Not sure if I have an unreasonable expectation here or not. All my location-based apps are having issues lately where they think I'm somewhere I'm not (ie in or out of a particular geofence). I have the highest accuracy setting (wifi, mobile, gps) and I don't have mock locations enabled. When I look at google maps and hone in on any time when I'm stationary, particularly at home, it has my all over the place around my house, although not nearly as bad as the apps think.
I'm on the latest update, but my wife has held off on even going to nougat and she has similar issues.
The apps in particular are stringify, ifttt, smartthings, and sound profile.
Are we alone on this? Or does anyone have any suggestions on things we can do to help?
I had this issue and turning location services to just gps seems to have fixed it. It was really bad prior on both MM and Nougat, navigation regardless of app was near useless.
Navigation works great though. Just these apps that rely on geofences are having issues. And, for some of them, they require you to be on more than just gps (smartthings in particular does this)
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Hey guys - have a question for those of you that have used Dream/Magic.. I notice that most of the really interesting Android apps are location-aware apps.. which got me wondering whether people constantly leave their GPS on and if so, how this goes with the battery life. Or are most of these location aware apps using tower-based triangulation?
For example, some apps let you know if one of your friends is in the area - surely such an app would be kind of useless if your friend had to intentionally turn both GPS and the app on before leaving home.
Thanks!
My understanding is that the Android API has a location call which will use whatever is available... cell tower triangulation, wifi hotspot location and GPS. So apps will just default to the most accurate in any given circumstance, no need to leave on GPS to necessarily get the location features.
Personally I leave GPS and WiFi on and I get about 18 hours out of the battery with some talktime and fairly heavy usage on the screen. I don't get enough for two days even if I turn everything off so the way I see it I'm resigned to charging every day and might as well have the features
georgefrs said:
My understanding is that the Android API has a location call which will use whatever is available... cell tower triangulation, wifi hotspot location and GPS. So apps will just default to the most accurate in any given circumstance, no need to leave on GPS to necessarily get the location features.
Personally I leave GPS and WiFi on and I get about 18 hours out of the battery with some talktime and fairly heavy usage on the screen. I don't get enough for two days even if I turn everything off so the way I see it I'm resigned to charging every day and might as well have the features
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Your understanding is not correct. As a programmer, you can specify minimum required accuracy, which means that you can force it to require GPS over cell tower.
@rahux: cell tower location doesn't use any extra power since it is connected to the cell towers anyways. Regarding "leaving your gps on", that is really an inaccurate way of saying "not force-disabling the gps". The gps does NOT consume any extra power just because you have it enabled in the system settings... it only consumes power when an application/service is actually USING it, and you can tell when something is using it because the GPS icon will be visible. In other words, if all your gps-aware software is well behaved, then there is NEVER any reason to disable the gps, and if any of your gps-aware software is NOT well behaved, then you should probably uninstall that software rather than disabling the gps.
@lbcoder
That makes sense. Thanks That makes a lot of sense. Just curious - how long would it take to get a GPS signal then? I know my current WinMo phone always takes over a minute to find satellites, sometimes longer (on a clear day in the suburbs). Suppose it doesn't really matter anyway.
Thanks!
I leave it on solely because of "Wheres my Android". I get a GPS fix in less than 5 seconds and [knock on wood] if I ever lose my phone, I want the GPS ability. The developer had written somewhere that you used to be able to force GPS on through the app remotely but that functionality was removed.
I have a g1 & with my GPS enabled I am only down about 25% of my charge on the average day of probably about 15 hours of intermintent use mainly on messaging & web apps.. And some apps do not work with the cell location, but do with GPS.. 1 being an atm location finder for my bank,,
I always leave mine on. The difference in battery life is minimal. The only time you need to worry is if you have an app misbehaving in the background that is checking your location CONSTANTLY. My favorite GPS Speedometer app does this, once you run it there's no way to get it to release the GPS and it will kill your entire battery in just a couple of hours.
But under normal circumstances, simply leaving the hardware enabled isn't going to make any significant change to your battery life, it all depends on how much your background processes are using it.
