No GPS on WiFi only iPad models

[d0vr]

I just don't think you understand the technology. Reading to many blogs.

Sorry mate, that's you. Switching off cellular activity on the phone still allows the GPS service to work. In fact I hadn't paid my bill and could still use the GPS feature. It'll also work to an extent in the country where there is no cellular towers.

Why? Because aGPS is GPS chip set + assistance from towers. The theory is, you are already connected to cellular towers, so use that information to triangulate your location as best as possible, and then the GPS will find the exact location.

Without the assisted part, it still works fine, just takes a little longer to connect in the first place, or regain your location if you lose your connection to the satellites.

The reason you might think that aGPS is not "real GPS" is because I think the first iPhone did not have GPS and only had what they then called aGPS, which was just based on the towers.. but I might be wrong there.

 

[kdarling]

But doesn't REQUIRE the cellular connection. It's just that the GPS is built into the cellular chip.

The GPS "hardware" is built into the cellular data chip. Most wi-fi only android tablets do have GPS.

Switching off cellular activity on the phone still allows the GPS service to work.

These are correct.

Why? Because aGPS is GPS chip set + assistance from towers. The theory is, you are already connected to cellular towers, so use that information to triangulate your location as best as possible, and then the GPS will find the exact location.

That's a common misconception, but no, cell towers are not about what A-GPS means for iOS devices.

A-GPS in their case (and for all other current smartphones) means instantly downloading the latest satellite status and orbits from an Assistance server on the network, instead of slowly searching for and downloading the info from the satellites themselves.

While your last known position, or a rough location from cell or WiFi locating methods, can be used to seed a position calculation, those are totally separate locating methods and are not necessary.

--

Part of the confusion is that for GSM E911, towers are used to triangulate a phone's position. However, that information is never sent to the phone itself. It only goes to the emergency call center.

--

Further confusing things is the fact that there IS a form of A-GPS where network towers and servers actively assist a phone calculate its position, but that type of two-way assistance is found only on CDMA networks like Verizon.

Virtually every Verizon phone has had a GPS chip in it since ~2002, for E911 and optional navigation services. For CDMA E911, the phone sends its GPS information to the network where that info is combined with tower info to pinpoint your location. For navigation apps on dumbphones with slow CPUS and limited memory, the position is sent back to the phone.

Why not something like "Enhanced GPS" or "Accelerated GPS"?

Interestingly, there are new combination methods called E-GPS and X-GPS which actually do use multiple input sources (cell, wifi, GPS) together in calculations, instead of separately using each method as iOS and other smartphones currently do.

 

[50548]

URGENT: What are the OTHER possible GPS uses for the New iPad (WiFi+4G version)?

I've just cancelled my Apple Online Store order for a new WiFi iPad after remembering that only the 4G version has an aGPS functionality.

Now I need reasons to justify that slightly-more-expensive purchase to my wife...I mentioned, of course, the possibility to use navigation apps with pre-loaded maps when we go places.

However, I already have GPS in my car and she said that we could do the same with her iPhone 4...so my simple question is:

What other possible uses are there for GPS-enabled iPads besides pure turn-by-turn navigation? Geotagging of photos? What else?

Your prompt replies are greatly appreciated!

 

[avaloncourt]

Never has, never will. You have to have some added perk to spend the extra $130 if your on the fence about wifi or cell/wifi.

Exactly this. It's the way Apple forces an upsell if GPS is important. I have an iPad 1, 2 and 3 and have never activated the cellular data. I bought them specifically for the GPS aspect with no interest in the cellular.

 

[MartyXB]

What other possible uses are there for GPS-enabled iPads besides pure turn-by-turn navigation? Geotagging of photos? What else?

Your prompt replies are greatly appreciated!

Let us begin with - are your iPhone and iPad with the same carrier (AT&T or Verizon)? If so then MAYBE when they start to offer shared data (which should happen sometime this year) then it will be "safe" to activate the data portion of your iPad without penalty. I use the data capability extensively on my iPad.

 

[Fudd]

I have the IPad 3 wifi version and waze and the maps app seem to lock in on my current position. How are they doing that if they don't have GPS?

 

[einmusiker]

ipad is too big for gps IMO. my car has navigation built into it and if I'm renting I just use my phone for google nav.

 

[Dammit Cubs]

You can always get an external GPS module for it. I did for the times I want to use it as a GPS device, there are some nice apps that can use external GPS's ,
It can always use wifi network location data to determine an inferred location

is that pretty effective? The external GPS? Can you give an example of a company that makes one?

 

[IllIllIll]

is that pretty effective? The external GPS? Can you give an example of a company that makes one?

Why do you care? You're claiming your WiFi only iPad already has a GPS in it, why do you need an external unit?

 

[Lukeyy19]

I have the IPad 3 wifi version and waze and the maps app seem to lock in on my current position. How are they doing that if they don't have GPS?

It uses wifi ssid locations to triangulate where you're, go out into the middle of nowhere with it and you'll find it has no idea where you are.