Compass/ GPS never works when I'm at work.

Maybe you're working in the wrong place? 😉

Seriously, why did you add "when I'm at work"? Is there something special about that location?

Phil

Are you trying to use it inside or outside? Inside, it's entirely possible that the GPS sensor can not acquire enough satellites and is, instead attempting to triangulate your location using nearby cell towers. If you are working where it can't get enough towers for a decent fix, you would not get an accurate location.

If you're using it outside, it's more perplexing since the GPS sensor should be able to get a fix.

IF you're outside, maybe "Map" is not drawing correctly for that location and as a result, it only "appears" to be located off site.

The thing that most people forget about GPS is IF you know where you are, what difference does it matter what the GPS shows. Very anal to get too wired up about what the GPS shows in this situation.

Xian Rinpoche wrote:
Are you trying to use it inside or outside?

A very good question!

Phil

I had that problem with three different iPhones 3G Ss and would do it indoors and outdoors
check my post [http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=9818979#9818979]

chewyho wrote:
It keeps showing the wrong location. Maybe half a mile off everytime I'm at work. Anyone else having problems with their compass/maps? Thanks.

If the compass is showing inaccurate direction, or is constantly moving around, that is caused by interference. This happens to me when I'm in my car; essentially surrounded by metal. There also appears to be a software issue in OS 3.0 where the GPS in Google Maps is showing an incorrect location. Hopefully that will be updated within a few weeks.

I don't know whether you've tried restoring the iPhone and "setup as new iPhone", but that may solve the issue.

More likely, it's all the magnets in the car interfering with the compass. If your car has AC, it has some good sized magnets.

Magnets would not affect the GPS.

I didn't say GPS in my post. I specifically said Compass.

Yes, but the OP is asking about a location fix that is independent of the compass. The comments about the compass, though correct, do not answer why the location fix is off by a half-mile.

I suppose I'm trying to get us back to answering the OP's situation as opposed to getting side-tracked on a compass discussion.

Message was edited by: Xian Rinpoche

The person I replied to was not the OP. The person I replied to was commenting about the Compass in his car.

allen099 wrote:

chewyho wrote:
It keeps showing the wrong location. Maybe half a mile off everytime I'm at work. Anyone else having problems with their compass/maps? Thanks.

If the compass is showing inaccurate direction, or is constantly moving around, that is caused by interference. This happens to me when I'm in my car; essentially surrounded by metal.

Yes but the compass has nothing to do with location determination. That's done by GPS which is affected by metal only if sat signals are affected. Generally GPS receivers work fine inside cars.

And he said "at work". Sounds like an office environment where a building might prevent good satellite reception .. again, having nothing to do with the compass.

Phil

If you work in a large corporate environment, or around one, it could be repeaters. I have that issue here where I work. Larger buildings (like the one I work in), especially those where the company occupying it user blackberry's, have repeaters in them to strengthen the signal in all areas of their buildings. While voice works great, this will effect you GPS because although it does use satellite, it also uses triangulation from the closest towers or receivers. Your GPS gets thrown off because the repeaters are probably actually a long way off from the broadcast tower or plate (used inside a lot of buildings), so your location will be viewed as if its from the receiver somewhere else, and not the repeater you are closest to.
Um, I think I made that sensible.

the iPhone gps is not supposed to work indoors and it is not built to do either. it's built for outdoor sub-urbs to medium built urban areas. as for the magnet I think it is assisted by the gps I'm not sure tho. try turning off your location services and if compass doesn't run then u need gps signal for compass to work. this is a digital compass not a magnetic one.

macho_man wrote:
this is a digital compass not a magnetic one.

All you say it true, but this. It is a magnetic compass (as can be seen by running a piece of ferrous metal along the right side of the iPhone in the compass app).

Phil