Compass Interference on iPhone 3GS!

[Mork]

I didn't use to have this problem on my iphone 3GS and I'm not sure it was the iOs 4 update, but whenever I open the compass app, I get the nasty "Compass Interference" message.

I've had this interference message in the woods while walking, in the car, everywhere.

I've waived and waived in the indicated figure 8s until only another iPhone user could understand what the heck I'm doing with my iphone...but these figure 8s haven't fixed the interference problem...

I've tried the hard reset, turning off/on the iPhone (thanks Windows for making me think "reboot"), but nothing so far has helped.

So, what's the deal getting the compass to actually ... work again?

Other apps, like "AroundMe" don't work either as a result of the compass problem.

Thanks in advance!

-- M

 

[mysticbluebmw]

I didn't use to have this problem on my iphone 3GS and I'm not sure it was the iOs 4 update, but whenever I open the compass app, I get the nasty "Compass Interference" message.

I've had this interference message in the woods while walking, in the car, everywhere.

I've waived and waived in the indicated figure 8s until only another iPhone user could understand what the heck I'm doing with my iphone...but these figure 8s haven't fixed the interference problem...

I've tried the hard reset, turning off/on the iPhone (thanks Windows for making me think "reboot"), but nothing so far has helped.

So, what's the deal getting the compass to actually ... work again?

Other apps, like "AroundMe" don't work either as a result of the compass problem.

Thanks in advance!

-- M

I've had that problem since the 3GS launch. I don't think the compass has ever been truly reliable , and I've never been able to go more than about 30s w/o doing figure 8's. I think, quite frankly, you were lucky not having too much of a problem with it before iOS4.

 

[Tom G.]

I found the compass on my 3Gs very reliable and only had to do the "wave" when I was near large masses of metal or radio interference, like inside my car with the radio blaring. I would plug the phone into the cigarette lighter and drive for miles using Maps without incident.

 

[Mork]

I found the compass on my 3Gs very reliable and only had to do the "wave" when I was near large masses of metal or radio interference, like inside my car with the radio blaring. I would plug the phone into the cigarette lighter and drive for miles using Maps without incident.

Interesting. I have no idea what's changed, but it's not working at all anymore. Maps? Forget it, won't work either.... I'll have to use a GPS app.

Thanks for your reply.

- M