Any info on whether GPS chip will be in new iPad 3's?

[MiamiC70]

Any info on whether GPS chip will be in new iPad 3's?
NOT AGPS I mean an actual GPS like in the iPhone 4s, etc...

 

[Stetrain]

The current 3G iPads have "an actual GPS like in the iPhone 4s". I would guess the same is true for the iPad 3 (along with GLONASS support like the 4S).

 

[Michael CM1]

Unlikely for the WiFi-only models considering all the other goodies rumored to come. The 3G/4G/LTE models will have it.

And FYI, "assisted" GPS doesn't mean it lacks a GPS chip. It means the system uses more than just GPS satellites to determine location, such as WiFi networks. When I turn WiFi off, my iPhone 4S always tells me that my location can be determined better when WiFi is on.

 

[deeddawg]

NOT AGPS I mean an actual GPS like in the iPhone 4s, etc...

As Michael CM1 says, Assisted GPS (AGPS) is actual real GPS. Understandably, some people mistakenly confuse AGPS with Wifi positioning or cell tower triangulation.

Assisted GPS uses secondary information sources to speed up acquisition of satellites especially in poor or challenging reception situations. It then uses the real deal GPS satellites for positioning.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS for more info.

The iPad1 and iPad2 3G models have AGPS, as it is built into the 3G chip. This is why it's only on the 3G versions. It's reasonable to think that the same will be true for the third generation iPad.

 

[ThatsMeRight]

As Michael CM1 says, Assisted GPS (AGPS) is actual real GPS. Understandably, some people mistakenly confuse AGPS with Wifi positioning or cell tower triangulation.

Assisted GPS uses secondary information sources to speed up acquisition of satellites especially in poor or challenging reception situations. It then uses the real deal GPS satellites for positioning.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS for more info.

The iPad1 and iPad2 3G models have AGPS, as it is built into the 3G chip. This is why it's only on the 3G versions. It's reasonable to think that the same will be true for the third generation iPad.

aGPS really is much better than only GPS.

 

[sammich]

They really should've just named Assisted GPS 'GPS+', then the confusion wouldn't exist.

 

[d0vr]

They really should've just named Assisted GPS 'GPS+', then the confusion wouldn't exist.

I agree. I think there was an iPhone where the location service solely used cellular triangulation and was called aGPS then. No wonder people get confused.

 

[parseckadet]

I agree. I think there was an iPhone where the location service solely used cellular triangulation and was called aGPS then. No wonder people get confused.

You're referring to the update to the original iPhone. It didn't ship with this functionality, but it was added in a subsequent firmware update. Apple referred to this as triangulation, and never even uttered the phrase "GPS" until the iPhone 3G included AGPS. I honestly don't know where this notion that AGPS is somehow worse than GPS came from, nor do I know where the idea that Apple added to that confusion originated.

 

[takeshi74]

NOT AGPS I mean an actual GPS like in the iPhone 4s, etc...

aGPS is GPS. The only difference between aGPS and GPS is that aGPS uses assistance servers for a faster initial fix. It still uses the GPS satellites (all GPS does) to determine location.

Sound like you're confusing tower triangulation with aGPS.

And FYI, "assisted" GPS doesn't mean it lacks a GPS chip. It means the system uses more than just GPS satellites to determine location, such as WiFi networks. When I turn WiFi off, my iPhone 4S always tells me that my location can be determined better when WiFi is on.

WiFi location has nothing to do with aGPS. It's an entirely separate method of determining location. Both are part of location services. The message you see doesn't mean that WiFi is aGPS.

aGPS really is much better than only GPS.

Not always. I've had aGPS receivers that failed to get a fix due to issues with reaching the assistance servers. That shouldn't happen but it can. Keep in mind that better is always highly subjective. I've never had problems getting a fix with my standalone mode GPS devices but my aGPS devices are typically faster at getting a fix.

They really should've just named Assisted GPS 'GPS+', then the confusion wouldn't exist.

There will always be confused people. If people can't tell that aGPS is GPS (it's in the name!) then I don't see how a plus sign instead of the letter "a" will make any difference.