Hi guys, I know that some people say to disable location services and/or GPS because they drain the battery (under Android system in battery usage). I just want to clarify. I came from an iPhone, and on the iPhone I leave location and GPS on, but as long as the app is closed, the GPS will NOT run (just that its functionality remain on) so there is no drain.
Is this the same on Android? Is it okay to leave them on but not run any location-based apps?
Bump...
It'll constantly bounce the GPS signal AFAIK, so will use it up. buuuut, on 4.4.2, you can edit your location preferences GPS accuracy etc and it tells you battery use on it. However I believe it's on perma unless you disable it totally
I wouldn't be so sure. I have GPS, WIFI, BT and all other crap 24/7 and I loose about 3% charge over about 7hrs sleep, personally I don't think it's worth bothering or lifting my finger to shut it off. Also when I drive I see my correct location on the map, after screen goes off and I need to check again few min later, the map shows my last location and it takes few seconds to update to new one. If it was working with screen off it should have been updated right away, no? At least it's working in some low power mode. I think what really kills the battery is all those push services like e-mail etc, especially when not set properly, but the best way is to test yourself.
fterh said:
Hi guys, I know that some people say to disable location services and/or GPS because they drain the battery (under Android system in battery usage). I just want to clarify. I came from an iPhone, and on the iPhone I leave location and GPS on, but as long as the app is closed, the GPS will NOT run (just that its functionality remain on) so there is no drain.
Is this the same on Android? Is it okay to leave them on but not run any location-based apps?
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Technically 100% the same.
However for practical reasons things are not quite the same - as long as you have many, many apps and your data (WiFi and/or Mobile) active certain apps will try to connect from time-to-time, and some will try to get a location. Unfortunately Google Services is one of those, and an older version of that was generating a really huge amount of power consumption. The problem is reported to be a lot better now but I can not confirm since I am anyway keeping my data connections OFF for most of the time when I am not really using those.
xclub_101 said:
Technically 100% the same.
However for practical reasons things are not quite the same - as long as you have many, many apps and your data (WiFi and/or Mobile) active certain apps will try to connect from time-to-time, and some will try to get a location. Unfortunately Google Services is one of those, and an older version of that was generating a really huge amount of power consumption. The problem is reported to be a lot better now but I can not confirm since I am anyway keeping my data connections OFF for most of the time when I am not really using those.
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I guess this is one of the few things that iOS is better than Android at - managing how apps run. I use Greenify to freeze inactive apps, but the limitation is that I will not receive push notifications. On iOS apps are frozen yet push notifications are functional (that's ironically the downside of iOS too - no true multitasking). I don't disable my data connections because I want my push notifications, but I do turn off GPS. :/
fterh said:
I guess this is one of the few things that iOS is better than Android at - managing how apps run.
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Click to collapse
Well, when coming from a situation when there was absolutely no multitasking at all (and that was successfully sold as a "feature" for quite some time) I can really see that being easier
fterh said:
I use Greenify to freeze inactive apps, but the limitation is that I will not receive push notifications.
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Click to collapse
I think the latest Greenify PRO version has something to improve that too. But I will have to test a lot more to see the real limits of that.
I'm not sure how much of this, is the phone or the ROM or google maps. I'm using MOAR ROM.
Any way first issue:
1) If you are Navigating and receive a call after a few minutes it will squawk that it can't find your location !!! This never happened with old google maps (prior to V7) on my HTC M7. Nor this phone with old google maps. Why would the GPS stop locating you while on a call. I thought it might be this phone, in how it works. But my wife just got the message on her M7 today. I know all about assisted GPS. That is for getting initial lock. Once locked it should be just GPS tracking.
2) It's been hoping location like crazy. The route will take you say on a exit ramp but the Software assumes you didn't take the ramp. Reroutes, then reroutes back when sees it's way off. It's been really bad lately that I almost don't want to use it. I swear it's Google MAPs though. Your location isn't always accurate enough to know what lane your in and it should assume you are on the route. I've seen it jump to parallel side roads while Navigating on the highway. It shouldn't do that and your location isn't always accurate enough for it to differentiate that and should assume you are on the route it gave you.
