GPS Totally Stuffed since iOS 11

Question

Level 1

17 points

GPS Totally Stuffed since iOS 11

Hi All,

Since iOS 11 no apps using locations services such as Apple Maps, Google Maps, Transit etc.. no longer update locations once underground on the subway.

I.e. previously when travelling on the subway the app would update at each subway stop when the phone received cell service again and the map would update the location instantly, this now no longer happens. As soon as you go underground the phone loses GPS signal and reconnects again or alternativly lists the last area where GPS was available and does not update rendering all location services on the iPhone totally useless.

Steps to Reproduce:

Open any location-based App like Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, Transit etc. Go on the NYC Subway or travel and briefly go on flight mode - move to a new location, disable flight mode and the map will not update.

Expected Results:

As an example -> in iOS 10.3.3 you would be able to enter a destination on the iPhone in any mapping app, such as Brooklyn. You would then hop on the subway and as you were travelling the iPhone would instantly update the map as soon as you arrived at every stop along the way, showing your exact location. This would allow you to know when to leave the train.

Actual Results:

As an example from this morning. I entered the subway at 72nd Street in New York. I travelled all the way to Brooklyn (15 stops). Upon arriving in Brooklyn, the GPS still showed my location as 72nd Street and had not updated once.

The only way to get the GPS to update the location is to turn the phone off and back on. Going on Flight Mode does not work, switching off and on location services does not work.

This has been tested on iOS 11.0, 11.01, 11.02 on an iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s - all show the same results. Each one has been factory reset with no restore of data.

In both images attached, I was actually on the Upper West Side at my destination in 72nd Street, the GPS had not updated the entire way.

Version/Build:

iOS 11.0, 11.01, 11.02

Configuration:

iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s

Anyone else have this? How can we bring this to Apple's attention, this is horrendous! The phone has become totally useless.

iPhone 7 Plus, iOS 11.0.3

Posted on Oct 18, 2017 1:27 PM

Reply

Answer 1

remigirr Author

Level 1

17 points

Nov 20, 2017 9:03 AM in response to remigirr

So here is the issue in images, which is still very much present.

When I first got on the Subway, the GPS had absolutly no idea where I was - In fact it thought I was in San Francisco.

Then after about 2 minutes it updated and still had absolutely no idea where I was... in fact I was no where. (In actual fact I was at 42st. Times Sq.

Then 5 minutes later it decided I was somewhere in the upper west side, near home. I had left home approximately 25 minutes earlier. In actual fact, I was now at 14th street in the lower side of Manhattan.

Then all of a sudden, after leaving the subway and going to street level, I had time travelled from the Upper West Side 72nd street to 14th Street all within the same minute.

Apple, this is an absolute joke. How is this still a problem over a month after the release of iOS 11. FIX IT!

Again, this does not only happen to me but our entire office, around 11000 devices are experiencing this issue - iPhone 6 -> 7 Plus.

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Answer 2

KiltedTim

Level 10

196,233 points

Oct 31, 2017 1:22 PM in response to remigirr

remigirr wrote:

Are you serious? What a joke.... Do Apple not look at these forums?

No. They don't. Which you would know if you would have paid attention to the Apple Support Communities Terms of Use.

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Answer 3

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,707 points

Oct 18, 2017 2:19 PM in response to remigirr

There is a small quantity of devices with that issue. The vast majority are fine. In fact, mine runs like a scalded dog. However, if I were having the problem, I wouldn’t tolerate it. I’d take the iPhone to the closest Apple Store for evaluation and resolution.

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Answer 4

remigirr Author

Level 1

17 points

Oct 18, 2017 5:39 PM in response to Philly_Phan

I work in IT and can say that this is not hardware related but this is software related. I have numerous colleagues with similar issues and users within our organisation are all reporting the same problem - This is a bug in iOS 11

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Answer 5

Oct 31, 2017 10:51 AM in response to remigirr

I'm having the same GPS issues. I've noticed the issue when I have been getting on the subway also. My GPS location would get stuck roughly where I got on in Brooklyn and would not update throughout my journey even when cell phone signal was recovered multiple times en route to Manhattan.

In addition been having some GPS issues on my Apple Watch now that I have updated to WatchOS4. The signal often takes 0.5 miles to connect via the Strava app whereas there were no such issues before the update. Not sure if this is a Strava issue or a WatchOS4 issue though.

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Answer 6

remigirr Author

Level 1

17 points

Oct 31, 2017 12:04 PM in response to tintagel74

Finally, someone else in Manhattan with the same problem!

This is clearly a bug in iOS 11. I just saw that there is a GPS fix in iOS 11.1 but it says it is for 3rd party accessories, I am not sure if this refers to apps at all.

Has anyone tried iOS 11.1?

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Answer 7

Dec 20, 2017 6:56 AM in response to remigirr

I’ve had very similar problems with my 7 and the bride’s 7 plus since 11 came out. Accurate GPS is the subway is a pretty new thing, since not every station was set up with a signal, but it’s odd that it was working well and then stopped.

When 11 first came out the overall GPS functionality seemed worse even *above* ground, but subsequent updates addressed that for our 2 devices.

I’ve been in touch with the folks who make the Transit app and it doesn’t seem to be a global issue, I.e. they’ve not received too many complaints.

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