Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilion Villager
The quote you were replying to is actually correct. The "GPS" in your phone is actually derived from cell towers and not receiving a GPS tone from the satellites orbiting the Earth like a true GPS receiver is. This is why you do not get GPS coordinates on your phone when you're in airplane mode, and why you cannot get directions if you turn off the cellular data on your phone. As you move especially in slower movements it is hard for the towers to accurately track (PING) you because you are not moving very fast in relation to them. This is why GPS on your phone is less accurate at slower speeds.
|
That is not correct.
The iphone DOES contain a GPS receiver. The iphone ALSO contains software to determine location from cell towers and wifi signals when the GPS signal is not available (indoors).
You do not get GPS coordinates in airplane mode because airplane mode turns off the radios (cell, wifi, bluetooth, gps) in the phone. No radio, no ability to receive coordinates. (EDIT: this might not be completely accurate. The GPS receiver may still be active but without cell data to retrieve a map or report a location the GPS coordinates are of little use)
You do not get direction information when your cell service (AND wifi service) is turned off (or unavailable) because your phone cannot get the map data to plot where you are. The phone still knows your location, it just can't show you where you are on a map.
Don't take my word for it, look it up.