iPhone 5s accelerometer/gyroscope/compass values incorrect

[toptip]

BOSCH Sensors in iPhone 5s

I am not a technician but rather an interested but confused iPhone 5s buyer who wants to know if I made the right investment for 900 EUR (here in Germany).

If I buy a technical device/gadget I want to be sure that the new version - is at least - made with the same quality components - if not better ones - than the previous generation (in my case an iPhone 4s).

"Don't fix if it aint broke!"

So in my research I found this newsletter online:
http://newsletter.spezial.de/home/article/146/digitale-beschleunigungs-sensoren

It is in GERMAN and describes the different motion sensors manufactured by Bosch/Germany.
One of those sensors - the BMA220 (ironically) the cheapest one - gets compared to the others from Bosch.
The BMA220 is presumably the one built into the iPhone 5s and is said to have a resolution of 6bit.

The last sentence made me think (I try to translate as good as I can):
"Sensors with a 6-bit resolution are suited very well for simple tasks like Landscape/Portrait switchings of displays or an upside/down recognition (PLUD) of devices.
-> Due to its high sensitivity the high-resolution sensor BMA180 can also be used as a digital (spirit) level."

The BMA180 has a resolution of 14bit vs. the 6bit resolution of the BMA220 supposedly used in the iPhone 5s.
In the iPhone 5 they used a motion sensor from a different company that had 16bit resolution.

So I wonder:
Was the BMA220 ever considered to be used as spirit level by the manufacturer ???
Has Apple chosen the BMA220 because it much cheaper BUT also needs less power in order to work with the new M7 ?

I don't know but maybe that could be the reason why those levels in the iPhone 5s are not as accurate as in the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4s….

Maybe a software update can fix it. I have no idea how it works technically but in my opinion it should not be that hard to tell the software that the readout has to be corrected for a certain amount before it is gonna be displayed in the app. That is what I would call calibration.
BUT I could only accept that when it is corrected SYSTEMWIDE in the iPhone software. It makes no sense to have a calibrated spirit level app when the panorama photo function or games are crooked.

Just my 2 cents…
If they don't fix it in the next 12 days I am gonna give it back in the return period and wait until it is fixed.
I can wait.

PS: My digital level is off 1° but still it bugs me…

 

[FrankB1191]

You bought an HTC One because of a gyro issue? Good luck with that. Hope you like never getting updates....

I bought an HTC One because: my wife bought the last available 5s, the ONE was on sale at Best Buy for $50 (Verizon), I'm not a big Android fan, but it had 4.2.2 installed, machined aluminum body looks almost as nice as the iPhone, has really neat features, but isn't crammed with too much useless crap, etc. My wife held onto the 5s until the 14th day, and paid $200 for her HTC. We both wanted the 5s after watching WWDC, but decided not to take the risk that Apple would have solution. The first two 5s updates came out quickly, and fixed the problems. I really hope that Apple comes through for their loyal customers, but we don't see any sign of that yet.

Still loving our iPads and rMBP, so we haven't abandoned Apple.

 

[WolfSnap]

ITT: Everyone uses their iPhone as a precision scientific instrument.

 

[gCloud]

Does any one know if apple is still replacing the iphone 5s with gryscope problem? or it depends on wich store do you visit?
I am still worried that my iphone 5s will be faulty and apple be hidding that it is a hardware problem.....

so u haven't got it yet and looking to replace it when all people who replaced got the same problem? bit OTT no?

 

[FSMBP]

ITT: Everyone uses their iPhone as a precision scientific instrument.

Yeah or the fact that lots of games/video recording apps use the accelerometer/gyroscope.

I get you're saying this isn't a big deal but this isn't a bug that affects just the leveling app. It affects a lot of common/everyday use ones.

 

[gsxrq]

anyone got a new one that works correctly yet ?

 

[krspkbl]

ITT: Everyone uses their iPhone as a precision scientific instrument.

Use a 5S to play a racing game or take a panorama photo then you'll see why people are complaining.

 

[richard371]

There are some that claim they have a perfectly calibrated 5S but it appears only about 10 percent are perfect and there is no pattern that the latest ones from Foxconn are fixed.

anyone got a new one that works correctly yet ?

 

[DMoggo]

I'm receiving a replacement tomorrow........I won't hold my breath that it's better but will let you all know.

My current one is reading -3 and -2.

 

[wxman2003]

Also, dont forget this messes up panoramic photo shots too. As you are taking the pano shot, you are suppose to move the phone and keep it level with the line. If the level is off by 5 degrees, you are not going to take a very good pano shot, especially a 180 degree or more shot.

