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Science Forum Index » Geology - Satellite Navigation Forum » GPS World: No Surprise: Next-Gen iPhone Uses GPS...
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| Sam Wormley... |
 Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:47 pm |
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No Surprise: Next-Gen iPhone Uses GPS
http://cp.gpsworld.com/gpscp/content/printContentPopup.jsp?id=522931
Jun 10, 2008
GPS World
Apple finally confirmed the worst kept secret — albeit some skeptics might say
this was just part of what seems to have become a standard marketing ploy in
high-tech — the next generation of the iPhone will utilize assisted GPS, in
addition to the Wi-Fi positioning technology found in the first version.
While most news reports gushed over the fact that the second-generation iPhone
will use a 3G cellular network and be considerably cheaper, the fact that this
version contains GPS also made news. One of the criticisms of the first version
of the iPhone was that it did not contain 3G and GPS, although it did contain a
Wi-Fi positioning system that used software from Skyhook Wireless.
Details on the GPS and positioning technology in the next generation iPhone,
dubbed iPhone 3G, were scant in the midst of all the marketing hoopla. On the
specifications page for the new iPhone on its website, Apple merely lists
"assisted GPS" under the GPS section.
However, on the page for Maps for GPS, the iPhone's own mapping and navigation
software, Apple offers up a few more details, stating that the "iPhone 3G
combines GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower location technology." It goes on to say on
the GPS section of the site that the Apple iPhone 3G uses assisted GPS as its
first choice for determining location. But "if you're inside — without a clear
line of sight to a GPS satellite — iPhone finds you via Wi-Fi. If you're not in
range of a Wi-Fi hot spot, iPhone finds you using cellular towers."
While Maps for GPS offers turn-by-turn directions and traffic data, as well as
Google Maps, it apparently doesn't offer voice-guided directions. However,
third-party navigation apps will likely be made available for iPhone 3G now that
it incorporates GPS; Apple also recently released a software developer’s kit for
the iPhone. In fact news service Reuters quotes a TomTom spokesman as saying
that TomTom's mobile navigation software has already been tested on the iPhone
and found to work, although no further details were forthcoming.
In the United States iPhone 3G is priced at $199 for the 8 GB model, and $299
for the 16 GB model. It will be available in 70 countries later this year,
according to Apple, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries on July
11: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong
Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
For added perspective on this story, in the next few days look for GPS World's
Military/Government and LBS monthly newsletters for more on GPS, the iPhone, and
Wi-Fi. Links to the relevant stories will also be provided in upcoming Navigate!
Newsletters later this week. |
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| Sam... |
| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:18 pm |
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It's about time. Will see how it fares with Nokia' s N95-4 that was recently
launched in NA with the Garmin proprietary chip. Still, neither are good
enough to ditch your standalone GPS unit.
"Sam Wormley" <swormley1 at (no spam) mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:%DC3k.202966$yE1.158762 at (no spam) attbi_s21...
No Surprise: Next-Gen iPhone Uses GPS
http://cp.gpsworld.com/gpscp/content/printContentPopup.jsp?id=522931 |
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| Gavin Scott... |
| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:37 pm |
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Do most Assisted GPS implementations work without the "A"? That is,
if you're out of range of a cell tower or you don't have an active
subscription with the carrier can you get a fix?
The Wi-Fi based location service is actually pretty amazing. A
company hs built up a database of the MAC addresses (or whatever
Wi-FI uses as a station address) and locations of millions of
access points (your home network is probably in their database)
and the phone sees what Wi-Fi networks are in range and looks up
their location in an online database and extrapolates your
position from that. They claim 20m accuracy.
http://www.skyhookwireless.com/howitworks/
The clever bit is that once the database reaches a critical mass,
it can be self maintaining as for example when your phone sees
four wireless networks but only three are currently in the database.
The fourth one can be automatically recorded as existing near the
other three, and over time its position can be fine tuned based
on whether it shows up in other nearby searches. So using the
system actually improves it.
G. |
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| Andrew... |
| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:56 pm |
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On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:37:11 -0500, gavin at (no spam) allegro.com (Gavin Scott)
wrote:
Quote: Do most Assisted GPS implementations work without the "A"? That is,
if you're out of range of a cell tower or you don't have an active
subscription with the carrier can you get a fix?
I am no expert, but I believe they can, the assisted bit just makes
for a quicker fix.
Regarding the iPhone 3G, I am very disappointed with the navigation
software. I have been waiting ages for an all in 1 phone, Satnav, and
iPod, but it looks like I will have to wait longer for someone to come
up with some useable software before I am tempted to buy one.
--
Andrew, contact via http://interpleb.googlepages.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question. |
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| Root Kit... |
| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:29 am |
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On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:56:46 +0100, Andrew <spamtrap at (no spam) 127.0.0.1> wrote:
Quote: Regarding the iPhone 3G, I am very disappointed with the navigation
software. I have been waiting ages for an all in 1 phone, Satnav, and
iPod, but it looks like I will have to wait longer for someone to come
up with some useable software before I am tempted to buy one.
Maybe this will be of interest (Tomtom ready for iphone):
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSB46553120080609 |
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| Gavin Scott... |
| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 3:34 pm |
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In sci.geo.satellite-nav Andrew <spamtrap at (no spam) 127.0.0.1> wrote:
Quote: Regarding the iPhone 3G, I am very disappointed with the navigation
software. I have been waiting ages for an all in 1 phone, Satnav, and
iPod, but it looks like I will have to wait longer for someone to come
up with some useable software before I am tempted to buy one.
Apparently the latest iPhone SDK includes a clase that prevents
development of any navigation software providing turn-by-turn
route assistance, i.e they've prohibited TomTom and other solutions.
One assumes they plan to provide this as a paid service and don't
want any competition.
G. |
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