LG G3 - Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

[Killa_roo]

Hi all,
I've tried out all the GPS modes (battery saver, high accuracy and device sensors only) but cannot see that big a difference?!

Could someone give a quick run down on when you might use each?

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

I have found that High Accuracy (GPS + wi-fi/mobile data signal) gives a very accurate location, usually within a few meters. Battery Saving (wi-fi/mobile data signal only) is less accurate, usually within a hundred meters, maybe more. I've never tried Device Only (GPS only).

I only turn on High Accuracy on the rare occasions that I use my phone to navigate (and also when I'm reporting cell reception and data speeds using RootMetrics). Otherwise, Battery Saving locates me well enough to give me location-specific information.

 

[Killa_roo]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Thanks B. Diddy!

 

[Gator352]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

I have found that High Accuracy (GPS + wi-fi/mobile data signal) gives a very accurate location, usually within a few meters. Battery Saving (wi-fi/mobile data signal only) is less accurate, usually within a hundred meters, maybe more. I've never tried Device Only (GPS only).

I only turn on High Accuracy on the rare occasions that I use my phone to navigate (and also when I'm reporting cell reception and data speeds using RootMetrics). Otherwise, Battery Saving locates me well enough to give me location-specific information.

How n the flip do you change GPS modes?? I never knew you could?

 

[LeoRex]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Hi all,
I've tried out all the GPS modes (battery saver, high accuracy and device sensors only) but cannot see that big a difference?!

Could someone give a quick run down on when you might use each?

High accuracy turns your GPS on along with network location, so your location is very accurate if GPS is used...it's locating you.

Battery saver turns your GPS off and uses network location only. That locates either the Wi-Fi hotspot you are connected to, or your mobile tower. Wi-Fi location is fairly accurate... Google has mapped pretty much everything at this point. But the mobile tower can be a ways off.

It shouldn't be needed though, apps that don't need feet level accuracy location data, like weather apps, should never poll the GPS, but many do.

Device mode just means that only the GPS is enabled and network location isn't available.

You can access the different modes in your location page under settings.

 

[mhunter6378]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

How n the flip do you change GPS modes?? I never knew you could?

Settings > General > Location > tap on Mode - you should have three options

 

[Killa_roo]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

High accuracy turns your GPS on along with network location, so your location is very accurate if GPS is used...it's locating you.

Battery saver turns your GPS off and uses network location only. That locates either the Wi-Fi hotspot you are connected to, or your mobile tower. Wi-Fi location is fairly accurate... Google has mapped pretty much everything at this point. But the mobile tower can be a ways off.

It shouldn't be needed though, apps that don't need feet level accuracy location data, like weather apps, should never poll the GPS, but many do.

Device mode just means that only the GPS is enabled and network location isn't available.

You can access the different modes in your location page under settings.

Hi Leo,
Thanks for the reply, wouldn't GPS on its own be fairly accurate as well, or am I missing something?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[LeoRex]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Hi Leo,
Thanks for the reply, wouldn't GPS on its own be fairly accurate as well, or am I missing something?

Oh, provided you can get a lock on the satellites, GPS is EXTREMELY accurate (down to a few feet).... but... and this is a big but.... it is also a massive battery hog. There is nothing on your phone, in my experience, that can drain a battery faster than an actively polling GPS. It has to do several complicated calculations several times a second and that adds up fast. If your GPS was active the entire time (i.e. leaving your GPS on uses no power until something uses it by the way) your battery life would be extremely short. Ask anyone who uses turn by turn nav on their phones a lot....

That is where network location comes into play... unlike GPS, there's no calculations needed.... your phone says "There's a hotspot called BillyBobsCrabShack nearby" or :"I'm connected to the XYZ2002 mobile tower" and Google says "Oh, we know where that is, here is your location". You see... those Google Street cars that drive around? Yeah, they also listen for Wi-Fi signals and catalog where they were at the time.... Google uses that, along with other shared location data to build a location database. It uses significantly less power than GPS because it's passive.... the cost is that your phone needs to be connected to a network and it'll wake your phone ( *** sometimes too often). It may not be as accurate as GPS, but the Wi-Fi location can get pretty close.... The mobile location (towers) could be 1km+ off since they pretty much locate you at the tower you are connected to.

