From top tier tech support: We're aware of the Epic's GPS accuracy problem

[gme109]

Although I'm completely happy with the Epic's GPS performance, used it today with Google Navigator, and it tracked me perfectly. Sprint's top tech support told me today, that they're aware of the fact that the Epic's accuracy is not up to par, and they're hoping for a fix from Samsung. Accuracy to within 30 meters is not up to today's standards. I was impressed that Sprint's tech support would actually admit to this.

 

[ragnarokx]

they're hoping for a fix from Samsung.

How do the hopes and dreams of Sprint techs translate into a fix?

 

[gtl408]

The GPS issue is universal with all of the Samsung Galaxy models. Samsung had already admitted the issue awhile ago and committed to a fix supposedly sometime this month. If you want more info, look at the Samsung Captivate section for all the bitching and moaning about the GPS, too.

 

[njbianco]

The GPS issue is universal with all of the Samsung Galaxy models. Samsung had already admitted the issue awhile ago and committed to a fix supposedly sometime this month. If you want more info, look at the Samsung Captivate section for all the bitching and moaning about the GPS, too.

But Samsung also announced the Epic does not have GPS problems like the Captivate and Vibrant witch it obviously does.

 

[Adrift]

The only thing I can add to this is that my Epic does not have a problem with GPS, it has a problem with the accuracy being reported.

My accuracy reads 98' no matter how many satellites are locked in. I have tested and confirmed that my accuracy is in actuality much better than that.

The issues present on Vibrant/Captivate are not present on my Epic, they simply can not see/ lock in to satellites for the most part, also it seems that aGPS was nonfunctional as well.

I can post the link in this thread to my results for those who want it, though I'm betting most have seen it already.

 

[gme109]

The only thing I can add to this is that my Epic does not have a problem with GPS, it has a problem with the accuracy being reported.

My accuracy reads 98' no matter how many satellites are locked in. I have tested and confirmed that my accuracy is in actuality much better than that.

The issues present on Vibrant/Captivate are not present on my Epic, they simply can not see/ lock in to satellites for the most part, also it seems that aGPS was nonfunctional as well.

I can post the link in this thread to my results for those who want it, though I'm betting most have seen it already.

I think you maybe right, it may in fact be a reporting problem. My location at home is spot on. I'm at the end of a cul-de-sac, and that is exactly where my location is show on Goggle maps. Also driving around town, I'm perfectly synchronized with Goggle maps when crossing cross streets.

 

[BigCiX]

But Samsung also announced the Epic does not have GPS problems like the Captivate and Vibrant witch it obviously does.

True

 

[Toast95135]

I did a GPS test with my Epic today, using My Tracks and agps only. I tracked me extremly accurately, 85% of the time it was dead on the sidewalks where I was walking and the other 15% of the time was a foot or two off.

 

[gtl408]

Did Samsung make this announcement to the world or are we just referring to their statement when they had Engadget change their review? If the latter, then I call BS. As far as I can tell with the Epic that I had along with the 3 other demo units I tried at my local Sprint store, they all had the very same GPS issues exhibited by the Captivate that I had returned. The GPS was flaky. It mostly worked but took forever to lock and was a bit inaccurate at times. Just try running the Speedtest app from Oklaa (sp?). Whenever I run that app, all of the mobile phones that I've tried recently locked onto your location quickly so that you can pick the closest servers to test with. With every Galaxy phone that I've come across including the Captivate, Vibrant, and Epic phones that I've personally purchased to try out, there was a lot of hit and miss with mostly being misses when using that app. Anyway, I really hope they have a real fix as their suggestion to Engadget was a joke.

 

[SamsungVibrant]

So, just to be clear. Samsung never promised a fix in Semptember. A "fix" would imply there is no more GPS problem. Instead, they choose their words carefully, probably legal had final say over the released statement. They promised to "optimize" the GPS in Septemeber.

From dictionary.com...the definition of optimize is:
1. to make as effective, perfect, or useful as possible.

2. to make the best of.


Trust me, there was no mistake in using the word optimize. They may very well know this is a hardware issue that CAN NOT be "fixed." Thus using the word "optimize" which would imply making the most effective, perfect, or useful GPS possible out of defective hardware. Or by definition 2, to make the best of a defective GPS.

 

[gtl408]

Thanks for the clarification on my loose words. "A fix" the software world can be a real fix, hack, work around, etc. lol

 

[ub3r-l33ch]

Although I'm completely happy with the Epic's GPS performance, used it today with Google Navigator, and it tracked me perfectly. Sprint's top tech support told me today, that they're aware of the fact that the Epic's accuracy is not up to par, and they're hoping for a fix from Samsung. Accuracy to within 30 meters is not up to today's standards. I was impressed that Sprint's tech support would actually admit to this.

I'll believe it when I see it. After the support (lack of) that the Moment got I'm very skeptical.

 

[Android XTC]

I have had 2 Epics and neither had ANY GPS issues. I don't see any problem with it. On my patio yesterday the little blue pointer was exactly pointing where I was sitting. No issues at all. You know to work properly the handset must be outside and pointed to a relatively clear sky?

