Please confirm or reject my observations on the GS3's GPS....

[Bbeelzebub]

1- Being connected to Wifi give you an instant lock obviously.
2- When cold booting the GPS (meaning starting it up after a restart or having the GPS off), it may bounce around on the map for a bit (anywhere from 3-15 seconds) while it hunts down satelites.
3- You get a quicker lock outside or in the car generally.
4- Once you get a good lock, each time you go into maps, it is much quicker and accurate at pinpointing your location provided you don't restart the phone or turn off/on the GPS toggle.


I'm trying to make sure my GPS is functioning correctly. I never have issues on my Galaxy Tab 10.1 (but that's always on Wifi so of course there is no problem) and I don't recall ever paying much attention to how long it took for a lock on my old Droid Incredible. I tried pulling it out to compare just now, but since the only way I can use it is WiFi, of course its instant now. Doh!


I compared my GS3 with my dad's GS3 and it seems to be about the same. The only thing I observed was he already had a lock when I opened maps where I hadn't yet so once I cold started both and checked, they behaved identical. They bounced around a lot trying to lock (eventually they do, but it takes a bit), but if I went into the yard, they locked instantly. After that, they've been spot on though after that initial lock.

Does this sound about normal?


Thanks! (Oh, and sorry for the lengthy post, just trying to figure out if I'm being OCD or if there is an issue. LOL )

 

[worwig]

Install the app called GPS Status. The GPS hardware is one of the possible LOCATION services.
WiFi has NOTHING to do with the GPS. But it is used by Google LOCATION services.
Then there is the Verizon LOCATION service based on cell towers.
The actual GPS requires a fairly clear view of the sky to work. It can take some time to build up a catalog of satellites to accurately determine your location. The GPS Status app has the ability to clear and download new data to help it work quicker.

 

[Bbeelzebub]

Thanks, I'll check out that app!

 

[richardpandy]

Wifi does play a role with GPS. It isn't required but it makes lock ons faster than basic GPS. Using no wifi and being outside it takes my phone anywhere from 5-15 seconds to get a good lockon. When I am on wifi, within 3 seconds and it doesn't matter if I am inside or outside. Here is an article from 2008 that briefly talks about it Where GPS won’t do, WiFi triangulation might | Ars Technica

 

[bjboucher]

1- Being connected to Wifi give you an instant lock obviously.
2- When cold booting the GPS (meaning starting it up after a restart or having the GPS off), it may bounce around on the map for a bit (anywhere from 3-15 seconds) while it hunts down satelites.
3- You get a quicker lock outside or in the car generally.
4- Once you get a good lock, each time you go into maps, it is much quicker and accurate at pinpointing your location provided you don't restart the phone or turn off/on the GPS toggle.

All of this is totally normal, except for probably #1. Wifi just uses data to find your IP address and gets within the vicinity of where you are. Doesn't really do anything for GPS, google maps uses it to help locate you though. 2, 3 and 4 should be pretty self explanatory, of course GPS will lock on better outside, it needs a clear view of the sky to locate satellites. Unless you are near a window, you probably won't get a very accurate lock (or any at all) while you're inside. If you've used GPS recently, it does normally lock on a little quicker if you re-use it.

 

[worwig]

Wifi does play a role with GPS. It isn't required but it makes lock ons faster than basic GPS. Using no wifi and being outside it takes my phone anywhere from 5-15 seconds to get a good lockon. When I am on wifi, within 3 seconds and it doesn't matter if I am inside or outside. Here is an article from 2008 that briefly talks about it Where GPS won’t do, WiFi triangulation might | Ars Technica

Not really.....

You are misinterpreting what you read. WiFi is not GPS. Is I said, and that article says, WiFi CAN be used for location. That is not GPS. GPS is a satellite receiver in the phone. And in fact, this phone has both GPS and Glonass satellite reception. It can also locate off of cell towers, and it can locate off of WiFi. (if you have those services turned on in the settings)

WiFi and cell tower location are not GPS. GPS is not WiFi or cell tower.

 

[jneusch]

To answer the OP's questions, mine functions very similar to yours. I usually leave GPS on and I rarely restart my phone, but when I have it does take a few extra seconds to lock on. In all honesty, I am impressed at the speed and accuracy of the location services of this device. Compared to my old Droid Charge, the GS3 functions at an entirely different level.

 

[Suntan]

Not really.....

You are misinterpreting what you read. WiFi is not GPS. Is I said, and that article says, WiFi CAN be used for location. That is not GPS. GPS is a satellite receiver in the phone. And in fact, this phone has both GPS and Glonass satellite reception. It can also locate off of cell towers, and it can locate off of WiFi. (if you have those services turned on in the settings)

WiFi and cell tower location are not GPS. GPS is not WiFi or cell tower.

If you feel you must take this discussion to an entirely too literal level, then you are wrong. GPS is an acronym for "Global Positioning System." In other words, a system that tells you where you are on the globe. When Google services uses your wifi to identify where you are on the globe, your wifi system *is* working as part of a GPS.

In any case, the system of 24 American satalites used in the "GPS" system are actually part of the "Navstar" program. The satellites themselves are called Navstar Satellites. The actual project was named "Navstar-GPS" which then degraded into the general shorthand of just "GPS." Further, there were a number of land based global positioning systems prior to space based ones you know today (Omega Navigation and MOSAIC come to mind) so a GPS system can be satellite based, but not all GPS systems have to be satellite based, even though people use the term as such. Sort of the same way people call tissues Kleenexes, even if they aren't Kleenexes.

As to the OP, it sounds like your phone is working the same as all of ours.

-Suntan

 

[chevyman29]

mine averages 10 seconds from a cold start INSIDE my home . and to me compared to my other phones in the past its as good or better than anything ive used so far . and thats mostly moto devices.

 

[cwbcpa]

I am very interested in these comments. I have had times when my gps picks up my location quickly but takes a few minutes to bring up navigation after I select my destination. It says "searching for gps" for a few minutes. Anyone have this issue?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

 

[jneusch]

If you feel you must take this discussion to an entirely too literal level, then you are wrong. GPS is an acronym for "Global Positioning System." In other words, a system that tells you where you are on the globe. When Google services uses your wifi to identify where you are on the globe, your wifi system *is* working as part of a GPS.

In any case, the system of 24 American satalites used in the "GPS" system are actually part of the "Navstar" program. The satellites themselves are called Navstar Satellites. The actual project was named "Navstar-GPS" which then degraded into the general shorthand of just "GPS." Further, there were a number of land based global positioning systems prior to space based ones you know today (Omega Navigation and MOSAIC come to mind) so a GPS system can be satellite based, but not all GPS systems have to be satellite based, even though people use the term as such. Sort of the same way people call tissues Kleenexes, even if they aren't Kleenexes.

As to the OP, it sounds like your phone is working the same as all of ours.

-Suntan

Don't forget good ole Loran-C for you mariners. Sorry I couldn't resist, lol!



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[truenoob]

I am very interested in these comments. I have had times when my gps picks up my location quickly but takes a few minutes to bring up navigation after I select my destination. It says "searching for gps" for a few minutes. Anyone have this issue?

I'm in the same boat here. Sometimes the GPS locks on quick, sometimes not. Sometimes it takes a looooong time. Quite frustrating when it doesn't lock on since navigation won't start until the GPS locks on. I cleared the device cache this past weekend to fix a battery draining issue, so I"m hoping the GPS gets better over time as I user it more. Why do I think that? I have no idea. I'm really just hoping cause I really do like this phone.