How much time/data does GPS use

DocTerry · Oct 29, 2010

Just got my iPhone4 up and running tonight. Transferred all my iPod apps and games, and it's great! Now I am thinking of buying GPS for my iPhone. I have a question:

Example: I use the GPS non-stop for an hour.

1. Is this using my voice minutes or my dataplan?
2. Does it use the whole hour?. or, Does it simply log on to update data and then log off?
3. And, BEST ESTIMATE, how much time/data will my hour of GPS use?

Thanks,

DocTerry
PS I asked this same question on a different forum and all I got were recommendations on which application to get!

DannyBoy · Oct 30, 2010

It will use data if your using the stock google app. You can track that under settings>general>usage just clear it before you start. But if you purchase apps that have included maps like Tom-tom you won't use any data. GPS doesn't use data just loading the maps... Hopefully all that makes sense.......

DocTerry · Oct 30, 2010

Thanks. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

My plan is only 50 mins voice, but 4gb data, so I can't use anything that uses too many voice minutes. And, worse; we travel to the US frequently--the costs would be horrendous, given the punishing roaming charges.

Thanks again. Actually I am looking at the TomTom and MobileNavigator.

Pocobear · Oct 30, 2010

If you only want to use it in the USA, you have 4gb a month, and you will only be here occasionally. Try MotionX GPS Drive, it can be bought in monthly increments and the maps are downloaded, using your data plan, as you drive, I believe you can pre-download you route on WiFi if you want and save on Data. It's 99cents a month. Check it out on the Apple Store. It has a 4 star rating for the current version.

jen724 · Oct 30, 2010

Not sure how this tracks with what DannyBoy said (he's far more experienced than I am), but I just used my MotionX GPS Drive for a 45 minute test run and it didn't use any minutes. However, I had checked my data usage before I left and it had increased by 17.8mb when I finished, and I wasn't running any other apps.

DannyBoy · Oct 30, 2010

jen724 said:
Not sure how this tracks with what DannyBoy said (he's far more experienced than I am), but I just used my MotionX GPS Drive for a 45 minute test run and it didn't use any minutes. However, I had checked my data usage before I left and it had increased by 17.8mb when I finished, and I wasn't running any other apps.

Yes, you wont use min unless your on a voice call.

DocTerry · Oct 31, 2010

I appreciate the advice. We travel world-wide, and even though we are a couple of old wrinklies we still have a sense of adventure. We have used public transport in China, Japan and Mexico, for example.

So, after intensive (there are some excellent video reviews on YouTube) research decided that either Tom Tom or Navigon would suit. Not sure what it was, but eventually decided on the Navigon.

It seems fine, but haven't had it out of the house yet!