GPS and Maps not working after 3.0 upgrade

It's odd. I can get a GPS signal everytime when using Google Maps on os3.0 - the blue dot drops on my exact location everytime - but when using 3rd party apps, inluding 'MotionX' and 'NAVIGON' - it can't pick up any signal or find any satellites?

As Google maps work - it can't be the hardware - it must be some sort of OS conflict that prevents the 3rd party apps from using the GPS?

Any ideas?

Scoop Corleone:

In Google Maps, does the blue dot pulse (like have pulsing rings coming from it), or is it just the dot with a translucent blue circle surrounding it?

The Google Maps interface has been changed so that you get a blue dot with cell phone triangulation, surrounded by a (usually large) translucent blue circle. More confusing than the original "target" sign, to be honest. You only have a full GPS lock when the dot pulses: if you're getting that in Maps then its working in Maps, but if not it would explain why you have a dot in maps but no satellite response in navigation apps.

Hope this helps.

Ah, I See. The blue dot is static, no pulsing - with the blue circle surrounding it. Therefore, it's obtaining the position via triangulation? Which would suggest the GPS lock is not operating.

A trip to the Apple store I think.

Thanks DeadStar

That, or by Wifi, it appears to be. A good test is to see if it follows you seamlessly while driving, when it does the pulsing dot moves smoothly, when its not it jumps large distances.

Good luck at the Apple Store

I've had a similar problem - after updating my iPhone 3G to 3.0, the GPS function shows my position as miles away. After scouring the internet for days, I found a solution on another forum. Unfortunately, I can't remember which forum it was to post a link and give credit where credit is due. To the original poster - you have my gratitude.

It appears that the problem is caused by the 3.0 software update creating a difficulty with the GPS hardware syncing up with the satellites. Hence the blue location dot getting an inaccurate position from WiFi/Cellular triangulation.

Anyway, this worked for me and also for a friend who had the exact same problem. All location tools behaving normally again - Maps, MapMyRide, etc.

1. Change the auto-lock setting to 'never'. (Settings -> General -> Auto-Lock -> Never)
2. Reset the Network settings. This will delete any stored WiFi networks you have, so afterwards you'll need to re-authenticate yourself to networks (i.e. dig out those passwords again). Also, this will cause your iPhone to reboot. (Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset Network Settings)
3. Once the iPhone reboots, go outside and stand somewhere where you've got a clear, unobstructed view of the sky (i.e. don't stand under a tree). Opening the Maps application will kickstart the GPS sync function. After a minute or so, you should see the blue-locator dot displaying your current accurate position.
4. Set the auto-lock back to whatever you had before (e.g. 1 minute).

Hope this solves the problem for you guys. Very much a pain in the proverbials.

here is a video that explain the issue
and again BOTH iPhones are (3G - 16Gb - Black - 3.0)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoK-rYsVu_c

Something I find interesting in the video, is at the very end the device on the left also looses a signal. But at least it has a signal for awhile, where the one on the right never had a signal in the video.

For what it is worth, I went into the Apple Store, showed a "Genius" my iPhone, and he agreed to replace it (after walking outside the store to test the GPS functionality). I got my new iPhone two days ago, did a complete restore from my old backed up iPhone 3gs, and have not had an issue with GPS since.

The new iPhone 3gs doesn't seem to get "great" reception, but it DOES get reception outside, and indoors if there are not too many obstructions. For me anyway, the problem was fixed with a hardware swap. I also noticed in the store, that some of the iPhone 3gs on display got a good signal, while others sitting right next to them did not.

I am now thinking this may have more to do with hardware then with software. But that still doesn't explain why someone's iPhone 3g worked fine before the 3.0 update, and now does not. Baffling!!!

Same problem to me!
I'm from Sao Paulo/Brazil and my GPS on Maps points to somewhere in USA.
This started after the upgrade from 2.2.1 to 3.0 on my 3G!

My wife has the 3G too, and it's using the 2.2.1 and still works fine!

It's the software!!

Same thing here in Portugal.

I have a blue dot but 1Km away from the location where I'm. And it doesn't move. Worked perfectly with FW.2.2.1

Hi

I'm also having problems with my 3G running 3.0...

GPS doesn't lock at all, just gets an approximate location using cell tower triangulation.

