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User profile for user: tristankoffee
tristankoffee Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

iPhone 6s - Compass Calibration in Location Services is on every time I wake the phone

I just upgraded from an iPhone 5s (iOS 9.0.1) to a 6s.


Since the upgrade, I've noticed that the location services icon is on most times when I wake my phone and then it disappears after about 15 seconds. When I go into location services it indicates that the only active thing is "Compass Calibration". I didn't ever notice this happening on any of my previous iPhones (I've had a 4 and a 5s). I've seen other threads talking about it being on constantly (which isn't the case here) and they suggested killing all apps, restarting my phone and then performing a reset on the location/privacy settings. I've tried that and it doesn't work.


Has anyone else noticed this behaviour?


PS - I don't really want to get into what the heck this setting does (Google Maps doesn't seem to be able to access the compass if this is off, so I'm not going to disable it), I just don't want it using my GPS every time I wake my phone - it never used to do this!

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.0.1, Upgrade/restore from iPhone 5s

Posted on Sep 30, 2015 9:09 AM

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13 replies
User profile for user: Community User
Community User

Oct 22, 2018 1:05 AM in response to tristankoffee

Same problem here with my Verizon 6s running iOS 9.0.2. Location service is being used whenever I wake my phone.

Turn off "Compass Calibration" and problem goes away, although as OP mentioned, would prefer to leave this on.


I can also confirm that my partners Verizon 6 running iOS 9.0.2 does not have this problem, so maybe it is just the 6s?


I hope a solution comes soon as this is kind of creepy!

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User profile for user: tristankoffee
tristankoffee Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Oct 1, 2015 8:46 AM in response to tristankoffee

I've just updated to iOS 9.0.2 and it's still happening (not that 9.0.2 said it would fix it, but just thought it worth mentioning).


As it's a system service, the icon won't appear by default - you'll only notice it if you've gone to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services, scrolled to the bottom and activated "Status Bar Icon". I've had this activated on all of my previous iPhones (I like to know if system services are eating my battery with GPS)


Has anyone else noticed this or been able to replicate it on their 6s?

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User profile for user: tristankoffee
tristankoffee Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Oct 23, 2015 1:37 AM in response to harold3k

It could still be a software problem; they may simply not have fixed it yet.


If it is a hardware problem, I'm not sure replacing it will help because everyone I know with a 6s has the exact same problem, as well as the fact that "Ludoviclrds" in this thread also demonstrated it to Apple staff in an Apple store on all of their display 6s's. In all likelyhood you'll go through the process of having it replaced and still get the same problem.

It seems to me that it's either a software problem that they haven't addressed yet, or it's a hardware problem present in all of the current batches of 6s's. As there's no official acknowledgement of the problem from Apple it's hard to say.


I will say this though; I don't seem to have any battery problems as a result so, for the minute, I'm happy to wait a little while to see if a post-9.1 update helps.

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User profile for user: vamsi krishnafromsingapore
vamsi krishnafromsingapore
User level: Level 1
0 points

Oct 27, 2015 9:24 AM in response to tristankoffee

Yes true. we had similar problem with iPhone 6 on iOS 8 Motion Calibration was always using location services.

It was not fixed in iOS 8 and fixed in iOS 9.


It seems that Apple has tradition to keep similar problem on latest phone with latest iOS.

This time iPhone 6s and plus on iOS 9 compass calibration always using location services.

Hope they fix in iOS 9 only not in iOS 10

I checked in display phones in Apple Store and same problem exists so assuming that it could be a software bug.

Anyway I didn't notice any battery drain due to this so ignoring as of now.

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iPhone 6s - Compass Calibration in Location Services is on every time I wake the phone

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