iPhone 3G GPS Problem

Zlog,

Any chance the date or time was off on the iPhone you returned?

If the date and time is not accurate on the iPhone it could delay significantly the iPhone getting a GPS fix. Significantly could be a 15-30 minutes or more.

O2 does not support automatically updating the iPhone's time. AT&T does.

Hope this helps,

Nathan C.

Ok. So just to be clear, I am not having problems being located with the GPS on Google maps. However, the blue dot does not follow. Rather, it locates and then relocates (often with 5 seconds between relocation).

I think I know what the problem is. The software is not pulling speed and direction information. Rather, it is updating only a fixed position every few seconds. Normal GPS will fill in those location updates with speed and heading and therefore be able to smoothly track you as you move. This seems like a software issue.

Any chance of a fix Apple?

I may have found a solution. I live in Canada and have the same problem with iPhone 3G with original factory code (5A345). To reduce usage on battery, I and my colleagues turned off WiFi.

It looks like the iPhone GPS software needs WiFi enabled (do not require to be associated to AP). Turning on WiFi and going to Maps, now works both inside (very close to our location within 20-50 meters) and outside including getting the blue pin (outside 5-20 meters).

We have confirmed this on multiple iPhone 3G with the factory software. Turning off WiFi leads to the blue location square spinning endlessly most of the time.

Was having very bad gps. Suspected it was only locating me via wifi so turned wifi and 3g off and sure enough the crosshair tool keep spinning but never found where I was.

Problem seems to have been solved by going into General in the settings and turning Location based services OFF

Go back into google maps and it asks will you allow the program to use location services (turning it back on again) - now gps works like a dream pin pointing me exactly - even indoors - with 3g and wifi either on or off.

Does this work for anyone else?

This worked for me too. My phone was already set to never auto-lock, so I set it to five minutes, went back to the main screen, then re-entered the settings and set it again to "never." Then I went back to the Maps app, and sure enough, it correctly picked up where I was.

Immediately before doing this procedure, I had checked Maps, and it had put me in Minnesota (I'm in Denver). So....it seems there is something to this technique...

Does not work for me, I live in central, London and it is not picking up my location at all(iPhone 3G)..

Well, it turns out this issues has not been reported to AT&T (according to the rep I spoke with this morning). I live in Denver and I an working in VA. I have no issues in Denver but I have the same issues *** others on the east coast. Hopefully AT&T will have this resolved soon.

Same problem apple blames att 3g and att blames apple software getting confused.

Mine was working fine 16gb blk on 5b108.

Worked great for 2 weeks then, just started spinning to locate while in New Brunswick NJ. I live on Long Island NY and it worked fine there too.

Was horrible all weekend and on train back to long island but, after getting home and syncing - then using WiFi on - works great at home. Will try in car tomorrow morn.

Hope it's fixed or I'm calling apple care and if that doesn't work - returning

I got the iPhone 3G about a week and a half ago and have never got the GPS to work at all. When I press the locate button, I don't even get the large blue locator. All that happens is the locator button just keeps spinning, that all. I've tried different connection (wifi, 3G, etc), I'ver also tried the various fixes suggested here. Nothing has improved this.

Any ideas?

hmm i was searching for an applebees in NY and i was gettin a map that says im in las vegas....so some poop....idk what happening wth this gps.......hmm maybe the earth poles are reversing at this very moment 🙂

I was very close to finally buying the iPhone 3G in July '08, but something told me to wait even longer than I already had (did not jump on the original iPhone because I wanted GPS, etc).

Well, aside from this post, I have read many articles on the internet regarding this and other issues with the iPhone 3g (Sluggishness navigating iPhone's own apps, settings, etc., Crashes and locking up, etc). As for the GPS issues. some articles state it is a problem with AT&T 3G's system while others blame it on the GPS antenna being too small and unsuitable for GPS navigation.

Another issue is the use of Google Maps rather than a true GPS software with voice guidance. Some articles point again to the GPS radio in the iPhone 3G being inadequate. Others state it is the iPhone SDK agreement not allowing the development 3rd party navigation apps for the iPhone while others state that it is a liability issue.

Well, this brings several questions to mind, but I'll start with this. There is enough rumble going on out there about this issue to prove that it exists. BUT I do not see much from Apple showing that anything is being done. No announcements advising that it is a known issue, where the problem stems from, what is being done (software fix, hardware, etc) if anything. Why is Apple so quiet about this and not offering it's existing and future/potential customers some hope or even a sign that they care?

I for one will not be buying one untill all the bugs are ironed out. I love the iPhone concept, but the iPhone in practice is lacking.

The next quesiton... Why not simply allow for 3rd party GPS apps, and the ability to connect the iPhone to a bluetooth GPS receiver or maybe even one that connects to the bottom of the iPhone? After all, I've been using an HP iPaq Pocket PC with a third party GPS software and Bluetoot GPS receiver for years and L O V E how well it works. I would have bought an iPhone L O N G ago if I could do the same with one.

Just things that make you go "Hmmmm???"

Not just AT&T causing Issues. I too waited until 2.02 software was released, hoping that most issues had been solved and bug fixes applied to this software version.

Not so. I think my iPhone GPS works probably once in 20 tries. It hardly ever gets a signal, and the bar just keeps spinning. Even in wide open spaces with a clear sky, nothing.

Very Disappointing indeed, as this was one of the features I was most looking forward too.

It has got to be software related. Mr S Jobs has stated that there will be another update in September sometime, to solve a lot of issues, including GPS. If the next patch does not solve the problem then O2 in the UK can change my phone until I find one that works... or they can have it back.

In my Experience it's bad enough being a Mac user being treated as live beta tester on occasions with OS X but I want my phone features to work.

G