I remain baffled as to why Apple doesn't put GPS in the iPod touch. The use of wifi is very spotty and subject to significant erro. It's useless in the countryside. The chips are cheap and space small.
So what's the rationale?
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 4G ram, Model 7,1
Apple decided not to put GPS on the iPod. Period. Purchase an iPod Mini then if you want GPS. GPS does use a lot of battery.
GPS requires a 3G network to connect to. 3G networks require a "data plan" and therefore a monthly bill for that "data plan". You also must have an account with a company that offers the 3G network service, like a cell phone has.
Usually you would simply purchase an iPhone, rather than an iPod, if you are looking for a device with that type of service requirements.
I believe that you are incorrect. GPS doesn't require a 3G network at all. If your GPS app needs maps (like Google map) then you need to communicate across the net which would require wifi or a cellular service. On the other hand, if you are using a GPS (like You Need a Map) then the GPS map data is downloaded when you install the App.
I have a 3rd gen iPod touch and an external GPS receiver from Dual (looks like a cradle for the touch) which allows my old touch to use GPS.
There is no monthly charge for GPS. It's 'free'.
footie, you are correct in that GPS is indepentent of cellular service. However, Apple only provided GPS in their devices that have cellular.
It would be useful if Apple published battery drain specs for the different services like Location Services. I would be surprised to learn that GPS-based location services was a lot more than wifi-based location services. In wifi-location services your wifi is always on and wifi both transmits and receives, whereas GPS just recieves.
From a cost point of view Apple is charging everyone $100 for the increment of 16 GB of flash memory that's available at retail for about $10. Since they go to the trouble of having two different versions of the ipod touch, why not keep the sparse functionality of the current one, up it to 32 GB and move the ipod touch high end to the ipad family.
I still think it's pretty dumb. The iPod Touch is really a iPad micro now.
There's no direct connection between cellular and GPS. Apple made that decision on their own and it's now evident that neither cost nor functionality are constraints.
Garmin, Tomtom, Magellan all make GPS receivers that with touch screen displays as big or bigger than the ipod touch, with all of the maps inside, 8 GB of memory - no cellular required. These sell for $100 or less.
I much prefer to know where I am through GPS without telling ATT, Google and Apple where I am, don't you?
You can purchases a Mini with cellular/GPS and never activate the cellular service. That way AT&T and others will not know where you are.
Thank you. I am also puzzled why Apple iPod touch does not have GPS. If it is a battery capacity problem then just have a switch to turn GPS off. My kindle WiFi uses a lot of battery capacity so I just turn it off when not needed.
My Garmin navigator, which has GPS, is 6 years old, $165 at costco, and except for old maps works just fine. So what would a GPS extra cost if on the Touch, $50 $80?
GPS does place a substantiation load on the battery. It can drain a iPhone's battery in hours.
In Apple devices, GPS is incorporated in the chip that provides the cellular radio connection. Apple charges an extra $130 for iPads with cellular/GPS.
https://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/
Also, as I said before, you really need an internet connection for map navigation since you need to download/update maps. However. there are some map apps that allow you to preload maps when yo have an internet connection
As I said, if it is a battery drain problem do;
1) have a switch to turn it off.
2) when using for navigation have iPod connected to 12v car electrical system.
Most of the time I would be using it to listening to music. No need for GPS there.
Why is a internet connection needed.
1) Maps shouldn't take that much room in a 64GB iPod Touch. Do I have that wrong?
2) My Garmin navigator doesn't have a internet connection and it works fine. All needed maps are stored in memory. How much I don't know.
Maybe GPS chip would make Touch thicker? Seems to be a competition to keep it slim. Maybe the 64GB has tons of software with no extra room for lot of music?
$130 seems excessive but then it is Apple we are talking about. I'll stick by my $50 to $80 as reasonable.
Note: I am looking at the iPod Touch to replace my 160GB iPod classic which, after 8 years, gave out. I used it for listening to music. I could get a 64GB iPod touch for $300 which would work but really the Touch should have GPS. Then It could replace my Garmin which need new maps which costs considerable . I'm not ready to step up to a iPhone with the memory I need for my music, at $850.
Get a used iPhone that is unlocked and use it without a wireless plan.
Get an iPad mini with cellular radio/GPS.
Why doesn't iPod touch have GPS. There's no 'wifi' in the woods!
