iPod touch If no GPS, would it seem feasible to add a digial compass?

[CactusChef]

I briefly touched upon this in another thread, but I've been a little curious since all this talk about a GPS keeps coming up. Do any of you think it would be feasible that Apple might add a digital compass to the touch? It doesn't require any GPS related software.

With a digital compass you'd have instant X-Y positioning since it doesn't require a constant signal to the satellites. It may be less practical since the latter is available in a GPS, but you wouldn't need to worry about losing a signal due to cloud coverage or what have you.

Even though a digital compass is currently only available for the 3GS and not the base iPhone model, do you think Apple would put one in the touch or would the timespan between the iPhone and the touch release date this year not be enough to warrant such a (what seems like) a minute additional feature... (though many thought a camera would never be possible cause it'd be too much like the iPhone).

Yeah, your guess is probably is as good as mine... but I'd like to hear your thoughts/opinions.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I don't see much point in having a compass but no GPS. It's like having your longitude/latitude coordinate but no map.

 

[andybno1]

I never understood the digital compass addition to the 3Gs it seems like just a fancy new thing to maybe boost the iPhone sales...... personally I do not see the point in the compass

 

[gnasher729]

I never understood the digital compass addition to the 3Gs it seems like just a fancy new thing to maybe boost the iPhone sales...... personally I do not see the point in the compass

GPS can't give you directions when you're not moving. GPS knows your position, and knows the position of your destination, but it doesn't know the direction. Only when you start moving it knows your position now, and your position a second ago, and then it is easy to calculate where you are going and where you have to turn.

For example if you parked your car on the side of a road, GPS doesn't know which direction you are pointing. So it can't tell you whether to go straight ahead or whether to turn your car around first. You have to drive a few meters first, which can be a nuisance. With a compass, it would know that immediately.

To the OP: Compass without GPS is rather pointless. The compass measures the direction of the magnetic field around you. It doesn't know where you are. It cannot even point north, because the magnetic field doesn't point straight north, it is distorted depending on your position, which you don't know without GPS.

 

[andybno1]

For example if you parked your car on the side of a road, GPS doesn't know which direction you are pointing. So it can't tell you whether to go straight ahead or whether to turn your car around first. You have to drive a few meters first, which can be a nuisance. With a compass, it would know that immediately.

I stand corrected lol

 

[jmann]

I think a camera would be a big enough upgrade. I think putting a magnometer in the iPod would be silly and would make their cost to make higher.

 

[MTI]

I think a camera would be a big enough upgrade. I think putting a magnometer in the iPod would be silly and would make their cost to make higher.

The 3GS camera module = $10
GPS reciever = $3
AKM's magentometer = <$1