Glad it's not just me - I thought it might have been a hardware problem, but seeing the posts in this thread makes me think it's a software issue with 3.0.

Thanks

Josh

Excuse me for a dummy question...

If I disable WiFi and enable flight mode, there is no GPS functionality on my 3G 16GB with iPhone OS 3.0 ("Current location can not be determined"). If I either switch WiFi back on or disable flight mode, Maps will point to a location that is like 15 m (not Kilometers...) away from where I actually stay.

Does this indicate cell tower positioning is working nicely, but the GPS module is broken? And if so - has anyone in Germany already returned their phone to a T-Punkt and successfully obtained a new one?

CurlyBert wrote:
I've had a similar problem - after updating my iPhone 3G to 3.0, the GPS function shows my position as miles away. After scouring the internet for days, I found a solution on another forum. Unfortunately, I can't remember which forum it was to post a link and give credit where credit is due. To the original poster - you have my gratitude.

It appears that the problem is caused by the 3.0 software update creating a difficulty with the GPS hardware syncing up with the satellites. Hence the blue location dot getting an inaccurate position from WiFi/Cellular triangulation.

Anyway, this worked for me and also for a friend who had the exact same problem. All location tools behaving normally again - Maps, MapMyRide, etc.

1. Change the auto-lock setting to 'never'. (Settings -> General -> Auto-Lock -> Never)
2. Reset the Network settings. This will delete any stored WiFi networks you have, so afterwards you'll need to re-authenticate yourself to networks (i.e. dig out those passwords again). Also, this will cause your iPhone to reboot. (Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset Network Settings)
3. Once the iPhone reboots, go outside and stand somewhere where you've got a clear, unobstructed view of the sky (i.e. don't stand under a tree). Opening the Maps application will kickstart the GPS sync function. After a minute or so, you should see the blue-locator dot displaying your current accurate position.
4. Set the auto-lock back to whatever you had before (e.g. 1 minute).

Hope this solves the problem for you guys. Very much a pain in the proverbials.

Thanks for the info - but this failed to work for me. Tried several times from different positions outdoors (even the **** roof!) and no go - GPS still locating me in the wrong spot. Kinda strange how we've been seeing different solutions popping up here and there and they seem to work for some phones while failing on others - it would indicate that while we all share the same symptoms (wrong location via GPS) that there may be different causes, but all of them related to the 3.0 OS?

Stranger still that Apple continues to be mum on the issue... they will probably release a 3.0.1 patch later this week as i'm driving the hour+ to the apple store to get this **** thing replaced.

I finally found time to upgrade to 3.0 (while having a great time using the GPS function w/ 2.2. As many others in the post I lost GPS after that. I restored to factory defaults (no restore from backup, just plain vanilla as if out of the box): no GPS. This is when I have network signal (T-Mobile), and turned off Wifi, and no 3G, and Location Services ON. When using Maps app, it'd only show me the triangulated location (which was fairly close to where the iPhone was). I confirmed with MotionX-GPS Lite that there was no info from the GPS module. That was the situation for the last 5 days.

Then I decided to change 1 setting: I turned ON Wifi, and didn't let it connect to any hotspot. And the GPS signal picked up and the large blue circle became the usual small GPS circle at the exact location where the iPhone was. MotionX-GPS confirmed the location and signal strenght.

I changed one more setting: I turned ON Airplane mode (GSM radio off, and Wifi off). GPS was no longer available - with 2.2 it would still give location (handy for when you don't need to have a GSM network or Wifi data signal).

Then, after reboot to find out whether there was any influence in the above change sequence, I used the last setting: GPS no signal. Neither Maps or MotionX-GPS showed sign of location data.

Then, turn ON Wifi (while in Airplane mode). GPS not available.

Then, turn ON GSM (not using 3G). GPS signal is back in 10 to 20 seconds. However, MotionX-GPS went from GPS Signal status "coloured bars" to "GPS Offline" message. And it started looking for satellites. Not finding any after 10 minutes.

Turned Location services OFF and ON again. Looked at Maps: GPS works again. (And MotionX shows Triangulation as GPS Signal status.)

Let's see how well it works outdoors. Will report later.

Edward

I spent the afternoon Saturday "upgrading" to 3.0. My current GPS location is now about 2 miles away. ( Previously it was within 100 feet or so. ) Annoying since I use this function a lot out here in the boonies.