GPS not working properly?

[david178]

I have a Samsung Galaxy Apollo that I have bought only a few days ago. Its a great phone for the price and the Google Android system is great!

However, I have been having problems with the GPS system. When I was at home the first day I bought the phone I was able to go onto google maps and it was able to track me walking in my house. Now the gps doesn't seem to work properly at all. I had disabled the mobile internet and I thought that this might have been restricting the GPS functionality so I turned it on again. The GPS works when it has A-GPS but only sometimes and its not very accurate.

I have tried using GPS status but it keeps loading and I can never find any information about available satellites. As for my location I am in a city but not too close to any tall buildings.

Does the phone need mobile internet as well as GPS to find the location? What else can I try to get the GPS working?

 

[sitlet]

Does the phone need mobile internet as well as GPS to find the location? What else can I try to get the GPS working?

It doesn't need the internet to get your location. However, Google Maps needs the internet to be able to place you on the map itself.

Also, the Samsung Galaxy line of phones are well known for having GPS issues just like this. There really isnt anything you can do except get a different phone while you are still within your 30 day exchange time.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

Moving to Samsung Apollo sub-forum.

 

[takeshi]

This info isn't specific to your device. It applies to any GPS-equipped smartphone:

The GPS works when it has A-GPS but only sometimes and its not very accurate.

This is usually a clue that your GPS receiver is having problems. If you're actually using GPS you'll easily get accuracy to within 3 meters. Anything more than that and your device is probably falling back on another, less accurate method of determining your location. GPS isn't the only method available to smartphones for location. WiFi, tower triangulation (I've seen up to 2100 meters and even more for triangulation, depending on the given situation), etc can be used as well.

I have tried using GPS status but it keeps loading and I can never find any information about available satellites. As for my location I am in a city but not too close to any tall buildings.

Does the phone need mobile internet as well as GPS to find the location? What else can I try to get the GPS working?

The GPS receiver does not need data. It just needs line of sight to the GPS satellites to determine your location. If GPS Status shows that your GPS receiver is not picking up any satellites then use GPS to clear your aGPS data. IIRC you need to access the menu. Simply running GPS Status doesn't fix anything. Clearing aGPS data has always resolved issues with my Droid's GPS receiver not being able to obtain a GPS fix.

Note that your GPS apps may require data. It really just depends on the specific app. Google Maps Nav definitely requires data.

 

[david178]

This info isn't specific to your device. It applies to any GPS-equipped smartphone:


This is usually a clue that your GPS receiver is having problems. If you're actually using GPS you'll easily get accuracy to within 3 meters. Anything more than that and your device is probably falling back on another, less accurate method of determining your location. GPS isn't the only method available to smartphones for location. WiFi, tower triangulation (I've seen up to 2100 meters and even more for triangulation, depending on the given situation), etc can be used as well.


The GPS receiver does not need data. It just needs line of sight to the GPS satellites to determine your location. If GPS Status shows that your GPS receiver is not picking up any satellites then use GPS to clear your aGPS data. IIRC you need to access the menu. Simply running GPS Status doesn't fix anything. Clearing aGPS data has always resolved issues with my Droid's GPS receiver not being able to obtain a GPS fix.

Note that your GPS apps may require data. It really just depends on the specific app. Google Maps Nav definitely requires data.

I realise that you don't need internet access to find gps coordinates. I did use mapdroyd (It allows you to download maps) . I know that all I need is the gps information from satellites which should be working nearly all the time. If I was getting these gps coordinates they should show up in GPS status(an app) , but no success.

Any fixes anyone knows of? I have tried to clear the a-gps data in gps status but that does nothing. I might just have to bring the phone back but I will also email vodafone (my mobile network) before that.

 

[david178]

I have found a fix (for now at least). I have found an app called 'GPS aids'. It seems to work alright. Its not very satisfactory that GPS doesn't work straight out of the box. I might also suggest to people that Mapdroyd is a decent app for finding your location on a map while offline.