GPS accuracy iOS 13 and/or 11 Pro Max

Hey DexterII,

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities! I definitely depend on Maps to work as expected, and I want to make sure you're able to depend on that as well! I am happy to provide some information and tips for resolving issues with Maps.

Based on the information you shared, I believe the resource below will be helpful in troubleshooting this Maps/GPS concern.

If the Maps app isn't working your Apple Device

Thanks again, and have a great day!

Dear all, please report your GPS Problem to Apple under:

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

As more of us will report a problem as sooner Apple is aware of this and can maybe do some software workaround.

redmonk78 wrote:

Maybe you didn‘t know that iPhone is using GLONASS and GALILEO too.

And even land surveyor, which are using GPS, are working with a much higher accuracy.

Yes, standalone GPS receivers use various techniques such as dual frequency receivers to establish more precise positioning that phones, due to limited real estate inside, cannot.

GLONASS is even less accurate:

GPS: ± 3 to 4m

GLONASS: ± 7 to 10m

Gailileo has a higher accuracy of ±1m, but isn't suitable for navigation at the moment and has a much higher out of service rate.

Here is more information:

About privacy and Location Services in iOS and iPadOS - Apple Support

A summary in one place of my advice:

1. If google maps in the car does not work well for you, insist that Apple replace the phone. If google maps works for you, the phone likely is fine and go on to step 2.
2. Get the invaluable app GPSdiagnostic. Go outside with no trees blocking you and run it. Let all the satellites settle out and acquire (should take a minute or more). It should be green and say + - 16 or 17 feet. If it is significantly higher, insist that Apple replace the phone. If it is fine, then your phone is fine and go on to step 3.
3. Get a hiking app that has GPS filtering. Guru Maps Pro is the one I use (formerly Galileo Pro), there are others.

DexterII, here is my advice repeated from page 9:

A summary in one place of my advice:

1. If google maps in the car does not work well for you, insist that Apple replace the phone. If google maps works for you, the phone likely is fine and go on to step 2.
2. Get the invaluable app GPSdiagnostic. Go outside with no trees blocking you and run it. Let all the satellites settle out and acquire (should take a minute or more). It should be green and say + - 16 or 17 feet. If it is significantly higher, insist that Apple replace the phone. If it is fine, then your phone is fine and go on to step 3.
3. Get a hiking app that has GPS filtering. Guru Maps Pro is the one I use (formerly Galileo Pro), there are others.

I went to Apple Store in Amsterdam for this problem. Short story: the problem might software problem caused by an app on your iPhone 11 Pro, so fully reset and clean up the iPhone 11 Pro will solve the problem. No, you can’t use reserve copy to set up your phone or the problem will be back. Install all apps you have one by one.

And this is the test result using Strava installed on a clean iPhone 11 Pro. I am sitting in my living room for 5 minutes. And my GPS had an episode.

Another example: I walked my dog in the neighborhood and you can see that I walk over a building and on water.

Apple should admit the errors ⚠️ and fix this or compensate.

Similar issue. when I use my old iPhone 6s as a direct comparison you can see strava is miles off.

apple appears to have rendered the iPhone 11 useless as a fitness tracker.

the images attached show a direct comparison (the iPhone 11 is the one that tracked me as being in the sea)

I've been having this issue as well ever since “upgrading” to the iPhone 11 Pro in November 2019. My GPS is overestimating distance by ~14-30% in my running apps and the track is visibly jagged, like it things I’m zigzagging when I run. By accident one day, I ran with the WiFi turned OFF and noticed that my GPS data accuracy improved quite a bit. So, now every time I run, I’ve been turning WiFi OFF and data is much better. This is totally counter intuitive, but it works for me. Of course, that is not a solution, since it would be ridiculous to have to turn WiFi off every time you want to use GPS, but it is a workaround until Apple fixes it. I have reported it to Apple, and they have asked me to send them more data. Below are snapshots of two runs I did. The first one with WiFi on, 2nd with it OFF. I’m curious to know if this works for anyone else.

This is an update to my previous post as it will not let me edit my previous post I spent hours on the phone with AppleCare I admit that it's a huge issue and I don't need a safety issue because should I ever need SOS it shows me so far from where I actually am that it becomes a safety issue also I drive for Uber sometimes it will have you do a u turn out of the blue for absolutely no reason. I did screen sharing with Apple Support and they admitted it is so bad they can't believe what's going on What if I'm driving for Uber and somebody robbed me I hit emergency assist and it shows me so far from where I'm at help would never get there!!

