GPS: How much data does using the GPS use up?

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I'm just curious about how much data, in kbs or MBs, the GPS on the iPhone 3G will use up?

Being in Canada, Rogers does not offer any unlimited data plans, although they did announce today a data-only plan of 6GB for $30.

The GPS feature is what I'm most considering getting the iPhone 3G for, so I'd like to know just how memory-consuming the GPS will be.

Thoughts?
 
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GPS uses global satellites, it doesn't use cell towers. While the maps programs may utilize cell towers for triangulation as well, thats a completely different thing. So, 0kb's, 0mb's, for gps.
 
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GPS uses global satellites, it doesn't use cell towers. While the maps programs may utilize cell towers for triangulation as well, thats a completely different thing. So, 0kb's, 0mb's, for gps.
Yeah, but you'll need to have some sort of map for it to be really useful for things other than geotagging. Google Maps uses the 3G connection to stream the maps, but in my experience it's not that much data.

But keep in mind that it's not turn-by-turn directions like a real GPS device offers!
 
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Yeah, but you'll need to have some sort of map for it to be really useful for things other than geotagging. Google Maps uses the 3G connection to stream the maps, but in my experience it's not that much data.

But keep in mind that it's not turn-by-turn directions like a real GPS device offers!
I bet that there will be a GPS application with the app store that gives turn by turn directions...
 
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I bet that there will be a GPS application with the app store that gives turn by turn directions...

didnt garmin or some one like that said they were in the process of writing an app for the 3g iphone? there will eventually be one down the line.
 
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TomTom has already announced a program. Apple claims the GPS antenna isn't accurate enough to handle it, but everyone I know of says it seems pretty accurate to them. We'll see.

-k.
 
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I forgot about streaming maps. They need to make map's downloadable so you can download certain maps, so when you have no cell signal you can still use gps tracking. (example I go into the mountains in Canada snowmobiling where there is never cellular service.) On the other hand, I probably wont bring my iphone up a mountain haha, and I already have a topographical gps so nevermind I guess.
 
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The Tom Tom is out. As are Navigon, Sygic and others. Sygic US takes up about 1.5 gigs
 
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I wanna give this topic a bump as the latest response is over a year old. I'm thinking of getting an iPhone4 and deciding what data plan I'll need. What are the GPS options for the iPhone? Is there a commonly used ap, or is the Google maps feature what's used most? Either way, what kind of data usage am I looking at?

Thanks in advance!
 
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chas_m

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GPS is integrated into the iPhone 4 and any app that WANTS to use it can do so. I can't give you any figures on data usage, sorry.
 
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If you buy Navigon, TomTom or Magellan navigation software, the maps will be stored locally on your phone. You will not be using any data while accessing them. I use navigation software quite often with my data disabled.
 
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Awesome, thanks guys! I assume that if you want to add any of the aps' live traffic function, that'll need to access the web for that info, costing data.
 
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Data on an iPhone 4s for Google map streaming

I've had my 4s for about a week and while testing the gps mapping with data on I used about 30 megabytes (of my 200) in about an hour around Springfield Mo and backdown the interstate to my home in Marshfield.
It was pretty cool since I'd never used anything like it but now that I know there are ways around the data charges, I'll use the work around. I found the following (a method of cacheing the map data)....


Using iPhone GPS Map Without a Data Plan or WIFI Connection

Regards,
R
 

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