An explanation of each of these system location services? ...

[cmeisenzahl]

I'm trying to find a fairly detailed explanation of what each of these system location services does and is for? I haven't found much Googling around, anyone know of a good article or explanation?

Thanks very much in advance,
Chris

 

[Kyotoma]

Uhh. They're pretty self-explanatory.

-Cell Network Search uses your current location to determine the closest cell tower for your device to connect to.
-Compass Calibration uses your current location in order to calibrate your digital compass.
-Diagnostics & Usage uses your current location when logging system errors and crashes.
-Location-Based iAds is just that: advertisements based on your current location.
-Setting Time Zone uses your current location to determine which Time Zone you are currently in and then syncs your system time to match it.
-Traffic uses your current location to give you priority traffic updates in the Maps.app.This in theory only activates when "Show Traffic" is enabled when the Maps.app is open, but I've found iOS to be pulling your location data at odd times for this.

 

[cmeisenzahl]

Perfect, thanks. ;-)

Uhh. They're pretty self-explanatory.
-Cell Network Search uses your current location to determine the closest cell tower for your device to connect to.
-Compass Calibration uses your current location in order to calibrate your digital compass.
-Diagnostics & Usage uses your current location when logging system errors and crashes.
-Location-Based iAds is just that: advertisements based on your current location.
-Setting Time Zone uses your current location to determine which Time Zone you are currently in and then syncs your system time to match it.
-Traffic uses your current location to give you priority traffic updates in the Maps.app.This in theory only activates when "Show Traffic" is enabled when the Maps.app is open, but I've found iOS to be pulling your location data at odd times for this.

 

[Fuchal]

This isn't exactly true... all of these can be disabled with no loss of features or functionality.

While Cell Network Search may help improve in actual network search, it appears to be more for diagnostic purposes only. Your phone will find networks fine with it disabled.

I also haven't seen any improvement in compass calibration with it enabled. It's possible it's also for diagnostic purposes logging where calibration fails.

Your phone will set it's time from the cell tower automatically even with this option disabled.

Traffic is not for displaying traffic to you but for LOGGING traffic data from your device. It turns on automatically when you are traveling in a car and records and transmits your speed data to Apple for use in reporting traffic data to others.

There's no real reason to turn any of these off unless you're a security nut, I suppose. But none of these services actually add any value to your experience specifically.

 

[Tea-Aholic]

This isn't exactly true... all of these can be disabled with no loss of features or functionality.

I also haven't seen any improvement in compass calibration with it enabled. It's possible it's also for diagnostic purposes logging where calibration fails.

Took me the hard way to realise, but with Compass Calibration disabled, True North inclination is disabled through Compass.app and probably throughout the system where the compass is utilised.

BTW, the screenshot posted by the OP is photoshopped. It has iOS 5 menus (round switches) with an iOS 4 status bar (the first signal bar should be higher in iOS 5 and later iOS 4 version after the antennaegate keynote).

 

[thelookingglass]

This isn't exactly true... all of these can be disabled with no loss of features or functionality.

While Cell Network Search may help improve in actual network search, it appears to be more for diagnostic purposes only. Your phone will find networks fine with it disabled.

I also haven't seen any improvement in compass calibration with it enabled. It's possible it's also for diagnostic purposes logging where calibration fails.

Your phone will set it's time from the cell tower automatically even with this option disabled.

Traffic is not for displaying traffic to you but for LOGGING traffic data from your device. It turns on automatically when you are traveling in a car and records and transmits your speed data to Apple for use in reporting traffic data to others.

There's no real reason to turn any of these off unless you're a security nut, I suppose. But none of these services actually add any value to your experience specifically.

Yep, agreed. The worst part is that all these services are on by default and the indicator symbol in the status bar is OFF. This means by default you won't know when these services are on. This has caused well-documented and major battery life uses, particularly with the Setting Time Zone feature. For some people, this never turns off.