Gallery App Location Wrong

[Peter McCall]

When I use the Galaxy S5 Gallery to view photos taken with the S5 the location data is always way off - maybe 400 or 500 metres.
If I use some other image viewer such as QuickPic or Gallery KK for the same pictures the reported location is accurate. If I copy the pictures to my PC and view them in Picasa or Lightroom the reported location is also accurate.
So why is the Samsung supplied Gallery app so wrong? (I know I could just ignore it and use an alternative app, but its other features are useful to me).
Incidentally, the recent Gallery update if anything made matters worse.

 

[Peter McCall]

If no one has any ideas, could someone please check, using the S5's Gallery app, if the locations reported are correct in their case? Many thanks.

 

[jmagid51]

I'm spot on using the Gallery. Try looking at your GPS settings. I use high accuracy and all seems fine.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Peter McCall]

Thanks for that. Interesting...

The GPS settings are right. If I open the photos with any other viewing app - QuickPic, Google Photos, Gallery KK, etc. - the location displayed is spot on. If I copy photos from the phone to my PC and open them in Picasa or Lightroom the location is correct. It's only Samsung's Gallery that is wrong, and it is wrong even with photos not taken with my S5 - those of my wife's iPhone 5s if copied over and opened in Gallery are inaccurate to the same extent.

I've tried deleting Gallerys' data and cache, stopping and restarting it and so on. All to no avail.

Since hardware can be eliminated, it must be my copy of the app that is wrong. Perhaps it is corrupt and needs uninstalling and then reinstalling. The trouble is I don't know how to delete (uninstall) an app like this that is supplied ready-installed. I thought it could only be done if the phone was rooted, which mine isn't.

Any ideas?

 

[jmagid51]

You can remove all updates and then let them re-install again.

Go to app manager:

Clear Cache
Clear Data
Remove all updates
Force close
Re-start the device
Update app

That should help.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Peter McCall]

Thank you. Alas, no "remove all updates" option. I did reset the entire device and then spent a happy hour or two reinstalling everything. But, guess what, it's still the same!
Typically, how accurate are your 'locations' as provided by Gallery? How many metres? Mine are so inaccurate as to be useless.

What to do, I wonder...

 

[jmagid51]

Mine are less than 50 feet. One thing I do use is "high accuracy" for the GPS. It's a bit of a strain on the battery but it is very accurate.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Peter McCall]

It's not the GPS accuracy, it's the Gallery accuracy.
Once the photo has been taken the co-ordinates are stored in the image's EXIF metadata. You could then turn off GPS completely but still be able to see where the shot was taken. Unless you manually edit its metadata the co-ordinates recorded at the time of the shot never change.
The co-ordinates taken by my GS5's camera are spot on and any other program opening photos taken on my GS5 can pinpoint where it was taken accurately - certainly to within the 50 feet you mention. Only the Gallery app (or my copy of it) can't seem to read the co-ordinates and then figure out what they mean, at least not to within 500 yards.
The way it's going I can see I'll have to root the phone, rip out my copy of Gallery, and beg, borrow or steal someone else's (working) copy.
Any offers?

 

[Bill Bishop]

My US Cellular Galaxy s4 is doing the exact same thing. GPS is spot on in Maps, photos have correct location when downloaded, but are all off the mark in the Gallery app. Did you ever find a solution???


Thanks

 

[Peter McCall]

No, I never got it sorted. As a matter of fact I have a long thread currently running with Samsung support (UK), who seem to be being deliberately obtuse about it.

I had hoped that my experience was a one-off and that I had a corrupt app file, but if you have the problem too, it seems not.
I simply don't understand it: the photo app developers must surely be working off the same API, and every other photo app I've tried gets the address of the location to within 10 yards. The preloaded Samsung Gallery app is way out - over 500 yards - even though the recorded co-ordinates are accurate and, of course, all other apps can open the same photos and get it right.

I wish I had more feedback from other GS5 users. I mean, why has there not been more complaints?

 

[bubbles1st]

Re: Gallery &/or Camera App Location Wrong

I too have the Galaxy s4 put out by Verizon and I have been experiencing this issue. Photo says entirely different street about 2.miles south. I've verified per help screen in both maps & google my location is exact not a lightly colored blue outer ring yet when I use the location tag taking my pic it will show entirely different. It's extremely frustrating and have not been able to remedy problem.


Thanks Barbara B.

 

[Jontydog]

I have the exact same fault unfortunately. Is there not another app that can show the location on the picture?

 

[simond37]

Mines the same. Like you say when you use other software apart from gallery it's accurate. I can even see them on Google maps at the correct place , but geo tagged by gallery as an address 3 streets away. But coming up in the correct location on everything else. It's damned annoying when trying to use it for work purposes.! Fix it samsung !

 

[iseeangelsMickey]

I too have the S5, Verizon, and my gallery has Always had the wrong location on my pics, but like urs other apps are reporting my location correctly. That is,until I got a new weather app a few months ago, Morecast. It also reports my location wrong. Not quite as off as my gallery but it's still Wrong. And I'm not talking a few yards, I'm talking a few streets. 3 blocks to be exact! Did ur exchange with Samsung ever provide u worth an answer to this problem? I believe I'm about to contact them myself, I haven't before now because I was pretty sure how the convo would go. That, and the fact that unfortunately, if procrastination can be done, I will find a way...