Q: Does iPad 2 WiFi Really Have No GPS???
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Mar 10, 2011 6:29 PMby Wallace Mac,Although no one else in this thread seems interested in seeking pre-March-11 information from Apple, I did call Apple Care a second time and spoke with Andrew who placed me on hold to confer with a technical supervisor who he felt would certainly know the answer to the question posed in this thread, and when he returned to the line Andrew said that the WiFi-only iPad 2 will definitely have a GPS receiver chip built into it, unlike the iPad 1 model. Andrew invited me to request through "apple.com/feedback" that this information be added to the specifications for the WiFi-only iPad 2, and I did, but who knows when such a feedback request will receive attention? Again, I invite everyone who just wants to declare that the iPad 2 (WiFi-only) will not have true GPS capability to test their position with available Apple information. Of course, tomorrow night I guess everyone can look at the physical device, if he or she wants, and SEE what is present. -
Mar 10, 2011 7:11 PMby kjk,Well, here is "available Apple information":
The iPad 2 Wifi does not have a GPS. The GPS capability is part of the 3G chipset, and is only present in the 3G iPads.
The iPad DOES have a digital compass
http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
The iPad 2 Wifi DOES have location services. It just doesn't use cellular/GPS data to find locations-just wi-fi where available.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4084 -
Mar 11, 2011 7:15 AMby BobTheFisherman,How many times must it be said? The wifi only iPad 2 does not have GPS. Here are the specs. Scroll down to the "Loaction" section. http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
In case you miss it. Here is that section for you.
Location
Wifi Only
* Wi-Fi
* Digital compass
Wifi+3G
* Wi-Fi
* Digital compass
* Assisted GPS
* Cellular -
Mar 29, 2011 3:01 PMby Elenex,Watch the video, it answers those who have an iPhone 4 and a iPad2 Wifi only. GPS does work through the phones signal.
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2011/03/wi-fi-ipad-2-gets-gps-when-tethered-to-iphone -using-personal-hotspot.html -
Apr 28, 2011 3:49 PMby nimble99,You're all wrong.
Apple monitors all cellphone conversations on the iPhone, and the microphone on the iPad.
An Apple employee listens to ambient sounds and when you use the Apps application he/she plops a pin in your general location.
Now we can put this one to sleep.
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Apr 30, 2011 10:27 PMby Slick Cat,Here's what I can't figure out: when I first asked my wifi iPad to find my location, it couldn't do it. That led me to this forum, where I was a little disappointed but had my answer. But now it can find it. That, despite the mapping app thinking that my house is not quite in the right place on my street. How does it do it? I'm going to have to walk down the street and see what it does...
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May 3, 2011 10:43 AMby MyApple8MyPC,THANKS Elenex for your post! I was about to buy the 3G version of iPad but now I see that I can simply tether to my cell phone for the GPS part. THANKS to Apple for adding Personal Hotspot to iOS.
So to be clear, the Wi-Fi only version of iPad 2 does NOT have the GPS chip, but it can still use GPS apps when connected through your 3G phone. The phone gets the GPS signal and sends it to the iPad. Life is good :)
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Jun 1, 2011 6:49 AMby Maflagulator,Just as a heads-up for people who watched that video showing a WiFi-only iPad tethered to an iPhone and getting the GPS information......while it IS true that it does work, it still does not work the same way that you would come to expect with the way that the iPhone.
Where you have the iPhone and its A-GPS, it constantly tracks you as you move in real time. I have tethered my WiFi-Only iPad and have done the "trick" in the video shown. As you hear him mention, it updates randomly about once a minute. I tried mine again last night and noticed it update between 10 seconds to 60 seconds. A co-worker of mine has a 3G iPad and I personally verified that it does it fact behave just like the iPhone's A-GPS does in the native "Maps" application.
This might not be an issue for most....and if you're simply using your iPad as a Navigation System with the "Maps" application, then you'll find it is "good enough". However, if you are expecting it to be able to track your EXACT location, and small movements in small detail, (such as through a parking lot, or open feild), then you will definitely want the 3G model. What this also means is that turn-by-turn Navigation applications are rendered completely useless. I have one that doesn't even show maps, but shows lots of GPS data such as MPH, distance traveled, trajectory-heading, etc. and is not even useable when it only gets information every minute at most instances.
I have the first iPad 64GB WiFi-only model....I'll be updating to a 3G model for sure when I go to the iPad2....or 3.