By the way I have been running the old version for quite some time. But past few months it's been having different issues, like search not working well because I think it was getting too old to work anymore. My wifes M7 was having the same issues. I actually like the new version now, when it works. I finally talked her into switch and she saw issue #1 today. Don't know yet if she has 2nd issue or not yet.
Anyone else have these issues.
I wasn't sure if there are some hidden setting or specific ways I should set my location settings.
I had "High Accuracy" on and I just switched it to "GPS Only" and see if that helps.
I have been experiencing #2 since the last few app updates on both my GS5 and my GS3. So I've been pretty convinced its not device dependent.
I see this #2 on my S5 and my S3. It also makes Waze not find my location until the Google Maps force closes itself. Then it all works. Prior to the force closing, an app like GPS lock will show that it has a very good GPS lock despite what Google Maps thinks. It's google maps and just keep reporting feedback through the google maps app.
Are you ABSOLUTELY sure you did a full clean wipe before flashing? I once dirty flashed on v1.1 and that is the exact problem I had.
I mean....no offense, bro. Even if you did a full wipe before, do a full wipe again. Always TiBu your apps, it'll take less time to set back up.
Version 2.1 does seem the best yet. Also remember to set up everything BEFORE enabling Xposed Installer. Less chance of any FC's.
Hello,
Recently noticed my GPS barely works. If I'm out in an open field it can get medium strength locking from satellites in GPS Status. My wife has identical phone and gets the type of GPS signal I would expect to get. Side by side my phone simply cannot get much. Indoors forget about it. It use to be so good. I certainly have dropped this phone here and there but in the past it never influenced GPS. Is there any possible software/firmware side of things that could be causing it? I may have installed apps or updated apps but I didn't do any tinkering with the GPS specifically or with flashing roms or whatnot since this summer--and it worked fine then after any tinkering---this is a recent development.
Can anyone provide any ways to troubleshoot this? Possible the GPS chip is partially broken? I mean.. it can get signal.. just piss poor and struggles mightily. Almost can't get it in the car, loses GPS lock under tree cover, etc. Very temperamental.
Seems a little bit like 4G has also degraded but a little more unsure of that.
bump! Any help, methods to trouble-shoot between hardware/software. I tried to erase modemst1/2 see if that would jog anything, no effect.
thanks
water- said:
Hello,
Recently noticed my GPS barely works. If I'm out in an open field it can get medium strength locking from satellites in GPS Status. My wife has identical phone and gets the type of GPS signal I would expect to get. Side by side my phone simply cannot get much. Indoors forget about it. It use to be so good. I certainly have dropped this phone here and there but in the past it never influenced GPS. Is there any possible software/firmware side of things that could be causing it? I may have installed apps or updated apps but I didn't do any tinkering with the GPS specifically or with flashing roms or whatnot since this summer--and it worked fine then after any tinkering---this is a recent development.
Can anyone provide any ways to troubleshoot this? Possible the GPS chip is partially broken? I mean.. it can get signal.. just piss poor and struggles mightily. Almost can't get it in the car, loses GPS lock under tree cover, etc. Very temperamental.
Seems a little bit like 4G has also degraded but a little more unsure of that.
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Click to collapse
It's freaking Christmas, just buy yourself a new phone
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Free mobile app
tempting..and I will in a few months when my contract is up. But this was a spectacular GPS for navigating in the backcountry with downloaded maps. Would love to be able to retain that use after it is no longer a primary phone.
please, any troubleshooting suggestions would be appreciated!
I've had very few problems since switching to Waze and SlimKat. It was horrid under CyanogenMod no matter what I used.
I had been having similar problems under stock KitKat. Here's what I noticed, maybe something will help you:
Resetting aGPS data and re-downloading wouldn't help.
Sometimes GPS would never give a location with plenty of satellites locked to. I modified some build.prop stuff to give me a horribly inaccurate lock in these cases. It was also usually fixed with a reboot.
GPS status would show TONS of satellites overhead, but never be able to lock on to more than one of them. Making sure I had wifi turned on (even if I was in the middle of nowhere with no wifi signals) eliminated this problem.