 

[rkahl]

There are some that claim they have a perfectly calibrated 5S but it appears only about 10 percent are perfect and there is no pattern that the latest ones from Foxconn are fixed.

10%? Where are you getting these scientific based results?

 

[FrankB1191]

ITT: Everyone uses their iPhone as a precision scientific instrument.

ITT: You were among the first to report yoir 5s was off several degrees. I can understand people getting defensive about this issue, especially if your return period has expired. We weren't brave enough to take the chance. I even shifted our 401k over to mutual funds on Sept 19. Saved myself a lot of losses.

 

[richard371]

You again. There is a poll in another thread and you should know about it since you are so interested in this issue.

10%? Where are you getting these scientific based results?

 

[Morac]

Use a 5S to play a racing game or take a panorama photo then you'll see why people are complaining.

From my testing panorama photos work fine. Likely because it uses relative angles instead of absolute ones. This can be tested by opening the level and spinning yourself around.

Gaming is a problem though.

 

[rkahl]

ITT: You were among the first to report yoir 5s was off several degrees. I can understand people getting defensive about this issue, especially if your return period has expired. We weren't brave enough to take the chance. I even shifted our 401k over to mutual funds on Sept 19. Saved myself a lot of losses.

I don't understand why people were beyond their return period if they knew there was a problem. How could you not know there was a problem if it was that bad? Could it be fixation?

 

[i-aamir]

Mercenary - did you get your replacement via ups today? What's the verdict?

 

[slowturn]

My guess is Apple will add a manual calibration in settings that require you to put the phone on flat surface and press a button. It will remember the offsets and apply them to any applications calling the API for the sensors.

I already returned my iPhone 5S Gold and waiting for the real fix at factory before buying again. I prefer not to have a software workaround.

It may affect your resale value when you're selling one of the units that require software workaround to get accurate readings. Apple will wait until after their 30 day return period before announcing the software fix.

 

[mr.p4]

so u haven't got it yet and looking to replace it when all people who replaced got the same problem? bit OTT no?

I got my iphone 5s on launcha day! Mine is -4 degrees off. I have an iphone 5 and 4s and both are perfet. My problem is that I dont want to stuck to a iphone 5s with hardware problem. I pay a lot of bucks to get a faulty iPhone. I dont know why apple did not aknowledge this problem already.

People in this forum are saying that after they got the replacement at genius bar they got an iphone 5s with the same issue. I dont want to go to an apple store and get a replacement with the same problem.

I think apple must say something to all customers and not be silent.

 

[KPOM]

I bought an HTC One because: my wife bought the last available 5s, the ONE was on sale at Best Buy for $50 (Verizon), I'm not a big Android fan, but it had 4.2.2 installed, machined aluminum body looks almost as nice as the iPhone, has really neat features, but isn't crammed with too much useless crap, etc. My wife held onto the 5s until the 14th day, and paid $200 for her HTC. We both wanted the 5s after watching WWDC, but decided not to take the risk that Apple would have solution. The first two 5s updates came out quickly, and fixed the problems. I really hope that Apple comes through for their loyal customers, but we don't see any sign of that yet.

Still loving our iPads and rMBP, so we haven't abandoned Apple.

Apple usually doesn't admit there is a problem until after they've fixed it. I'm guessing this is a firmware issue given the interaction between the new M7 and the different sensor used in the 5s.

If your wife hadn't read the Forbes article, would she have any any idea that the 5s was "defective"? If not, it seems like a waste of effort. Plus, the HTC One is just now getting 4.3 when 4.4 is coming out later this month. 68% of iOS devices are running iOS 7, which came out less than three weeks ago. Unless you are running a Nexus device, getting updates for Android is hit or miss.

 

[richard371]

It will have no effect on resale value. If they include this feature in an ios patch it will be available for all phones. If it fixes the issue then it fixes it so how is anyone going to know or care what the out of the box reading was before it was calibrated. Besides most people wont even know or care about this issue unless apple announces it and they most likely won't do that.

I still believe this is a calibration issue but still it's up to apple how they want to fix it.

My guess is Apple will add a manual calibration in settings that require you to put the phone on flat surface and press a button. It will remember the offsets and apply them to any applications calling the API for the sensors.

I already returned my iPhone 5S Gold and waiting for the real fix at factory before buying again. I prefer not to have a software workaround.

It may affect your resale value when you're selling one of the units that require software workaround to get accurate readings. Apple may wait until after their 30 day return period before announcing the software fix.

