Q: Does iPad 2 WiFi Really Have No GPS???
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Mar 12, 2012 9:57 PMby William Kucharski,Chris CA wrote:
"Found out yesterday apple said GPS in real time would like work with wifi"
What?
If you have an iPad with cell data capability, it has a GPS chip in it that works just fine regardless of whether you have a cellular or Wi-Fi data connection.
A Wi-Fi-only iPad does not have a GPS chip.
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Mar 13, 2012 7:38 AMby BobTheFisherman,garyconrad wrote:
Found out yesterday apple said GPS in real time would like work with wifi.
Gary, I think someone was pulling your leg. Sort of like telling you to go get the "sky hook" from the supply room. Rest assured, the wifi only iPad does not contain GPS hardware and therefore can not connect to the GPS satellite system. And the supply room does not have "sky hooks".
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Mar 13, 2012 8:26 AMby Philly_Phan,Additional elaboration:
GPS signals are separate from and completely unrelated to both the Internet and the cellular telephone network. GPS signals come directly from the GPS satellites. They provide latitude and longitude information to GPS receivers. Navigation software then takes that latitude/longitude info and converts it to land mass, roads, bridges, highways, buildings, etc.
Most navigation software stores the maps right in the iPad/iPod/iPhone but a disadvantage is that the maps must be periodically updated (perhaps once every two years). The Internet is not required to use the system but it is required to update the maps.
Some navigation software gets the maps from the Internet and requires an Internet connection to function but an advantage is that the maps are always up-to-date.
The WiFi+3G iPad and the iPhone both have a GPS receiver. The WiFi-only iPad and the iPod do not and these devices require an accessory.
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Mar 13, 2012 8:27 AMby Philly_Phan,richfromberkley wrote:
Unless you have an external GPS unit attached via bluetooth like a Dual XGPS150 !! Works great when the wifi connections are lost.
It should also work just fine when you do have WiFi. In fact, the location info from the GPS device should override that from WiFi as it is more accurate.
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Mar 13, 2012 8:44 AMby Chris CA,richfromberkley wrote:
Unless you have an external GPS unit attached via bluetooth like a Dual XGPS150 !! Works great when the wifi connections are lost.
Note that there are two things going on.
Location data - The iPad only wifi gets location data ONLY from wifi routers (and external BT receivers if used). iPad with 3G will get location from GPS satellites, cell towers (assisted = A in A-GPS) and wifi.
Map data - In order to use the location data in a map, the map data must be loaded. Some apps will download the is data and can be used with no internet/data connection. This is good for wifi only iPads with an external BT receiver and iPads with 3G (which have GPS) but no data connection.