It's so bad in fact that Apple Support despite the fact that they never returned my call from October about this very issue (I called when the phone was a week old and engineering never called back) decided to put a logging profile on my phone because the support agent could not believe how far off my GPS was! While screen sharing

This is why I have such bad problems I am sitting on my patio drinking coffee it is sitting still and it shows that I am moving a at a speed of 1.67 MPH! On a course or direction of travel (the direction it thinks I'm moving in since it thinks I'm moving. this is not the same thing as bearing which is the direction you are pointed in) anyway my course constantly changes my direction of travel 18.20° to 300.40° To 45.18° to 22.53° and so on and my latitude and longitude constantly move even though it's sitting still. Constantly changing course is why it asks me to do U-turns when I'm driving down the middle of the street or suddenly asks me to take a divergence down a side road the phone thinks I changed my direction of travel. (Course) It's extremely dangerous for my Uber passengers as sometime it will want me to take totally wrong turns. My iPhone 8 had zero GPS issues and it sat on the coffee table you show course 0 mph 0 latitude and longitude steady this is unbelievable for this to be a pro product it is a joke

It is so bad in fact the Apple install the logging profile on my phone to figure out why the **** my GPS is so bad

I am just so disgusted in myself for paying so much for a pro phone that is worse than my old phone If anything a pro phone should have down to the inch GPS this is unacceptable Apple offers no apologies nothing and I will bet you 10 to 1 they will not return the call tomorrow like they promised they would they were trillion dollar company you don't mean anything to them anymore you have bought into the iCloud the App Store they know you're not going anywhere despite how bad the phone problem is And will update to the needs of next year just to get rid of the GPS problem you're having now thinking it will be better.

I'm gonna leave some of these pictures here for you guys if I have a head on collision there's proof

this one is sitting still on my patio table for 30 minutes

I have, and Apple has gone through all the trouble shooting with me! I did dfu restore set up as new every time new update has come out my phone has a perfect view of the sky or I would not be complaining.. I simply expect it to have the same accuracy as my older iPhone that is not even a pro model.

I went to at&t to see if my device was losing cell connection, nope and all of the employees there said "wow" your GPS is ALL OVER!! They picked up an iPhone 7 they had did not move an inch both we indoors!!

And that's the problem support said there is a problem somewhere because they have a lot of reports of this even with 4 good satellites it will jump all over strava issued a statement saying that their app is off because the iPhone 11 is not tracking horizontal data accurately

Here is a comparison between the 6s and 11Pro GPS tracking. I walked around my garden and walked a small and a large circle. So far, the GPS tracking of the 6S has worked perfectly. The same tracking with the 11Pro is terrible instead.

I'm sure this post will be deleted like all my other posts, even thought it pertains helpful info into the problem

I did the exact same thing.. upgraded for better GPS now it's affecting my job my other iPhones did not have this gps problem.

I think it's very sad that you will have to buy a new phone because the gps is so bad in the 11 pro (just like mine) even Apple support could not believe how bad it is and installed a location logging profile but they never called back to to tell me what they found like they said they would.. I screen share:"d with support staff MANY TIMES and every time they can't believe how my location spins and jumps 200 feet away and then slowly drifts back.

i think at the very least they should allow people with the problem to return their phone for a refund toward a a phone like an iPhone 8 that I traded in and I have Apple care which caries zero weight with support

I for example upgraded from an iPhone 8 and now with the 11 pro I can't Uber because it is so bad and that's how I make money Uber said it doesn't route rides to people who's GPS appears to be malfunctioning for the safety of passengers.

since Apple support HAS VERIFED there is an issue and reports are replacements phones are no better and I don't have $1200 to put a hold on my credit card to have they swap the phone by mail since all the stores are closed. I think it is only fair that I should have the option of getting an iPhone 8 that I had zero problems with so I could Uber with

Google strava (a hiking app) they have had so many complaints about the gps issue in the iPhone 11 that they are telling customers it is not our fault the iPhone 11 does not track horizontal data correctly.

also check you logs I got a new SIM card like Apple told me too becaue all my calls were breaking up and disconnecting and my logs show that my modem is disconnecting randomly for no reason for milliseconds at a time causing the break ups and sometime phone doesn't even recognize the modem but recently I've been being signedout of iMessage. I have never had this happen with any of my other phones I don't use iCloud just my phone number I called Apple support last night and they said they HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS MESSAGE I called to see if there is a sever issue as there is nothing to sing me out of like I said I use my phone number and you don't even have to have an Apple account for that

in this time of covid the only way I keep in contact with MY 6 brothers and sisters and elderly parents is our group messages but now I'm missing messages and have to reset the phone all day

I have restored set up as new, DFU restored none of that works

best luck to all

Google maps is horrible it shows me on the other side of the road and causes me to miss turns

See how shows me in the turn lane for cars traveling in the OPPOSITE direction I was headed, but at least the compass works right becaue it SHOWS with the blue triangle I am pointing the direction I was really headed and not down the other side of the street!

Ok yea apparently haven't read my messages or others.. THIS IS WHAT RHIS FORUM IS FOR COMPLAINTS AND FINDING USERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM APPLE support offers no help I will keep complaining until a news network picks up that there is a serious problem.. just like they did with th FaceTime bug or Apple does something to correct it that have had 6 months a 4 major updates to address this issue!

i am documenting so Apple knows! If i ever have a heart attack or serious medical issue where I can't communicate and need to use 911 EMS will never find me because I broke my leg and EMS COULD NOT FIND ME because the GPS is so far off from where I am and jumps around all over the place Just like others complains about!

which spot is EMS siupposed to go to?? This is a chart that updates every second for EMS and it shows me far from my location. If EMS can't get to me they can't get to others with covid needing help

BTW IM MORE NEAR RHE TOP