GPS World: No Surprise: Next-Gen iPhone Uses GPS

No Surprise: Next-Gen iPhone Uses GPS
http://cp.gpsworld.com/gpscp/content/printContentPopup.jsp?id=3D522931=


Jun 10, 2008
GPS World

Apple finally confirmed the worst kept secret =E2=80=94 albeit some skept=
ics might say=20
this was just part of what seems to have become a standard marketing ploy=
in=20
high-tech =E2=80=94 the next generation of the iPhone will utilize assist=
ed GPS, in=20
addition to the Wi-Fi positioning technology found in the first version.

While most news reports gushed over the fact that the second-generation i=
Phone=20
will use a 3G cellular network and be considerably cheaper, the fact that=
this=20
version contains GPS also made news. One of the criticisms of the first v=
ersion=20
of the iPhone was that it did not contain 3G and GPS, although it did con=
tain a=20
Wi-Fi positioning system that used software from Skyhook Wireless.

Details on the GPS and positioning technology in the next generation iPho=
ne,=20
dubbed iPhone 3G, were scant in the midst of all the marketing hoopla. On=
the=20
specifications page for the new iPhone on its website, Apple merely lists=
=20
"assisted GPS" under the GPS section.

However, on the page for Maps for GPS, the iPhone's own mapping and navig=
ation=20
software, Apple offers up a few more details, stating that the "iPhone 3G=
=20
combines GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower location technology." It goes on to s=
ay on=20
the GPS section of the site that the Apple iPhone 3G uses assisted GPS as=
its=20
first choice for determining location. But "if you're inside =E2=80=94 wi=
thout a clear=20
line of sight to a GPS satellite =E2=80=94 iPhone finds you via Wi-Fi. If=
you're not in=20
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 we=
ll as=20
Google Maps, it apparently doesn't offer voice-guided directions. However=
,=20
third-party navigation apps will likely be made available for iPhone 3G n=
ow that=20
it incorporates GPS; Apple also recently released a software developer=E2=
=80=99s kit for=20
the iPhone. In fact news service Reuters quotes a TomTom spokesman as say=
ing=20
that TomTom's mobile navigation software has already been tested on the i=
Phone=20
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=20
for the 16 GB model. It will be available in 70 countries later this year=
,=20
according to Apple, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries =
on July=20
11: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, German=
y, Hong=20
Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Po=
rtugal,=20
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

For added perspective on this story, in the next few days look for GPS Wo=
rld's=20
Military/Government and LBS monthly newsletters for more on GPS, the iPho=
ne, and=20
Wi-Fi. Links to the relevant stories will also be provided in upcoming Na=
vigate!=20
Newsletters later this week.

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.

No Surprise: Next-Gen iPhone Uses GPS
http://cp.gpsworld.com/gpscp/content/printContentPopup.jsp?id=522931

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.

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:37:11 -0500, gavin@allegro.com (Gavin Scott)
wrote:


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.

Maybe this will be of interest (Tomtom ready for iphone):

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSB46553120080609