 

[gCloud]

I am not a technician but rather an interested but confused iPhone 5s buyer who wants to know if I made the right investment for 900 EUR (here in Germany).

If I buy a technical device/gadget I want to be sure that the new version - is at least - made with the same quality components - if not better ones - than the previous generation (in my case an iPhone 4s).

"Don't fix if it aint broke!"

So in my research I found this newsletter online:
http://newsletter.spezial.de/home/article/146/digitale-beschleunigungs-sensoren

It is in GERMAN and describes the different motion sensors manufactured by Bosch/Germany.
One of those sensors - the BMA220 (ironically) the cheapest one - gets compared to the others from Bosch.
The BMA220 is presumably the one built into the iPhone 5s and is said to have a resolution of 6bit.

The last sentence made me think (I try to translate as good as I can):
"Sensors with a 6-bit resolution are suited very well for simple tasks like Landscape/Portrait switchings of displays or an upside/down recognition (PLUD) of devices.
-> Due to its high sensitivity the high-resolution sensor BMA180 can also be used as a digital (spirit) level."

The BMA180 has a resolution of 14bit vs. the 6bit resolution of the BMA220 supposedly used in the iPhone 5s.
In the iPhone 5 they used a motion sensor from a different company that had 16bit resolution.

So I wonder:
Was the BMA220 ever considered to be used as spirit level by the manufacturer ???
Has Apple chosen the BMA220 because it much cheaper BUT also needs less power in order to work with the new M7 ?

I don't know but maybe that could be the reason why those levels in the iPhone 5s are not as accurate as in the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4s….

Maybe a software update can fix it. I have no idea how it works technically but in my opinion it should not be that hard to tell the software that the readout has to be corrected for a certain amount before it is gonna be displayed in the app. That is what I would call calibration.
BUT I could only accept that when it is corrected SYSTEMWIDE in the iPhone software. It makes no sense to have a calibrated spirit level app when the panorama photo function or games are crooked.

Just my 2 cents…
If they don't fix it in the next 12 days I am gonna give it back in the return period and wait until it is fixed.
I can wait.

PS: My digital level is off 1° but still it bugs me…

do we know for a fact that the sensor in the 5 was 16-bit vs a 6-bit in the 5s?
if so, I don't see how the eagerly awaited software update will compensate for that.

 

[richard371]

I don't think it's the lower quality sensor that's the issue. I think it's the calibration of this new sensor that isn't done or done properly. The reason being mine is -3 on back and side and it does not fluctuate at all. If I compensate for the error when playing games or calibrate the apps that let me then it works as well as the previous iPhones in my opinion. Just let me calibrate the thing to 0 on its back and side and I'll be a happy camper.

If apps like I handy can do this then apple can allow us to do it globally from the API level and issue is resolved.

do we know for a fact that the sensor in the 5 was 16-bit vs a 6-bit in the 5s?
if so, I don't see how the eagerly awaited software update will compensate for that.

 

[tharepairguy]

Look, part of the problem is self defeating. You chose to live where you do. There's inconveniences all around because of that. A good friend of mine, lives in Wyoming, the closest grocery store is over an hour away. No complaints from him. So anything related to inconvenience for you, is part of the territory. There are other options.

As far as "precision" devices. $1000 is pretty mediocre, all around. If you are talking about scientific precision, then consider $10,000 to $100,000. This includes, radio scanners, Ethernet packet scanners, surveying equipment.

For a smartphone, you are talking about a lot of precise functioning components are working for a $1000. The level, and compass is worth about $7 or so. And that's what you get, a ho hum level/compass.

Frankly I would never put my life on the line with a smartphone compass, no matter the maker. However give me a physical compass and a calibration map, then we are talking. (keep in mind, magnetic north, can fluctuate by 8 degrees across the continent.)

The precision comment was in reference to the power button rattle, not the camera lens that also has been known to make a noise. If your going to tout about 'precision' in your ads and commercials, it's usually good to backup that claim...

 

[rkahl]

The precision comment was in reference to the power button rattle, not the camera lens that also has been known to make a noise. If your going to tout about 'precision' in your ads and commercials, it's usually good to backup that claim...

Apple wishes you would just go android.

 

[U4icLab]

The precision comment was in reference to the power button rattle, not the camera lens that also has been known to make a noise. If your going to tout about 'precision' in your ads and commercials, it's usually good to backup that claim...

Exactly. That sums up my frustration 100%. Where is this 7.0.3 : /