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JRAG24 Author

Level 1

114 points

iPhone 8 GPS problems

On both Google Maps and Apple Maps, the gps doesn't seem to keep up. The apps start up fine but once I start driving the GPS becomes erratic and loses me. Both navigation apps can't seem to locate me unless I re-start the app over and over again. I thought it was a buggy iPhone 8 so I took it back to Verizon (where I bought it) and it was swapped out for a new one, and the new one started acting the same way the moment I hit the road. I haven't used any icloud backups, I set up both phones as new iPhones each time I activated them. I also factory reset my day old iPhone twice before taking it to the store for replacement. The replacement (new) phone has the same issue. Help!

iPhone 8, iOS 11

Posted on Sep 23, 2017 6:01 PM

756 replies

intelo2

Level 1

9 points

Nov 15, 2017 6:45 AM in response to intelo2

I want to follow up and say that my short success of removing the phone from the mount, and holding it no longer works. It truly seems like when it loses signal, and you pick the phone up and move it around, it can regain a GPS signal. In addition it seems like something in my car my be interfering with the signal.

I would imagine the culprits being either AM/FM radio, XM Radio, my car's own GPS signal, or an EZ-Pass.

Nov 15, 2017 11:21 AM in response to JRAG24

And there was me thinking it was just me... :/

iPhone 8... Frequent rotating maps, jumping to the wrong route and problems finding location initially, plus the radius on Google Maps is greater than that on my ipad, which doesn’t have GPS (admittedly inside, but...). All my settings are correct (WiFi and BT) and it’s in the same position as I used a Motorola G4 and an 7 with no GPS issues.

Come from a Note 5, which was notorious for poor GPS, and was hoping for but not noticed any improvement sadly.

Just wanted to add my statistic.

Thanks

diodes123

Level 2

432 points

Nov 15, 2017 11:26 AM in response to JRAG24

iPhone 8 doesn't have GPS as far as I know. It uses AGPS instead, witch I don't like because it USES CELLULAR DATA. The point is, no signal = no GPS. Thats as far as I know. You could also contact Apple at 1-800-MY-APPLE

Nov 15, 2017 11:39 AM in response to diodes123

diodes123 wrote:

iPhone 8 doesn't have GPS as far as I know. It uses AGPS instead, witch I don't like because it USES CELLULAR DATA. The point is, no signal = no GPS. Thats as far as I know. You could also contact Apple at 1-800-MY-APPLE

That's not the way AGPS (assisted GPS). The GPS on the iPhone 8 will work without cellular. It just may not lock on as quickly if it can't use the cellular signal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS

The iPhone an also use several other location systems:

Assisted GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS

Note that map data may require a data connection. There are navigation apps that will download the maps for offline use.

springf

Level 1

14 points

Nov 16, 2017 4:49 AM in response to JRAG24

Just to add stats here, my iPhone X has exactly same problem.

basically the Maps are useless now during driving as it doesn't lock the GPS.

my wife's iPhone 6 locks immediately and provides a smooth navigation.

I have tried all the tricks so far:

install iOS 11.2 beta 3 - no use

hold phone - no use

hold phone in landscape/portrait, no use

reset network settings - no use

reset location & privacy - no use

set region to somewhere else and set back - no use

too all users that have problem, do you have an Intel modem or QC modem?

mine is Intel.

Nov 16, 2017 4:58 AM in response to springf

This is becoming laughable. I know I notified Apple of this problem on 9/30 and they didn't take it seriously for another 3-4 weeks. Now, I'm once again waiting on a phone call for an update on whether there will be a solution while Apple continues to pretend like this isn't a problem telling people to just swap out their phones.

In the past two weeks I've spoken directly with Apple corporate about this, and every few days I get the same update, that they have no update, no timeline, and they'll get back to me in a few days when they should know more...I've stopped holding my breath.

springf

Level 1

14 points

Nov 16, 2017 7:02 AM in response to intelo2

ok. so the modem is not an issue here.

iOS 11.2 beta 3 is available for iPhone x as long as you download and install the beta profile..

i think now iOS is universal? doesn't differtiate between devices.. although some feature may not avaiable for a specific model. like the 3d touch App switcher is not available on iPhone x.

intelo2

Level 1

9 points

Nov 17, 2017 7:02 AM in response to springf

IOS 11.1.2 was released last night. If anyone was wondering this didn't fix anything. I recorded an interesting video that seems to support my car interfering with the GPS signal on the iPhone X. When the car is on, the GPS signal disappear, but when I turn the car off I get signal within a few seconds.

iPhone X GPS Issue - YouTube

Nov 17, 2017 7:38 AM in response to JRAG24

I just wanted to throw my hat into the ring on this.

We have three iPhone X, 2 on ATT one on Sprint. They all demonstrate the issue, mine and the sprint phone both use magnetic mounts but the other ATT phone does not and has never.

I have had trouble with this while using the mount and while not using the mount, the problem is also persistent across three different cars and in different seats, including the back seats.

As it is getting colder out I have not been out walking as much to test away from the car but my experiences have led me to believe it is not related to the cars.

We experience this issue mainly in the Pokemon Go app but I am sure other apps would also have the issue if I were to use them regularly, I have found that quickly switching to another GPS based app and then back can often times fix the issue but only for a minute or two.

IOS 11.1.2 has not resolved the issue as others have already stated.

One theory I have is a possible heat issue. Pokemon Go makes phones run very hot so this sounds plausible. Also anyone using a dashboard mount may have direct sunlight heating up their phones, I don't know if this is repeatable by anyone else or if they can show that the phone also messes up while cold or not.

Either way I am really hoping for a fix soon and I hope it can come through software or Apple is gonna have alot of very upset customers.

swalter6

Level 1

12 points

Nov 18, 2017 10:38 AM in response to JRAG24

Just an update on my open case with Apple. They escalated my case to engineering on 11/14 and scheduled a follow-up with me yesterday 11/18.

They had no update when they called me and said that engineering was yet to respond to my case. Starting to get frustrated with the response....

Nov 18, 2017 1:36 PM in response to JRAG24

I have the exact same issue. Got my iPhone X exchanged- the new one suffers from poor gps as well. It’s having difficulty keeping up in both google maps and Apple maps.

I reported this to Apple support already. Hopefully not hardware related.....

Nov 18, 2017 5:34 PM in response to JRAG24

The replacement iPhone 8+ (GSM only model) that I got from the Genius Bar two weeks ago, has been working fine with all of the navigation apps. It came with iOS 11.0 installed and even with that version, the GPS was fine out of the box, so my original phone definitely had a marginal or defective GPS. The loss of GPS signal was consistently reproducible by walking outdoors under California clear skies, so car interference or environmental factors could be ruled out.

Nov 19, 2017 6:50 PM in response to JRAG24

I’m seeing something similar with my iPhone X. Using turn by turn directions I’m regularly advanced beyond the next turn before actually getting to the corner. Or sometimes I’m suddenly rerouted with maps thinking I’m a block or two away from where I actually am. Really annoying when on a highway and suddenly maps thinks I’m on a parallel side street. Hope that 11.2 fixes things.

pfhm

Level 1

13 points

Nov 21, 2017 12:31 AM in response to JRAG24

Same issues here with iPhone X. The GPS is very inaccurate and unstable. I need some kind of usable guidance from Apple. Is there an software update on the way or should I turn the phone in for exchange? Apple support was no help at all over the phone.... Software or hardware problem, please??????

verdejt

Level 1

42 points

Nov 23, 2017 10:33 AM in response to HereIsTom

Here is long reply to you saying that Wifi and Bluetooth have no effect on iPhone GPS. They do in fact have a huge impact. Read below.

Michael Gray, Sr. Software Engineer, NYC. Gadget Afflicted

Answered Dec 10, 2014

GPS devices don't "connect" to the satellites. They just listen.
GPS is kind of an ingenious design. GPS satellites are "low-earth-orbit" satellites. Each satellite broadcasts on a specific channel, so the phone can tell immediately which satellite it hears. At it's simplest - the GPS satellite sends the current time. (It sends a lot of other stuffs too, but it's really just a fancy, high precision clock).
But the device has some logic that says... if this is satellite X and it's time T, than satellite X must be exactly in this spot in the sky right now. (Or at least where it was WHEN the message was sent from the satellite). It basically takes that time stamp, and satellite identifier, and maps it back to where it expects the satellite to be. (All that other data that is sent helps devices deal with things like satellite drift, etc).
But the device listens for multiple satellites. And the satellites are SO far away (20km above the earth, but maybe much farther from where you are at the moment) that the messages arrive "late". Each timestamp from each satellite arrives at your phone at a different moment. But if you have at least 3 or 4 signals (from 3 or 4 satellites) you can figure out exactly where you are in relationship to those satellites. (You can also use it to set your local clock!)
So there is no "connection" going on - it's just listening.
Of course, GPS has issues - if you are inside you may not be able to hear enough signals. (They can be blocked by buildings). It also has a "lock-in" issue where you actually have to be listening for a few seconds or more before you have enough information to announce "success".
Most cell phones actually use "Assisted GPS". This is the same algorithm, but adds information from nearby cell towers (their position and the area of the world it serves) - which can help speed up the lock-in time, and can reduce the number of required satellites to get an "Acceptable" result.
But the interesting thing is Wifi based location -it can often be FASTER and more reliable than Gps or cell tower triangulation. That's because wifi hotspots are so small. And in big cities you can be surrounded by Wifi hotspots. Wifi is especially great in those big city buildings (that are blocking the GPS signals). BUT - Wifi location almost always REQUIRES an active data connection. Your phone may cache a few hotspots that it has seen before, but the database of wifi-hotspots is huge and constantly changing. So you really need to talk to that big location server in the cloud to figure out where you are. iOS8 adds bluetooth also.
So modern location services (like in Android and iPhone) are taking a pile of RF readings - GPS, Cell Tower, Wifi and Bluetooth, and is routinely pinging all of those those values to an external location service on the internet somewhere. It doesn't send a lot of data (it won't eat up your data plan much), but it does it frequently enough that it can help drain your battery. It tries to be efficient about how often it needs to connect to the server, and how much it can infer based on it's existing cache. But the combination of the data connection and the processing power can eat away at your battery.

iPhone 8 GPS problems