Compass....not so good

[hugoleveille]

Is it me or the compass with google maps pretty much suck ? When I just look at the compass app, its seems pretty accurate and the arrow is fixed. But when I use it in google maps, Im almost always off and the map is turning itself very often.

Anyone have this issue ???

 

[fishmoose]

I don't have a 3GS so I cant compare but have you tried testing it with a real compass?

 

[STEVESKI07]

Yes, I'd say mine is off by about 45 degrees at all times. I just pretend that there is no compass so it doesn't piss me off.

 

[sn0warmy]

Yeah I messed with my compass the first day I got my 3GS. I compared it with a real compass and it was noticeably off. Like enough to mislead you very far in the wrong direction.

It appears that Apple didn't even think to test it with a real compass before releasing it. It's a liability for Apple if you ask me. I could just picture someone trying to use it to get out of the woods and get lost/die because of it and then a family member sues Apple for advertising a faulty compass as a selling point which resulted in someones death.

A bit of a stretch I know, but crazier things have happened.

 

[Badfoot]

Isn't there something about calibrating the compass ? Moving it in a figure of 8 or something.

Mine is quite accurate.

 

[hugoleveille]

Mine is accurate in the compass apps, but on google maps it just sucks....

 

[nateo200]

Make sure your not near anything magnetic because it's effected just like a real compass....

 

[thelatinist]

You might want to try calibrating your compass. Mine's pretty accurate in Maps.

 

[Acronym]

Isn't there something about calibrating the compass ? Moving it in a figure of 8 or something.

yup the maps app will even tell you to re-calibrate your compass in a figure 8 motion

 

[a27]

I don't have a 3GS so I cant compare but have you tried testing it with a real compass?

A real compass???
That is so 4th century BC!