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GPS System on iPhone?

CEAbiscuit

CEAbiscuit

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 28, 2006
534
0
The Kitchen
Can anyone confirm if there will be a GPS system built into the iPhone? I see there is a Maps widget for linkso google maps, etc, but was wonder if there will be a way to use it as a GPS.

I've become slightly addicted to the GPS on my LG 8300 on Verizon (it's the only thing i really like about Verizon). This actually will be a make or break... and no I woulnd't by a GPS system if I already have it in my phone.... defeats the purpose of the all -in-one device. I sure hope the iPhone has it...
 
There should be -- I think every GPS system in phones is based on the cellular network. (calculates ping-times between known towers) I don't think I've seen any actual satellite based systems.

If there is a way to get a 10 year old motorola phone to show your position - there *should be no problem* with the Iphone.

I'm no engineer though.
 
it does NOT have GPS. that is, the iPhone does not know where you are.

Google maps just uses the internet. It's explained in David Pogue's "iPhone FAQs".

But seriously, when you have access to the internet i don't see the point of GPS...
 
ero87 said:
it does NOT have GPS. that is, the iPhone does not know where you are.

Google maps just uses the internet. It's explained in David Pogue's "iPhone FAQs".

But seriously, when you have access to the internet i don't see the point of GPS...
Click to expand...

have you ever used a gps system? Im guessing not and probably don't do ALOT of traveling. If you did you would not make that statement.

when you can see where you're going in real time and it alerts you as to when to turn and where hotels and pretty much everything else is, how can you say the internet is a good substitute. it takes time to look up stuff.

heck lets all just go back to the nice big out of date randy mcnally maps since gps is worthless lol
 
ero87 said:
it does NOT have GPS. that is, the iPhone does not know where you are.

Google maps just uses the internet. It's explained in David Pogue's "iPhone FAQs".

But seriously, when you have access to the internet i don't see the point of GPS...
Click to expand...



Umm I might like to point out that US law requires them to have some way to give you GPS location on all cell phone since I believe by 2005. So the iPhone will have a way to find your location. Verizon and Sprint both use GPS on there phones. The GMS carriers use ping times from 3 towers to find your location. Also if you noticed you can get a nice GPS system on all the phones from cingular that support Java. So yeah they all have it built in.
 
I've never had a problem with just a road map, and I bet my home town is more remote than that of 9 out of 10 of you guys...

But the iPhone form factor looks like it would work well as a handheld GPS.
 
I can't have a road map for everywhere I travel in the US... i also can't bring a gps system everywhere easily. That's what makes the phone GPS so appealing. I would hope this is in Rev B if it isn't included.
 
Hi
Rodimus Prime said:
Umm I might like to point out that US law requires them to have some way to give you GPS location on all cell phone since I believe by 2005. So the iPhone will have a way to find your location. Verizon and Sprint both use GPS on there phones. The GMS carriers use ping times from 3 towers to find your location. Also if you noticed you can get a nice GPS system on all the phones from cingular that support Java. So yeah they all have it built in.
Click to expand...
Your description seems more like A-GPS but I would guess that if the iPhone had this, Apple would tout it.

Taken from Location-based service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the U.S. the FCC requires that all carriers meet certain criteria for supporting location-based services (FCC 94-102). The mandate requires 95% of handsets resolve within 300 meters for network-based tracking (e.g. triangulation) and 150 meters for handset-based tracking (e.g. GPS). This can be especially useful when dialing an emergency telephone number, such as enhanced 9-1-1 in North America, so that the operator can dispatch emergency services such as Emergency Medical Services, police or firefighters to the correct location.
Click to expand...
Doesn't sound accurate enough for turn-by-turn navigation. I'm not at all a cellular or communictions expert and, therefore, I could be way off. Anyone know anything further?
 
Lord Blackadder said:
I've never had a problem with just a road map, and I bet my home town is more remote than that of 9 out of 10 of you guys...

But the iPhone form factor looks like it would work well as a handheld GPS.
Click to expand...

applications im talking about are say being a real estate agent finding homes. or being a salesman who travels all over the country and needs to find certain addresses. sure anyplace is easy if you are famiolar with the area somewhat

i use the nuvi and i think its awesome. its touch screen.....like the iphone! and seriously about the same size
 
it would be great to have that NuVI finctioanlity built in the I phone. From what I've been able to gather, though, it ain't happnin for a bit.
 
If they don't have a GPS chip built in, Apple should allow bluetooth connectivity to an external bluetooth GPS receiver and turn by turn nav. with the Google map software.

The new bluetooth receivers are pretty small.
 
Those "turn by turn" phones offered from Verizon and Sprint/Nextel do not have satellite-based GPS, they all use the CDMA (cellular) network to navigate - and these phones are now a couple years old.

Just because federal law mandates they be at least accurate to XXX resolution - I'm more than certian that the phones are capable of much higher resolution - on par with civillian based satellite GPS.

On an old motorolla startac 7868W I could get resolution to within feet via 3rd party (diagnostic) software. And this phone is a dinosaur.
 
Big-TDI-Guy said:
Those "turn by turn" phones offered from Verizon and Sprint/Nextel do not have satellite-based GPS, they all use the CDMA (cellular) network to navigate - and these phones are now a couple years old.

Just because federal law mandates they be at least accurate to XXX resolution - I'm more than certian that the phones are capable of much higher resolution - on par with civillian based satellite GPS.

On an old motorolla startac 7868W I could get resolution to within feet via 3rd party (diagnostic) software. And this phone is a dinosaur.
Click to expand...

All I know is it works pretty darned well for such a small device. And it's cheap.
 
Id really want an iPhone if it had GPS that would truely converge all the devices I take in my car into one. iPod, Phone and GPS. I have a NUVI right now that is great. if something like that was in the iphone id be getting one asap.
 
ero87 said:
it does NOT have GPS. that is, the iPhone does not know where you are.

Google maps just uses the internet. It's explained in David Pogue's "iPhone FAQs".

But seriously, when you have access to the internet i don't see the point of GPS...
Click to expand...

What happens when you don't have a signal?

IMO Satalite tracking is by far the best option.
 
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