The ONLY apps that should be accessing your GPS, in my opinion, are mapping and navigation apps.... OK, maybe an exception is a weather app like Nooly that is supposed to be able to tell you accurately if its going to rain in the spot you are standing in the next 15 minutes or so... but otherwise, everyone else should stay the hell away and use network location only. It SHOULD be baked into the Location settings to white/blacklist who can use GPS, but you have to load custom modules like App Settings Xposed to get that kind of control. But I've run across several weather widgets that ping my GPS just to find out what town I'm in... that's a foolish waste of resources.

*** A note about Google Location Services' battery usage.... even though it uses LESS power than GPS, it can still use up a fair amount of your battery, but in a sneaky way. When your phone is off, GLS can still wake it up to poll for your network location... so apps like Google Now can use that to, say, tell you how long your drive home is going to take later... but waking up your phone all the time has a cost, and it could drain your battery 1% an hour (or more)... which can add up over the course of the day.... 20%, 30%.... Google has done a good job of reducing GLS's impact over past couple of years, but they could still do a few things.... like let me set how often it polls the network for my location (you need an Xposed module to do that now)

OK, I've blathered on an on enough....

 

[Killa_roo]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Thanks Leo,
Just one more question and I promise I'll leave you alone!

So if I was in the middle of nowhere without any signal on my phone but a satellite somewhere above, the 'Device Sensors Only' mode should work right?

 

[LeoRex]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Thanks Leo,
Just one more question and I promise I'll leave you alone!

So if I was in the middle of nowhere without any signal on my phone but a satellite somewhere above, the 'Device Sensors Only' mode should work right?

Oh, don't worry about the questions... I love talking about the technical side of these phones.

Yes... both Device Sensors Only (meaning GPS is turned on and Google Location Services is turned off) and 'High Accuracy' (GPS is still on) mode will both work if you don't have any network or phone connection. If you're standing on top of Mount Everest, for instance.... Now, if an app is hardcoded to only work with network location and not poll GPS... you're SOL in that case.

Here's a little table explaining things:

Device Sensors Only GPS on, Google Location off
Battery Saving GPS off, Google Location on
High Accuracy GPS on, Google Location on

Crazy as it sounds, 'Device Sensors Only' actually has the highest battery usage because it'll force you to use GPS to get your location.

They changed things around a bit in KitKat in an attempt to simplify the options to users... in earlier versions, when you turned on Location services, you had two options to turn on and off; Google Location Services and GPS....From a usability standpoint, the new method, which gives you three options to chose from rather than a combination of two different options, is a little bit easier to manage..... though, they could explain it a little bit better I guess.

 

[Killa_roo]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Thanks Leo, much appreciated!
Will keep it on battery saving until I go hiking in the Himalayas

 

[LeoRex]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Thanks Leo, much appreciated!
Will keep it on battery saving until I go hiking in the Himalayas

Glad I could help...

OH...and by the way... not that it applies to you... but really for anyone that might live or drive out in the boons.... There are a few offline navigation apps out there, like NavFree and MapFactor.... they download offline maps so you can get turn by turn navigation without a data connection. Google Maps can download offline maps, but I don't think you can do directions without being online..... but don't hold me to that.

 

[Gator352]

Re: Is there a huge difference in accuracy between the different GPS modes?

Settings > General > Location > tap on Mode - you should have three options

Never knew you could tap on "MODE"! As soon as I turned on the accelerated by qualcomm, the stock smart notice now pin points my city to a T! Before, it would always pick up a random city near me and GPS was whacked. Now it works!!! Not sure why this isn't on by default but it did the trick! Thank you!