Does sharing your location use cellular data?
iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 8.3
So if I have location services on it uses cellular data even though no other apps are running? I am asking because I have two teenagers and I want to see their locations at any given moment. They are are on a family iCloud account and we are having issues with running over on data usage.
I agree with Philly that unless you are using very large amounts of data and are always at your limits, the location services will not use very much. You might want to review https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203033 which has a section about using location services even on a non-cellular plan device...that device will calibrate the location service function based on available signals. Devices equipped with cellular data will also use the GPS signals but no data if cellular service is off. I was able to use maps on a cellular iPad in Ireland recently without attaching to a cellular data network by just reading the GPS signals.
If you are using this to continuously track family members, it would be good to also monitor your data use...and make sure you are doing this only in iCloud so you minimize the cellular carrier involvement.
Ralph...
I'm kinda wondering about your conclusion. GPS signaling is, of course, completely unrelated to cell signals and therefore does not use cell data. Cell tower triangulation calculations are done inside the phone and does not actually involve sending or receiving data except for the simple knowledge of the existence and location of the towers so, at most, the data use is extremely minimal.
Now the OP asked specifically about "sharing" his location which will involve sending a small message (or messages) and therefore utilizing cell data but, again, the volume is minimal.
In either case, I wouldn't worry about it.
Timmy6+ wrote:
So if I have location services on it uses cellular data even though no other apps are running? I am asking because I have two teenagers and I want to see their locations at any given moment. They are are on a family iCloud account and we are having issues with running over on data usage.
The family iCloud account allows the kids to make purchases on your account. It is not directly related to data usage. You probably have shared data with your cellular provider (AT&T, Verizon, etc.). The iCloud "family" does not have to include the same persons as are on the cell family. If your carrier is Verizon, you can log into the Verizon site and see the usage by each member of the family.
Unless you are using strictly WiFi, location services uses cell tower triangulation and GPS, so will use cell data.
Does sharing my location use cellular data?
