Note 8, Android 9, GPS location stops updating

[superheavydeathmetal]

When I begin navigation, everything will work fine for a few minutes. Then, the location will stop updating. I never get a "GPS signal lost" or any other indication that the location is not updating. It just looks like I have stopped moving.

At this point, if I turn off Location and turn it back on, it will work just fine (then back-track for how many miles to get to my missed turn).

This happens EVERY time, which is why I believe it to be a software issue, not a hardware issue.

I pulled up a GPS information application, and it also shows the GPS location not updating, so I do not believe it to be an issue with Google Maps.

Does anyone have any ideas or settings I can reset or clear?

Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

Does this happen in Safe Mode as well? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/android/samsung-galaxy-note8/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-note8

Any power-saving modes on?

 

[convert]

If you Google this issue further, you will find you are not alone and that there is no real solution. It's very frustrating. I have a Note 8 as well that until recently, I had planned to squeeze a 4th year out of. But enter this GPS issue in the middle of urban driving trying to re-route an obvious accident, well, I couldn't just tap my phone to reset. Very dangerous! Now when I voice test on my way home, Google what is my location, it's only accurate half the time. This is useless when I need an in the moment re-route. Samsung is equally useless telling me bring it to a Best Buy which won't solve an obvious software problem. This happened to my Note 3 prompting a purchase. (Ha, upgraded to the doomed Note 7 then ended up with S7 Edge a year until the Note 8 came out). Hmmm. I can't help but agree with the notion that maybe this is intentional to force an upgrade purchase of my nearly $1000 perfectly fine phone. Samsung refuses to acknowledge a problem or fix obviously. Oh. I will have to upgrade, yes, but it won't be a Samsung. I will even give up the stylus I like so well. This isn't worth it. We should be able to get 5 years out of a near $1000 phone. My 5 year old laptop cost less than half the darn phone and works perfectly fine. This is absurd.

 

[superheavydeathmetal]

Does this happen in Safe Mode as well? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/android/samsung-galaxy-note8/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-note8

Any power-saving modes on?

Thanks for your input!
Yes, it does happen with safe mode, and the power mode is "Optimized."

If you Google this issue further, you will find you are not alone and that there is no real solution...

Yeah, I did some digging before posting here, and didn't seem to find any threads with this specific issue. If it is a software issue, then Samsung really doesn't have anything to do with it. But, it could be hardware. I'm not sure.

 

[B. Diddy]

Yes, it does happen with safe mode, and the power mode is "Optimized."

First thing to try is turn off any power-saving and see if the problem persists. If it does, then the fact that it works in Safe Mode suggests something you installed is interfering. Do you have any 3rd party battery-saver, phone cleaner, or "RAM booster" apps installed?

 

[superheavydeathmetal]

First thing to try is turn off any power-saving and see if the problem persists. If it does, then the fact that it works in Safe Mode suggests something you installed is interfering. Do you have any 3rd party battery-saver, phone cleaner, or "RAM booster" apps installed?

This problem does persist when in safe mode. I do not have any third-party apps like you mentioned. I am using "Optimized" power mode, which I believe the only difference between that and "High Performance" is screen resolution and brightness.

I am going to do a factory reset, but I am not optimistic that will help.

Thank you for your continued input.

 

[B. Diddy]

Oh whoops, for some reason I thought you said that it doesn't happen in Safe Mode -- my mistake!

 

[convert]

After seeing Reddit articles and then this one www.bgr.in/news/samsung-galaxy-s8-note-8-gps-issues-users-report-more-913077I wanted to think hardware too but an article written as recently as Sept 6 flat out states how Note 8 and S8 users are reporting the GPS problem and being ignored. I'm done. I still have my Note 8 but I upgraded today to an LG. Yesterday as I was leaving work with Google Maps on in a highly urban area in a major metro city, it outright said searching for GPS and would not start a route home for me. I was just testing it to see. Several times on my hour drive home I asked Google to tell me my location- and it was WAY off by miles. Twice in the last week when I legit needed maps to get somewhere, the GPS just flat out failed- overtly so. I contacted Samsung and the rep was useless-not rude, but just disinterested and apathetic and no help. I told him to please document this and that I know I am not the only one. He acted like it was nothing doing. They could care less. So I just decided the heck with it; if I need to upgrade I will and I will not buy another Samsung phone now or for a long time to come unless I see evidence in the future that their phones have longer than a 2 1/2 year usability span for all the typical functionality given what Samsung charges for their flagships. So I made the best of it- I moved on and got an LG V60 which is a very nice phone and I think I am going to be happy with it so oh well. Anyhow-- good luck- I hope somehow you have better luck. The Note 8 is a nice phone.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

My Verizon Note 8 has been doing the same thing for well over a year, I will stop moving in Google maps randomly while navigating. I just stop and restart the navigation in maps and it works again. Toggling GPS on/off doesn't fix it.

With how horrible Google apps are I always assumed it was an issue with Googles app.

 

[superheavydeathmetal]

After seeing Reddit articles and then this one... The Note 8 is a nice phone.

My Verizon Note 8 has been doing the same thing for well over a year...

Thanks for all of your input, guys! I have isolated the problem to Google Maps. I did a factory reset (which turns out not to have been necessary, but no big deal) and disabled Maps. I then used Waze for several days and never experienced the problem. I then re-enabled Maps and immediately experienced the problem. I then disabled Maps again and have not experienced the issue since.

convert, I completely agree. I love this phone and I dreaded the idea of having to buy a new one. I travel a lot for work so reliable GPS navigation is critical for me.

Oh whoops, for some reason I thought you said that it doesn't happen in Safe Mode -- my mistake!

No problem! Tell Tom Servo I said hi! Thanks for your input, and thank you for being such a significant contributor to this forum!

 

[convert]

Very interesting- so it is isolated to Google Maps. I had not tried Waze in a while to cross reference if the same problem occurred. Well at least it is preserving you holding on the Note 8. I already have the LG and am very happy with it so it's just as well for me- but that is actually something people still with it should take a look at.
If Waze works and you are just as fine with it-- then you are all set for now! That's awesome and I am glad to hear that the GPS locks for Waze and that you can still rock the Note 8!

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Thanks for letting us know it was Google Maps.