 

[TRSN]

Did Samsung make this announcement to the world or are we just referring to their statement when they had Engadget change their review? If the latter, then I call BS. As far as I can tell with the Epic that I had along with the 3 other demo units I tried at my local Sprint store, they all had the very same GPS issues exhibited by the Captivate that I had returned. The GPS was flaky. It mostly worked but took forever to lock and was a bit inaccurate at times.

I had a Captivate prior to the Epic. The Captivate GPS flat out did not work. My Epic works great. There have been a time or two that it took a couple of minutes to lock, but other than that lock time and location on map is spot on. As other are reporting, I never get a displayed accuracy better than 98'. Although if I click on my location on Google maps, a popup says 30' accuracy. Regardless of what the accuracy shows, my visual position is on target and I am happy with it.

 

[Iczer]

The only thing I can add to this is that my Epic does not have a problem with GPS, it has a problem with the accuracy being reported.

My accuracy reads 98' no matter how many satellites are locked in. I have tested and confirmed that my accuracy is in actuality much better than that.

The issues present on Vibrant/Captivate are not present on my Epic, they simply can not see/ lock in to satellites for the most part, also it seems that aGPS was nonfunctional as well.

I can post the link in this thread to my results for those who want it, though I'm betting most have seen it already.

That makes a lot of sense. I had 10 satellites locked last night and showed the 98 meters or whatever, but my position on the map was spot on.

 

[beldorian]

What GPS problem??? Mine is better than I hoped for

 

[gme109]

What GPS problem??? Mine is better than I hoped for

I agree. At first when I noticed Google maps telling me my locations accuracy was within 30 meters, I was bummed. But when actually using it, its spot on. Like Adrift was saying, I think its a reporting problem.

 

[MrFlipside]

-SNIP- I had 10 satellites locked last night and showed the 98 meters or whatever, but my position on the map was spot on.

I tested my GPS on Google Maps, and found accuracy to be '30 meters'... Didn't matter much, because like Iczer's experience, the pointer matched my physical position. Good enough for me.

As far as GPS accuracy goes, I'm wondering why this 'accuracy issue' is so critical for so many... It's not like anyone is going to use thier Epic to find a lost ring in the grass. For most, accuracy to within 30 meters equates to the width of their front yard. Seriously, I don't see that being a huge issue in real life.

Realistically, the Epic is just a bit larger than a deck of cards, yet look at the spec sheet for all that it does... The fact that it does all this in a package this size is astounding. Yet, there are many that will likely never be satisifed... no matter how well it does what it does, or if the GPS is accurate enough to determine if the phone is on your right ear or left ear.

 

[Aero1]

As far as GPS accuracy goes, I'm wondering why this 'accuracy issue' is so critical for so many... It's not like anyone is going to use thier Epic to find a lost ring in the grass. For most, accuracy to within 30 meters equates to the width of their front yard. Seriously, I don't see that being a huge issue in real life.
Realistically, the Epic is just a bit larger than a deck of cards, yet look at the spec sheet for all that it does... The fact that it does all this in a package this size is astounding.

You are new to smartphones and certainly to using gps on smartphones. Many of us here are not.

Your apoligia for the problems Epic has with GPS followed your comment on its size is strange. If its music player would not play stereo would you come onto a forum and say "well for its size it does good"? The simple fact is that all the other competing smartphone devices do much better with GPS.

And you seem not to udnersand that accurcy in tests we are conduction and how useless your anecdotes are.

against other smartphones Epic does miserably especially on Signal to noise, it does point to problems when mounted on a dash in a car, when combined with clouds, foliage, or driving in a city along higher buildings.

In side by side testing with touch pro 2 and treo pro the SNR on Epic is on average HALF. This points to real problems in REAL world use. It means in marginal conditions other smartphoens will do much much better and the Epic is more likely to give a positon 100' off than the competion

Seriously please don't just post anecdotes and say accurate to 100 feet or 30' is good for everyone since it is good for you, when smarpthones for the same or less price and with the same features do much much better on GPS.

if the 4g Epic antenna were half as receptive as the Evo, meaning many people would do fine under perfect conditions but under imperfect conditions or simply more distance, most would get half the download speed of Evo, would you say, "wow, think about the size and what they packed in," in a tread discussing the issue?

 

[Aero1]

I'll believe it when I see it. After the support (lack of) that the Moment got I'm very skeptical.

I spoke to Sprint this morning. Went to thrid tier tech support (top level) .According to Sprint they are aware of several GPS problems on the Epic and are asking Samsung to rectify it with the next update which they indicated would be in the December timeframe

 

[lescooper]

I had the Captivate from day one. The GPS worked perfectly with 16'-32' accuracy. I couldn't understand all the complaints I was reading on the Captivate forum. To be honest I thought the complaints were from a bunch of malcontents who were impossible to make happy and got some kind of sadistic pleasure creating controversy.

Within a week my GPS started going crazy off and on. I tried all the posted "fixes" which sometimes worked for a while. Hard resets seemed to help the best but would not last. I soon joined the "malcontents".