Something would randomly disable the GPS while I was using it, when it turned it back on a short time later it wouldn't lock (usually due to one of the above issues). I eventually concluded it was how Google Maps and some of the new location stuff works these days. I assume it's trying to save GPS power, other programs were much better. Solution: F Google maps; I only use it as a fancy yellow pages these days. I had stuck with the old, old, version (that still supported Latitude), but had to update when I went to KK and that's when my problems started. This is just another thing that pisses me off about it. I use Waze for navigation now (though I miss lane guidance and using my own text to voice software).
Some GPS bugs can be resolved by flashing to stock firmware, getting a GPS lock and while locked on GPS, reboot straight to recovery and flash your new ROM. After doing that once I have flashed (too) many ROMs with no GPS locking or accuracy issues.
Also make sure your GPS is set to high accuracy and not battery saver.
Sent from my RAZR M on BlissPop Lollipop 5.0.2 from Tapatalk
ezdi and kronik.. thank you for suggestion. unfortunately to no avail even with full reset.
sometimes really seems like my general phone reception, wifi, gps, and data (1x/3G, 4G) are all haywire. Certainly they all work. But the data is never as strong as it should be. Often seems like it needs to be jogged (airplane mode on, then off)/dead areas--while my wife's phone is solid (same razr m but rooted with unlocked BL and stock rom). Likewise on the GPS. it can certainly find and lock satellites but in GPS Status only ever reach 'half bar' strength green.. they use to be able to lock multiple sats at max level.
It's odd...we are talking about the 'radios' of my phone, no? or mostly? I generally consider digital electronics to either function, or not. That they function at all--can receive pings from a satellite, can transmit data to and from towers... tells me the electronics are functional and this is software side. UNLESS there is some radio hardware component that is an amplifier of sorts. If that electronic was broken it would make sense why things function but appear weak/spotty.
thoughts?
aside from my contract being up in a month and what the hell next phone I should get from verizon... haha. But no I'd love to get my phone back to where it was and have a dedicated backcountry/hiking/skiing GPS... which it wouldn't be capable of now (it was..when it worked).
Cheers
bump bump
Curious if someone else has this issue:
My location using GPS, High Accuracy or Device Sensors is consistently off by several miles several times a week. Coincidentally, it likes to stick me to the same location that's along my commute to work. It does not update or change from this location.
If I select Battery Saving, it updates and is correct. I assume since this doesn't use the GPS receiver, which may be the source of my pain.
If I go back to the other modes, it goes back to the erroneous location. Recalibrating doesn't seem to help as this may fix the compass, but my location is still wrong. This happens every couple days, not all the time, but it is the same location it likes to stick me to, as if it's offset by my current location (since that location is work and that's the same daily then it makes sense the offset location is always the same.)
I don't know how to resolve that or discern a cause. And of course, if you don't use High Accuracy, most everything is designed to complain over and over again that you're in the wrong mode. You can imagine this make getting a Lyft or Uber a bit of a pain and interferes with Smart Locations. Anyone have a similar experience?
bitter1 said:
Curious if someone else has this issue:
My location using GPS, High Accuracy or Device Sensors is consistently off by several miles several times a week. Coincidentally, it likes to stick me to the same location that's along my commute to work. It does not update or change from this location.
If I select Battery Saving, it updates and is correct. I assume since this doesn't use the GPS receiver, which may be the source of my pain.
If I go back to the other modes, it goes back to the erroneous location. Recalibrating doesn't seem to help as this may fix the compass, but my location is still wrong. This happens every couple days, not all the time, but it is the same location it likes to stick me to, as if it's offset by my current location (since that location is work and that's the same daily then it makes sense the offset location is always the same.)
I don't know how to resolve that or discern a cause. And of course, if you don't use High Accuracy, most everything is designed to complain over and over again that you're in the wrong mode. You can imagine this make getting a Lyft or Uber a bit of a pain and interferes with Smart Locations. Anyone have a similar experience?
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I'm having some issues I don't know if there is a fix I remember you use to be able to flash a file back when I had galaxy s5 to make the GPS more accurate
i have some problems with my gps too... it's totally unaccurate, can't track my position fast enough while i'm driving... but truth to be told, i haven't looked into it enough to say if it's fixable or not. last time i tried Here maps it was pretty much unusable...