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A-GPS(adaptive/assisted GPS) can only be used with the mobile phone network because it uses the cell tower locations to to triangulate a very coarse location. This is why the few phones that have a real GPS have a separate GPS chip (Ti GPS5300 90nm for example is used in the Nokia N95, which came out the same time as the first generation iPhone) but the performance is often not that good, and GPS requires good line of sight. Good for outside, absolutely useless inside. A-GPS can actually work indoors if picocells are used inside the buildings.

What's been happening is that GPS either gets integrated into the bluetooth/wifi/nfc radio or it gets integrated into the 3.5G/4G radio part. The only logical reason we haven't seen the 3.5G/4G radios being integrated into some unified radio chip is because of patents (see MMI) and the quagmire of different barely-standardized radio bands. WiFi, Bluetooth, nfc, gps and glonass all operate on specific frequencies that don't change country to country.

A-GPS is "real GPS". It uses the cell phone network to bootstrap the almanac and a rough location solution if available, but it does use the GPS constellation when it's outside and needs the accuracy. Any iOS device that supports A-GPS is perfectly capable of getting a location solution when it isn't in range of wifi or the cellular network as long as it's got a line of site to 3 or 4 satellites, it just takes longer.

They tend to share the celluar chipset because anyone building a mobile device wants GPS these days so it's cost-effective to combine the silicon, and non-bundled chips may have some advantages (better marginal reception, better accuracy with more channels and WAAS), but the bundled one is a real GPS chip.
 
There is no "real GPS" in most cell phones. The GPS(or Glonass) is provided by the Qualcomm 3G/4G radio chips.

For "most" phones it might be true. But we're only talking about one kind of phone here (wait, we're not talking about any phones here)...

My iPhone can turn off the WiFi and cellular data and the GPS still appears to work; I'd say it's just not getting any "Assistance" for the A-GPS. I'm pretty sure it works this way for me outside the country too since I use the Galileo app and pre-download my maps, but lately (since AT&T lowered pricing for international data last summer) I leave the data on, but it worked the previous few trips in Costa Rica with the data off.

Gary
 
I don't think the iPad 3 will have 4G/LTE... I think it will all be about Retina Display, faster CPU and bigger batteries...

That way, the next iPad 4 could still get more memory/storage and 4G/LTE network...

Always little incremental upgrades.

Well, we'll be fixed in few hours anyway :)

Spid
 
I've decided if its only got 3G I'm going with the wifi only. If its got 4g I'm going with the wifi+4g.

It depends on the data plans. If they're what they are now, I'd consider it and if they are still month to month.

The display upgrade is my big joy more than LTE. It would be much more enjoyable to read on a retina display. My 3GS display would bother me after reading too long, but my 4 doesn't give me eye fatigue nearly as fast or as bad. On a nice sub 10" display that would be brilliant.
 
I don't think the iPad 3 will have 4G/LTE... I think it will all be about Retina Display, faster CPU and bigger batteries...

That way, the next iPad 4 could still get more memory/storage and 4G/LTE network...

Always little incremental upgrades.

Well, we'll be fixed in few hours anyway :)

Spid

Not very logical but noted anyway.
 
A-GPS is "real GPS". It uses the cell phone network to bootstrap the almanac and a rough location solution if available, but it does use the GPS constellation when it's outside and needs the accuracy. Any iOS device that supports A-GPS is perfectly capable of getting a location solution when it isn't in range of wifi or the cellular network as long as it's got a line of site to 3 or 4 satellites, it just takes longer.

They tend to share the celluar chipset because anyone building a mobile device wants GPS these days so it's cost-effective to combine the silicon, and non-bundled chips may have some advantages (better marginal reception, better accuracy with more channels and WAAS), but the bundled one is a real GPS chip.

I'm sorry, but you are wrong. A-GPS is dependent upon a carrier network. It does not continue to work, nor connect to the GPS satellites when you are not on the cellular network. When you are on wi-fi, it's even worse and less accurate. Ask any of us who have been in the middle of nowhere when our cellular signal went poof. Smart phones have made this better, because you still have the full direction set and can use the touch screen to slide the map around, but it is not live connected. That information is solely relayed through the cellular network. Why do you think people are so passionate about the issue?

