iPhone4 GPS capability

EWyatt · Feb 16, 2011

Does the iP4 have a GPS chip in it, or does it use local cellular antennae versus GPS satellites to resolve GPS coordinates?

I ask because I travel in many rural areas where there is no ATT coverage. Will I lose my GPS capabilities on apps like MotionX GPS and others? Thanks.

dieselpowered · Feb 16, 2011

Great question, I would like to know as well.

quazarteam · Feb 16, 2011

as far as i know, it does have several levels of GPS accuracy. And for ршпруые level it will use GPS satellites instead of cellular towers.

pigeon · Feb 16, 2011

I know with tom-tom I use some sort of satellite feed not data or voice service. So I can turn my phone on airplane mode and still get gps reception (like when I'm in Canada)

Medic3166 · Feb 16, 2011

MotionX uses the cellular network to download the maps as you drive, and the GPS chip inside the phone to track you. If you are in a no-coverage area, you won't be able to download the maps. This app uses only around 19-20mb of storage space.

More expensive apps like TomTom actually have the maps built-in, which is why TomTom uses 1.4gb of storage. I'm pretty sure you don't even need to be connected to the cellular network for TomTom to operate.

pigeon · Feb 16, 2011

Medic3166 said:
MotionX uses the cellular network to download the maps as you drive, and the GPS chip inside the phone to track you. If you are in a no-coverage area, you won't be able to download the maps. This app uses only around 19-20mb of storage space.

More expensive apps like TomTom actually have the maps built-in, which is why TomTom uses 1.4gb of storage. I'm pretty sure you don't even need to be connected to the cellular network for TomTom to operate.

That is correct. Well worth it though

Dj101 · Feb 17, 2011

i thought i was damn sure tomtom worked"off line"...but it did not work in airplane mode when i just tested it.
maybe airplane mode truns off the gps to?and im home not really moving much to verify.

and i thought i would use it as my gps with out service in other countries.
would have been nice to have a all in one device out of town

anyone else running little home tests?

EWyatt · Feb 17, 2011

quazarteam said:
as far as i know, it does have several levels of GPS accuracy. And for ршпруые level it will use GPS satellites instead of cellular towers.

What the ..... is "ршпруые"? Is that something we should get inoculated for?

EWyatt · Feb 17, 2011

Medic3166 said:
MotionX uses the cellular network to download the maps as you drive, and the GPS chip inside the phone to track you. If you are in a no-coverage area, you won't be able to download the maps. This app uses only around 19-20mb of storage space.

.

Thanks Medic... for the info. However, can't you download specific maps for selected areas for MotionX for later use, as you drive or walk? I thought I read that you could. In that way, you wouldn't need cellular data as you traverse.

Just asking....