What's new

Were Verizon iPhone GPS Problems Ever Fixed?

iphonetryer

New Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
I just ordered an iPhone 4 that I should get in a day or two. After I submitted the order, I found some old threads from a few months ago saying the GPS is not stable enough for turn by turn navigation in a moving car without frequent loss of GPS tracking signal.
I don't have any GPS signal problems with my iPad 3G or EVO 4G, so i know it's possible for built in GPS units to work well. Not sure what the problem was with the Verizon iPhone using nav apps like Navigon and TomTom.

Was the Verizon iPhone GPS issue ever fixed with iOS updates?

I'm sure the GPS will be good enough for location based services (which is not very demanding), but GPS navigation in a car is going to be an important feature for me, so it it is too flaky on the phone, I'll have to trade the iPhone for something else during the 14 day exchange period. I prefer several features of the iPhone such as more apps and more accessories and cases available compared to Android, but GPS that doesn't work solidly will be a deal-killer just below importance of pairing with my car's bluetooth.
 
What GPS issues had you heard about? We have two (2) ViP4 with no GPS issues. I have used my iP4 from pittsburgh to boston, all over western pa, ohio, michigan no problems.
 
What GPS issues had you heard about? We have two (2) ViP4 with no GPS issues. I have used my iP4 from pittsburgh to boston, all over western pa, ohio, michigan no problems.

What GPS navigation application do use? People were saying it worked fine with "Maps," but Maps is not turn by turn navigation. I plan to use Navigon with the iPhone since I already purchased it for my iPad and it works pretty well.
The complaints were about the Verizon version of the iPhone frequently losing the GPS tracking signal even with it mounted up by the windshield in a clear area with no tall buildings around.

If you search Google for Verizon iPhone GPS issues, there are plenty of complaints about weak GPS signal even compared to the AT&T iPhone.
I'm hoping it doesn't need a GPS cradle dock to hold the signal since that will be too much of a hassle to deal with especially since the phone needs to be removed from any protective case every time you need to dock it. Not worth that much effort.
 
I also use mine for navigation. (MotionX Drive GPS, the BEST app for that)

I have no more problems with the iPhone4 than I had with my Android or Garmin NUVI. It will VERY occasionally lose the signal for a few seconds, but I've had that with other phones and GPs units. The iPhone does a great job with navigation, with the correct app.

Oh, and I've had the phone sitting on the car seat, in my shirt pocket, sitting on the console, and attached to the windshield in a cradle. All places worked equally well.
 
I never ever had a loss of GPS signal with my iPad or Nuvi or EVO 4G except when in the middle of a city with skyscrapers all around (or in an underground garage or tunnel etc.), so that still sounds worse than I'm used to, but tolerable if it really is very occasional loss of tracking.

How does the Verizon iPhone handle the navigation app while on a phone call? Can you still see the map and directions on the screen while a call is in progress? (I would be using Navigon, so I won't need an active data connection for maps).
 
Last edited:
I have no problems with my Verizon iphone and turn-by-turn navigation. I use Motion X and I second the fact that this is the BEST and CHEAPEST nav app for the iphone 4.

I have even used my iphone as a GPS hotlapper on my race car. I used Larry's Lap Timer. The iphone 4 was as accurate at the track official data timer. I got 2:4.18 lap time in on my iphone 4 and the track data timer gave 2:4.17. I was very impressed.
 
I use navigon, and it works while on the phone.

Motion x is cheaper to download off app store, but after you download it, you find out it requires a yearly membership. I think $20 a year if I remember right. With navigon, you pay one price up front and no yearly fee.
 
I used it with Navigon over the last 4 days and grade the GPS built-in as a C-. Just good enough to be usable most of the time, but very marginal.
It would lose accuracy when stopped at traffic signals and when driving in a valley with hills on more than one side. These are the same conditions where my other GPS units worked perfectly fine. The phone also overheated while using Navigon on the fourth day and had to be powered off for an hour to cool. This was strange because I used it longer the prior 3 days without any overheating and the weather was less hot on the fourth day.

Since the GPS signal seemed a little weak even when in ideal conditions, I'm pretty sure GPS navigation would not be usable at all if I drove into the middle of a large city with tall buildings all around.
 
I LOVE the ability to use moving Aerials with Google Maps with my iPhone 4 and don't want to lose the ability to use the aerials but would like turn by turn navigation as well.

Am I asking too much? Is there an app that provides the turn by turn navigation as well as Google Aerial Maps at the same time?
 
I use the the Google Maps that came with the phone and if that seems to be trouble, then I use the new Mapguest app. They work fine but my first choice is always the printed sheet of paper that I either write the directions on before I leave or get from Mapquest. I'm not a fan of running these big, data and battery consuming apps on my phone and there is no way that I'm gonna spend 100.00 on a huge app from a GPS company instead of buying a GPS for roughly the same price. They do alot but when we want them to do everything, a funeral is creeping around the corner.
 
I use the the Google Maps that came with the phone and if that seems to be trouble, then I use the new Mapguest app. They work fine but my first choice is always the printed sheet of paper that I either write the directions on before I leave or get from Mapquest. I'm not a fan of running these big, data and battery consuming apps on my phone and there is no way that I'm gonna spend 100.00 on a huge app from a GPS company instead of buying a GPS for roughly the same price. They do alot but when we want them to do everything, a funeral is creeping around the corner.

hmm. its true.I really would like both just in case Im away from my gps. thats just me though
 
Top