of several other phones if I had wanted.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(94115)]

Yeah i went from fascinate to the charge to the rezound to the SGS3

 

[Kelly Kearns]

You clearly never owned a Captivate. Beautiful form factor, but you're more likely to get better GPS reception from a loaf of bread than from the phone. The GPS in my GS3 is spot on all the time.

I just upgraded my Captivate to my S3. If my Captivate was ever different than my Garmin GPS, the Captivate was correct. Also my GPS would locate my phone to the exact coordinates, not the general area.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747

 

[rong21]

never had an issue with my S3 GPS. I sue it all of the time with my Endomondo app and it hasn't failed yet

 

[YourMobileGuru]

I just upgraded my Captivate to my S3. If my Captivate was ever different than my Garmin GPS, the Captivate was correct. Also my GPS would locate my phone to the exact coordinates, not the general area.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747

Well then you were lucky. Research the forums and you will see tons of GPS complaints about the Captivate, Fascinate, and all of the other GS I series phones.

Sent from my Motorola Droid RAZR Max HD using the Android Central Forums app.