• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

phone with built in gps

Most all android phones have stand alone GPS capability and use a-GPS assist. I think what you need is the app to go along with it, one that allows you to save or create maps for offline (without data) use.

I used my Motorola A855 Droid and the app Oruxmaps a while back in Israel with the phone pretty much in airplane mode and GPS worked just fine.
 
Upvote 0
Most all android phones have stand alone GPS capability and use a-GPS assist. I think what you need is the app to go along with it, one that allows you to save or create maps for offline (without data) use.

I used my Motorola A855 Droid and the app Oruxmaps a while back in Israel with the phone pretty much in airplane mode and GPS worked just fine.

Yeah I know google offers the offline mode but apparently the size of the files gets pretty ridiculous.
 
Upvote 0
Yeah I know google offers the offline mode but apparently the size of the files gets pretty ridiculous.

Plenty of 3rd party GPS navigation software you can buy that use vector-based maps. Granted, maps are still pretty big so you do want a phone with large internal memory - something that the Xperia U with its 4GB flash doesn't have.
 
Upvote 0
thanks everybody,what i mean for (built in gps) is like standalone gps device that do not require a data plan .i searched, almost phone have a-gps but nt built in gps


the important thing here is that .. it has a GPS radio in the device.
that is how it gets GPS from satellites and find your location.

the other part is.. how it presents the info to YOU.
with stand alone GPS devices.. it has maps stored on the device to use and show your location on the map. the thing is that these maps can only hold so much data on the device...and the data gets old.

so phones.. with access to the internet.. the info is limitless.. and gets updates all the time. if you do not have access to mobile data.. you can buy/get maps from the store/market. they will download to your phone and can be used just like the stand-alone GPS devices.
 
Upvote 0
I used my Motorola A855 Droid and the app Oruxmaps a while back in Israel with the phone pretty much in airplane mode and GPS worked just fine.

Yeah I know google offers the offline mode but apparently the size of the files gets pretty ridiculous.

With al due respect to my fellow staffer, I wanted to re-iterate that I was not talking about google maps offline mode.

Using WiFi and Oruxmaps (a free app), you can create and download maps to your device for offline use. And they too can get large, just know where you want to go and create the maps for that area. If one map doesn't do it, create several that overlap and Oruxmaps will switch between to several as you move about.

good luck
 
Upvote 0
Last edited:
Upvote 0
If you are after Astronomy, most astronomy apps use the built-in GPS with no data. I've used a wifi only tablet at a dark site. The site had no connection to my phone, either. No carrier data, calls, text, anything. Some weather apps will do this, too. If your program will run with no data connection, then the GPS should still work.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones