Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPod touch gps in the 4G ipod touch
- Thread starter bmw328ci
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Funnily, I was a little scared and impressed when I just saw what my iPod touch was able to track. So much so that I googled something to the extent "Does my iPod touch have GPS" and landed in this thread.
Take a look at this map:
Admittedly, this is Stuttgart city center, but it still managed to not only keep the track within 20 meters (60 feet) at worst deviation and without any map information (the original track was plain GPS data, no map), but also to somehow acquire elevation data (see lower part of the image).
Has there maybe been an update with iOS 6 (which I recently installed) that amps up the wireless hotspot detection? How does this work anyways? The iPod can not possibly have locally stored all the hotspots and it doesn't have internet if it can't connect to the wireless. Does anyone know?
Take a look at this map:
Admittedly, this is Stuttgart city center, but it still managed to not only keep the track within 20 meters (60 feet) at worst deviation and without any map information (the original track was plain GPS data, no map), but also to somehow acquire elevation data (see lower part of the image).
Has there maybe been an update with iOS 6 (which I recently installed) that amps up the wireless hotspot detection? How does this work anyways? The iPod can not possibly have locally stored all the hotspots and it doesn't have internet if it can't connect to the wireless. Does anyone know?
I use the App "runtastic" for running and biking. It can record GPS tracks and I normally have an extra GPS module on my iPod. The weather was so bad this day though that I didn't see a chance for a good GPS signal and left the module at home. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the App was still able to track me quite nicely.
I then just uploaded the logged track and was able to take a closer look at it on the App's homepage (runtastic.com), where it also added the map information. This is just a screenshot of the full-screen-mode of said page.
Oh awesome, thanks! I go running with my iPod Touch all the time and always wished I could somehow track my location, but of course the Touch doesn't have GPS. I'll have to check out this app and see if it will track me at all when on the move.
Can I ask what GPS module you use for running?
It doesn't really depend on the app, they all use the location services provided by iOS. If you're close to a lot of wireless spots (close to a city), it might work fine. In the woods (you can see the missing track on the left of my map) you probably won't stand a chance. There is a "Lite" version of the runtastic app (at least in the German app store), so you can try it first before buying.
I got this "Bad Elf" GPS receiver. It works fine if the weather is great but has the same tracking problems as the built-in GPS modules on my colleagues' smart phones if it's very humid or raining. And it costs $100, which is a lot. (I got mine used and cheaper...)
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
True, but it seems most apps see I'm using an iPod Touch or don't have a GPS signal and disable any kind of tracking. I use the Nike+ app for running all the time and I'm pretty sure it makes no attempt to track my location. I just installed the free version of Runtastic and when I start a run it shows a map with my current location. I'll give it a try later when not at work and see if it moves with me. I run around dense residential streets so there is probably plenty of WiFi spots along the way.