This is why I can't stand when people get into the whole semantics about "REAL" GPS. Do we need to be so precise? We all know what someone means when they say they want a "real" GPS. They wan't the realiability that comes with a Tom Tom. To further dispute you claim it works when out of the service area, Tom Tom made the iPhone dock with a dedicated "real" GPS in it for a reason. It's selling feature was not only do you get Tom-Tom's maps, but you never have to fear about not having a connection to the GPS network when you are out of your service area. You might not even be able to have your GPS work if you are roaming. It's also more accurate.

People want to be able to take a hike in the mountains and the GPS actually work. That's what they mean by real GPS. They want the GPS to actually connect to the GPS system in our orbit, not the info relayed from a third party (your phone company).

What does GPS mean again? GPS: Global Positioning Satellite.

Well, A-GPS does not connect to the GPS network, it connects to the phone carrier who then relays your location back and forth. No, it's not imaginary GPS or make believe, but it's not really GPS either.

A-GPS is crap. The only reason it exists at all if for the benefit of wireless carriers to try and charge you money. The wi-fi iPads don't have it all... it's always latched onto the carrier data chipset. Yes, it is cheaper, but you failed to mention that it's only like a couple of bucks cheaper than putting in a dedicated "real" GPS.

Many Android tablets use "real" GPS and are cheaper than the iPad with beefier specs inside. It's not a cost issue. What I don't understand is why Apple goes this route in the first place, as with IOS devices you don't need to subscribe to carrier navigation apps. You can, but I don't think anyone really does. A-GPS was designed so carriers can charge you $10 a month, and nothing more and nothing less.

Apple purchased a mapping company, and seems poised to bring their own version of maps. Probably in IOS 6 (some thought it might make it into IOS 5). This further blurs the need for carrier assisted GPS, and I hope maybe that will be the push Apple needs to make the hardware change. All their rivals have started to do it, and I wonder too if maybe they have contractual issues with a few carriers that still need to be honored. Because... A-GPS was made to make carriers money.
 
I'm sorry, but you are wrong. A-GPS is dependent upon a carrier network. It does not continue to work, nor connect to the GPS satellites when you are not on the cellular network.

I have never seen a post so long that was so wrong. You're completely, 100% wrong.

"Standalone" or "Autonomous" GPS operation uses radio signals from satellites alone. A-GPS additionally uses network resources to locate and utilize the satellites in poor signal conditions. In very poor signal conditions, for example in a city, these signals may suffer multipath propagation where signals bounce off buildings, or be weakened by passing through atmospheric conditions, walls or tree cover. When first turned on in these conditions, some standalone GPS navigation devices may not be able to work out a position due to the fragmentary signal, rendering them unable to function until a clear signal can be received continuously for up to 12.5 minutes (the time needed to download the GPS almanac and ephemeris).[2]
 
What does GPS mean again? GPS: Global Positioning Satellite.

Well, A-GPS does not connect to the GPS network, it connects to the phone carrier who then relays your location back and forth. No, it's not imaginary GPS or make believe, but it's not really GPS either.

GPS is a unidirectional technology. There's no "connecting" to the GPS network, the GPS satellites broadcast their position almanac, time code and id, and the receiver computes a solution based on triangulation and the almanac. All the receiver does is compute the position into a latitude, longitude, and elevation. Receivers never transmit back to the GPS system via any mechanism.

To actually display it on a map, you need map data from somewhere. The GPS constellation itself doesn't provide any sort of map data, it just provides the infrastructure to compute a receiver's location. Most iOS apps including the built-in Maps application require a data connection to get maps real-time, but there are several available that can cache it, like Motion X GPS.

If you have an app that has the map data on the device, an iPhone or iPad will work just fine. There's plenty of pilots flying around with Foreflight or WingX at 10,000 feet using the internal GPS, where there's no cell signal available.

A stand-alone GPS chipset can be better than the one that's integrated into a mobile chipset; they usually listen for more satellites at a time and may also use the two Wide Area Augmentation System signals to further reduce the uncertainty in the solution, but the ones in an iOS device are listening to the same set of satellites, and they absolutely will give a valid position solution when there's no data connection around as long as they can see the sky. Whether or not you can display it in that case is up to where the individual app gets the actual map data from, and has nothing to do with GPS vs A-GPS.
 
