iPhone 6 Motion Calibration Always Using Location Services

I'm pretty convinced that it's not temporary as well, Matthew. It is clearly over-using location services for some people, myself included. Like you, I've had the problem from day 1. As I said above, it uses location services to the extent that it keeps my phone warm to the touch much of the time, even when the screen is powered down. I kept cutting back what was allowed to have access to location services, starting with apps and then moving into the system services with no luck until I hit upon motion calibration. Disabling motion calibration solved the problem 100% and made my battery life A-OK. There's no way this is working as intended.

I strongly suspect that it only a problem for people who have apps that use motion services. I have two apps that want to use motion, Waze and Lose-It. That said, motion calibration still destroys my battery even when I keep those apps closed. Most of my "battery usage" indication is "home and lock screen" because the battery is being sucked down while the phone is turned off in my pocket.

Same here, Colin: Home & Lock Screen account for the majority of my battery usage, which suggests it's sucking down juice using that Motion Calibration (which is also bizarre, seeing as it does so by simply sitting still on my desk...)

Have you noticed any adverse effects since turning off MC? Also, how do you determine which apps are requesting access to Motion Calibration? I only see the Motion Activity setting; is that the same?

I'm making an assumption that motion activity is driving motion calibration. Lose-it is tracking steps (as is the health app, which isn't listed in motion activity, **ahem**) and Waze I'm sure is asking the M8 if I'm driving in a car or not, as that's one of the functions provided:

https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/CoreMotion/Reference/CMMot ionActivity_class/index.html#//apple_ref/occ/cl/CMMotionActivity

It's more complicated probably than just trying to judge your stride length, though that is a functionality that exists:

https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/CoreMotion/Reference/CMPed ometer_class/index.html#//apple_ref/occ/cl/CMPedometer

So, everyone has Health, which uses motion and (I'm unassuming) motion cal. I have 2 other apps. I have been killing them religiously and have them set not to use location services in the background, but that isn't helping. Only turning off motion cal helps.

Also something I noticed, Lose It is only allowed to have location data "while using" but even in the background, if Lose-it is open, location services is running 100% of the time. Something is broken there, as iOS shouldn't be allowing Lose-It to use location data in the background, per its settings, and yet Lose-It is forcing location services to run. My speculation: motion activity is the culprit.

List of threads discussing this topic:

What is, "Motion Calibration" and why is it always running?

motion calibration

iPhone 6 Motion Calibration Always Using Location Services

Thanks, Colin. Good rundown.

I have only one app, RunKeeper, which asks to use Motion Activity. I'm gonna keep that on and see how it works without having Motion Calibration turned on.

I also submitted a bug report to Apple (www.apple.com/feedback), but I'm not holding my breath on that one...

UPDATE:

After turning off Motion Calibration, the Location Services icon stopped appearing constantly. However, it did continue appear every single time I woke the phone, and would stay on for 20-30 seconds. Every time. (My girlfriend's phone and colleagues' phones do not exhibit the same behavior.) Plus, the battery continued to drain more quickly than it used to.

This being a new iPhone 6, I decided to get in touch with Apple. They immediately sent me a link to run a diagnostics test, and sure enough it showed a glitch in the software that indicated a serious problem with battery draining.

My only recourse was to restore and set up as new. We all know how much of a pain that is, but I did it last night, and so far the icon is no longer appearing on every wake up, and does not stay on constantly. And battery life seems to be back to normal.

I'm not suggesting a total restore will work for everyone, but it did for me.

Either way, for anyone who has a new iPhone 6 (or any new iPhone), it is under full tech support and coverage for 90 days. Get in touch with Apple (via your Apple Support Profile, which can be found here: http://supportprofile.apple.com) and see if they can help you out. As they have always done for the last 15 years or so, they helped me.

Good luck.

I have the same problem with an iPhone 6 restored from a 5S: motion calibration keeps the location arrow on always. I just tried something... If I calibrate the compass, the location arrow goes off and stays off for a while, but then it comes back on. A simplistic observation is that calibration is not "sticking".

YYou realise that the compass calibrating when you turn it on by rolling the device is not the compass calibration with location but actually the spirit level calibration based on the accelerometer / gyro. (Swipe left or right to see level)

this is happens each time for accuracy. Always did.

THe he location for calibration on compass is always used also as there is a difference between magnetic north and true north, and I think the app shows true north where calibration allows.

I had the same issue, and contacted Apple support. I was also asked to run the diagnostics test. The solution to my problem was to close all running apps (double click the home button and close every running app). Then turn off the phone the normal way. I waited a couple of minutes before I turned it back on. Then I was told to go to >General > reset > and reset location and privacy settings. Everything is normal now. The constant gps icon in the top right corner is gone. Hope this procedure can help anyone else who have the same problem.

This is most likely because resetting has turned the location status icon off. I have tried all the suggested "work arounds" nothing kills this service unless you actually turn it off. Was on the phone with Apple as well, the guy didnt even have a clue what Motion Calibration was, i had to walk him through the steps to find it....he obiviously didnt have a clue what it was or why its on 24x7.

Nothing to lose, so I tried the "close the apps, restart phone and then reset location" from the lieutenant's post and for the past 1/2 hour the icon is off (while motion calibration is back on due to the reset). Only time will tell.

Tried this again and so far so good. Not sure why this didnt work the first time, but hopefully this does it. Like theo said...only time will tell.

Yeah; you just got trolled by Apple.

Resetting the location settings will have reset the show location icon on task bar for system services to off. So it's still using it you just can't see it.

I posted on this topic around a couple of weeks after iphone 6 plus was officially released.

and I just wanted re-summarize:

1. iPhone 6 plus was setup as new phone

2. motion icon was on all the time

3. Apple support asked to perform location and network services reset - no success

4. Next level of Apple support response after some conversation with engineering was that this motion calibration icon indicates that M8 processor is working and it doesn't necessary mean that GPS is in use. This kind of behavior is according Apple design

I'm not sure how true this response from apple officials but i guess we should stop experimenting and demand official response in writing regarding this motion calibration indicator.

thanks!

Yeah, i definetly spoke too soon. It just took a few minutes to turn back on and start tracking. Completely agree with den778.