When I read the Engadget announcement that Samsung had "tested and validated" that the GPS was working properly on the Epic I returned my Captivate and cancelled my 2 year renewal with AT&T. I reserved an Epic with my local Sprint store and was waiting to pick it up on day one.

The first thing I did was test the GPS and was excited that it worked right away. However the constant 98' accuracy concerned me. When the Captivate GPS was at it's best I would get 16'-32' consistantly.

My Epic GPS is now starting to work off and on - ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE I EXPERIENCED WITH THE CAPTIVATE. I did a Hard Reset yesterday when it really started acting flakey. GPS worked OK going to work this morning. (still always at 98' ???)

DEJA VU - I have seen this before. I hate to rain on the Epic Parade but I'm not feeling very good about Samsung right now. I suspect the constant 98' accuracy issue is the result of something Samsung programed into the Epic GPS in an attempt to mask the GPS issues seen in all Galaxy S phones.

 

[bdforte69]

There's absolutely no problem with my gps. I am on the road at least half of my work day and have been using it a lot. I disabled the data-based locator so that I am positive I am using the gps only.

I think people try to test the gps inside a store, with a steel roof, and wonder why the gps sucks! Guess what... $500 garmins work like shit inside buildings too. Go outside and then test it. I bet it works perfectly.

As far as the accuracy goes, How consequential is the difference between 10-30 meters? Not very much. Unless you are Jack Bauer looking at a real-time satellite feed while trying to assassinate a foreign head of state!

Samsung will support all of the Galaxy S line, just be patient. The gps may not be perfect, but it absolutely works fine.

 

[MrFlipside]

You are new to smartphones and certainly to using gps on smartphones. Many of us here are not.

Your apoligia for the problems Epic has with GPS followed your comment on its size is strange. If its music player would not play stereo would you come onto a forum and say "well for its size it does good"? The simple fact is that all the other competing smartphone devices do much better with GPS.

And you seem not to udnersand that accurcy in tests we are conduction and how useless your anecdotes are.

against other smartphones Epic does miserably especially on Signal to noise, it does point to problems when mounted on a dash in a car, when combined with clouds, foliage, or driving in a city along higher buildings.

In side by side testing with touch pro 2 and treo pro the SNR on Epic is on average HALF. This points to real problems in REAL world use. It means in marginal conditions other smartphoens will do much much better and the Epic is more likely to give a positon 100' off than the competion

Seriously please don't just post anecdotes and say accurate to 100 feet or 30' is good for everyone since it is good for you, when smarpthones for the same or less price and with the same features do much much better on GPS.

if the 4g Epic antenna were half as receptive as the Evo, meaning many people would do fine under perfect conditions but under imperfect conditions or simply more distance, most would get half the download speed of Evo, would you say, "wow, think about the size and what they packed in," in a tread discussing the issue?

While I appreciate a good debate, I'll choose not to light things up in this forum. Instead of responding to your commentary on my [lack] of experience, expertise or choice of anecdotes, I will defer to you as an apparent authority.

However, I WILL point out that the comparisons of a 'Jack of All Trades' device (like the Epic) to others that are dedicated to a specific purpose are moot. The comparison is worthless. Similarly, comparing device A to device B (say an Epic vs. Evo) on specific qualities and features, and bashing one because the other is 'better' is also worthless.

Why?

Spec for spec, feature for feature, one device WILL be better than the other in one way or another. Both devices will have their merits and strengths, but both will be burdened with some sort of compromise. This is driven by economics and [typically] management. It's up to the consumer / customer to choose which elements are of greatest importance to them, consider the compromises, and buy accordingly.

I will go back to the awesome feature set the Epic embodies. It is representative of the leading edge of technology. And considering what it packs into the form factor that it does... Well, IMHO, too much in our lives is being taken for granted, and it's becoming impossible to meet anyone's expectations anymore because they're so out of sync with reality.

The FACT is that the stuff DOES work. Is it as good as it gets? No. Does it NEED TO BE? No. Can you pack a phone, video recorder, camera, 'record player and 1000's of albums', calendar, television set, a GPS, the infinite resources of the Internet, and on and on - into your pants POCKET? Yes. Can

 

[Torq]

I spoke to Sprint this morning. Went to thrid tier tech support (top level) .According to Sprint they are aware of several GPS problems on the Epic and are asking Samsung to rectify it with the next update which they indicated would be in the December timeframe

Given Samsung's lousy track record with promises and updates, if they don't fix it during the initial 30 day return period they'll be getting the phone back. By December they'll be onto whatever their next device is (probably WP7) and the Epic will be long since forgotten.

That said, when mine locks on it seems accurate enough (I'm ignoring the obviously broken reported-accuracy figure). It just seems to need to be rebooted periodically to actually get that lock.

 

[Iczer]

People slam Samsung all day long, but when I had my Hero, HTC pretty much forgot us. We didn't get 2.1 until like June of this year after huge delays. Should it matter if I'm not on the latest and greatest phone from HTC to receive good support?