LTE really maybe if it has 3G also on the same chip. I can't see Apple going down hill so fast just after Steve's death. They do their own thing, and this smells of other manufacturer all over. Just ilke the whole iPad HD naming scheme.:rolleyes:
 
I know americans are all about the US, but please do a little bit of research!

Many countries have limited LTE roll outs now, but they don't typically use the same frequency as the US does.
Apple would probably want a 1800mhz LTE compatible chip, so they could at least have LTE working in a few markets outside of the US.

I don't know if this Qualcomm one is, but it's not like any rumour site has bothered to ask.

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GPS is a unidirectional technology. There's no "connecting" to the GPS network, the GPS satellites broadcast their position almanac, time code and id, and the receiver computes a solution based on triangulation and the almanac. All the receiver does is compute the position into a latitude, longitude, and elevation. Receivers never transmit back to the GPS system via any mechanism.

To actually display it on a map, you need map data from somewhere. The GPS constellation itself doesn't provide any sort of map data, it just provides the infrastructure to compute a receiver's location. Most iOS apps including the built-in Maps application require a data connection to get maps real-time, but there are several available that can cache it, like Motion X GPS.

If you have an app that has the map data on the device, an iPhone or iPad will work just fine. There's plenty of pilots flying around with Foreflight or WingX at 10,000 feet using the internal GPS, where there's no cell signal available.

A stand-alone GPS chipset can be better than the one that's integrated into a mobile chipset; they usually listen for more satellites at a time and may also use the two Wide Area Augmentation System signals to further reduce the uncertainty in the solution, but the ones in an iOS device are listening to the same set of satellites, and they absolutely will give a valid position solution when there's no data connection around as long as they can see the sky. Whether or not you can display it in that case is up to where the individual app gets the actual map data from, and has nothing to do with GPS vs A-GPS.

Why would you bother replying to somebody who thinks GPS stands for Global Positioning Satellite.
 
Apple doesn't need to wait for the MDM9615 for the iPad. The 9615 is data AND voice capable, whereas the LTE-capable MDM9600 (Available in 2011) provides DATA ONLY, unless its paired with a snapdragon. Obviously the iPad doesn't need voice capability, so that chip would be appropriate for the iPad. Apple has been waiting for the MDM9615 for the iPhone, so they can fit the technology in the much smaller form factor. Heres more info: http://www.anandtech.com/Show/Index...&slug=why-no-lte-iphone-5-blame-28nm-maturity

Except the MDM9600 only does LTE, whereas the MDM9615 does GSM/CDMA/LTE all in one chip. The fewer chips, the better, as power management is always easier to control with one chip rather than two.
 
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nuckinfutz said:
Spid said:
I don't think the iPad 3 will have 4G/LTE... I think it will all be about Retina Display, faster CPU and bigger batteries...

That way, the next iPad 4 could still get more memory/storage and 4G/LTE network...

Always little incremental upgrades.

Well, we'll be fixed in few hours anyway :)

Spid

Not very logical but noted anyway.

Oh I don't claim to know, it's just my feelings and observations. We will definitely know it soon.

My logic is: Apple never drastically change or improve a product. It's always a step at a time. With a retina display, quad core and longer batteries, they already have enough for people to buy it (or even upgrade it from an iPad 1... and even 2 for geeks and compulsive buyer). Some software improvement such SIRI or future iOS 6 will also bring some interest.

So to keep the cost down, and have future upgrade in the pipeline, they can hold a technology that isn't ready for prime time yet...

The 4G/LTE would be a great feature to be introduced by the future iPhone then, this summer or fall... And the iPad 4, next year, could have the 4G/LTE and more memory/storage as an improvement of the iPad 3.

I might be completely wrong, but that's how I see it ;)

Spid
 
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PS: in the other hand, Apple has often being the first one to push on technology they believe in, even before the technology was really ready... or removing the ones they don't believe in anymore. So anything's possible ;)
 
There are two ways for GPS to work, with cell tower triangulation, and wifi pinpointing. it's not possible otherwise. and the wifi model dosen't require a chip, it uses ip addresses to pinpoint your location.

what about GPS satellites?
(obviously just realised I'm the 50th person to say it)
 
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Now that the Qualcomm-developed low-power chips with 3GPP LTE support is now in full production, Apple can now incorporate them into the iPad without undue stress on the battery. As such, I expect the new iPad to include LTE support--and this model will be available in every country that is rolling out LTE, especially the USA and Japan.
 
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