all5horizons
Level 1 (2 points)

Q: iPhone 6s iOS 9.2.1 GPS Problem

I recently purchased an iPhone 6s and have iOS 9.2.1 installed.  I am unable to navigate while using either Google Maps or Apple Maps while driving - the app will have my vehicle way off to the side of the road, and it updates my position much slower than my vehicle is moving (and usually in an inaccurate manner).

 

I'm in the United States (Honolulu, Hawaii), and while I've heard that European users have had issues with their networks accurately positioning them with LTE over network carriers, I haven't seen this in the US.

 

I spoke with Apple Support and visited the Genius Bar at the local Apple Store - ultimately I reset my phone as a new phone (manually reloading my apps, vice restoring them from an iCloud backup).  The issues with GPS persist though, and nothing has changed.

 

I'm convinced its a hardware issue and need to have a new phone issued, though if anyone has any suggestions or ways they tackled similar issues I'd appreciate it.

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.2.1, GPS Problems

Posted on Jan 23, 2016 7:15 AM

by all5horizons,Solvedanswer
all5horizons all5horizons
Level 1 (2 points)
A:

Update: After resetting my phone to factory specs, my GPS wasn't fixed.  Ultimately I returned to the Genius Bar and they returned my iPhone 6s for a new one, and the problem was completely solved.  I'm able to navigate on both Google and Apple Maps.  It also fixed an issue I was having with Bluetooth - I'd have to have my phone right next to the wireless speakers to work, and now I'm back to an acceptable signal range.

 

From what I can tell, even though the Genius Bar diagnostics returned no issues, the problem was hardware related (and not due to any iOS updates).  For others going through similar frustrations, hopefully you can returned your phone for a new one.

Posted on Jan 31, 2016 10:59 PM

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all5horizons

Q: iPhone 6s iOS 9.2.1 GPS Problem

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  • Helpful answers

  • by wayindebt,

    wayindebt wayindebt Jan 26, 2016 1:25 PM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2016 1:25 PM in response to all5horizons

    I have this exact same problem, though I have a iPhone 6.  If I recall, this problem showed up sometime with iOS 9.1.  I am currently running iOS 9.2, I have not updated to 9.2.1 yet.  I also am having WIFI connectivity issues as well.

  • by Ameahm01,

    Ameahm01 Ameahm01 Jan 29, 2016 10:36 AM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 29, 2016 10:36 AM in response to all5horizons

    I am using iPhone 6- iOS 9.2.1; recently started to observe problem with GPS ; it Works sometime and doesnt at others. Sometime restart work , Its totally random. I couldn't figure out the issue.

    -Does genius bar was able to diagnose any issue with hardware ?

    -If its hardware issue , will it be covered under warranty .

     

    i Will go to Apple Store and try to figure out the problem.

  • by jennamdot,

    jennamdot jennamdot Jan 31, 2016 6:12 PM in response to Ameahm01
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 6:12 PM in response to Ameahm01

    Hi there, I am having the same issues... I visited the Apple Store today in hopes of a solution and the tech advised me to reset all my settings and if that did not work, then I needed to do a complete factory reset. I followed these instructions and none of these steps solved the problem. However, in Google searches it seems that we are not the only one running into this GPS issue, especially after upgrading to 9.2.1. The Genius Bar associate suggesting buying a new phone today and thank goodness I did not, because I could be out $300 right now when clearly this is a software issue.

  • by jennamdot,

    jennamdot jennamdot Jan 31, 2016 6:22 PM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 6:22 PM in response to all5horizons

    Hi there, I am having the same issues... I visited the Apple Store today in hopes of a solution and the tech advised me to reset all my settings and if that did not work, then I needed to do a complete factory reset. I followed these instructions and none of these steps solved the problem. However, in Google searches it seems that we are not the only one running into this GPS issue, especially after upgrading to 9.2.1. The Genius Bar associate suggesting buying a new phone today and thank goodness I did not, because I could be out $300 right now when clearly this is a software issue. It seems Apple is staying mum on this one, until the true problem is figured out. Please let me know if you are able to fix this issue and how youve done it. Until then, looks like we're stuck without GPS on otherwise perfectly looking phones.

  • by all5horizons,Solvedanswer

    all5horizons all5horizons Jan 31, 2016 10:59 PM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 10:59 PM in response to all5horizons

    Update: After resetting my phone to factory specs, my GPS wasn't fixed.  Ultimately I returned to the Genius Bar and they returned my iPhone 6s for a new one, and the problem was completely solved.  I'm able to navigate on both Google and Apple Maps.  It also fixed an issue I was having with Bluetooth - I'd have to have my phone right next to the wireless speakers to work, and now I'm back to an acceptable signal range.

     

    From what I can tell, even though the Genius Bar diagnostics returned no issues, the problem was hardware related (and not due to any iOS updates).  For others going through similar frustrations, hopefully you can returned your phone for a new one.

  • by iPhone 6er,

    iPhone 6er iPhone 6er Mar 22, 2016 11:43 AM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 22, 2016 11:43 AM in response to all5horizons

    Same problem.

    Tried all kinds of resets and on off cycling.

    my phone is 1.2 years old.

    NO gps weak Bluetooth. 

     

    Apple help us!!!!!!!

  • by SteveYosh,

    SteveYosh SteveYosh Mar 24, 2016 2:25 PM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 24, 2016 2:25 PM in response to all5horizons

    I had the same problem happen to me two weeks ago when I updated to 9.2.1. I usually never update until its a major change or I hear good things about it. This time I just happened to. Never again. I took my phone to the genius bar and did basically the same thing as what everyone else has done. Reset this reset that, restore, blah blah. Problem still here. Genius said its hardware since a clean swipe didn't resolve it. But what if my phone is having issues with 9.2.1 (including 9.3)? Clean swipe installs the current newest OS. I've tried downgrading to pre-problem iOS (9.1) but of course, Apple phased them out so it doesn't allow it anymore. There's no way of finding out for sure if it was the OS or not. Of course warranty JUST expired so I was told I can trade in the phone for a new one. Normally I wouldn't make a fuss about it but seems way too common for it to just be random hardware issues. Somethings up.

  • by hhbaby!,

    hhbaby! hhbaby! Mar 30, 2016 7:04 PM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 30, 2016 7:04 PM in response to all5horizons

    Hi I have been having the exact same problems as you for the part 3 months and I was wondering if you were under Apple warranty when they issued you a new phone?

  • by dsfreire,

    dsfreire dsfreire Apr 8, 2016 11:12 AM in response to all5horizons
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 8, 2016 11:12 AM in response to all5horizons

    i'm having the same problem here: poor wifi and Bluetooth and no gps signal. Hard resetting and factory restoring didn't work. Since my iPhone is 1.4 years old, I'll have to pay BRL 1,500 (USD380) to get a new one.

    thank you apple!

  • by yves france,

    yves france yves france Apr 14, 2016 6:28 AM in response to dsfreire
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 14, 2016 6:28 AM in response to dsfreire

    i have a new iPhone 6s and in France with Orange same problem appears with ios 9.3... send back the phone to Apple but they checked and returned the iPhone with "no problem" detected...