iphone 5s GPS not working

Question

Level 1

24 points

iphone 5s GPS not working

Does iPhone 5s have GPS (from satelites) and does it work with offline maps, while cellular data and wifi are turned off, like iPhone 4?

I tried the 5s in the store and since it did not have any offline maps. I did the following experiment.

1. Turn wifi, cell data, and location off. Open compas. See no coordinates, as expected.

2. Turn location on, leave the other two off, open compass. Still no coordinates!!!

The same experiment is succesful on iPhone4: The coordinates show up in the compass when I turn the location on.

I actually do not know if it's a 5s hardware or an iOS7 issue. I do not want to put iOS7 on my iPhone4 to test it.

The Apple employees were of course clueless. They do not even what coordinates are.

Can someone explain what's going on. Is it just a glitch of not showing the coordinates or really it does not have GPS and takes the coordinates from the cellular network, like the prehistoric smart phones? I dont care about specs, I need to see it work as expected.

Thanks in advance

Posted on Sep 20, 2013 5:27 PM

Reply

Answer 1

unixnerd09 Author

Level 1

24 points

Sep 20, 2013 5:29 PM in response to unixnerd09

Just in case, it;s not just curiosity, I want to buy a new phone.

Reply

Answer 2

Sep 20, 2013 5:33 PM in response to unixnerd09

Inside it cannot possible get a GPS signal to receive, so no coordinates. If your iPhone 4 has previously been used outside where it could get a decent GPS signal, then it is simply displaying the last known GPS fix. If the store's iPhone 5S has never been used outside, then its initial GPS fix may take several minutes, to locate and lock onto available satellite signals, and then only with a clear and unobstructed view of the open sky.

To answer your basic question, just look at the tech specs for the iPhone 5S - yes, it has a GPS chipset. But to receive signal from the satellites, you'll need to be outside under an open sky. The signals are quite weak and do not penetrate buildings or much of any overhead structure that obstructs the skyview.

http://www.apple.com/iphone-5s/specs/

Reply

Answer 3

unixnerd09 Author

Level 1

24 points

Sep 20, 2013 6:23 PM in response to Michael Black

Good point, I will try again. Likely, the phone in the store has never been outside. Usually, the windows in my apartment are good enough to get some weak signal on my GPs devices (various GPS bricks and iPhones) but the store is indeed a closed space.

I forgot to say that when I turn the wifi on, the 5s gets the coordinates right away. Then I turn wifi off and the coordinates dissapear. It's not like iPhone 4 that retains - like you said - the last known coordinates (or it's iOS7?). That actually would be a good thing I would rather have no blue dot on the map rather than a lagged dot.

Thanks

Reply