Does the Ipad 3 have gps?

Steveers · Mar 15, 2012

Does the new Ipad 3 have GPS built in to the WIFI and 4G version?

pigoo3 · Mar 15, 2012

Steveers said:
Does the new Ipad 3 have GPS built in to the WIFI and 4G version?

Info directly from Apple.com..."New iPad" tech specs section:

Apple - The new iPad - View all the technical specifications.

- Nick

TomServo · Mar 15, 2012

Steveers said:
Does the new Ipad 3 have GPS built in to the WIFI and 4G version?

Assisted GPS. So I'm guessing the 3G/4G has "real" GPS and the Wi-Fi only does not.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong and then explain how GPS would work on a Wi-Fi only iPad?

Thanks

Tom

IvanLasston · Mar 15, 2012

Wifi GPS uses a database of known Wifi access point locations to triangulate your position. It still works but you need to be somewhere - that has Wifi. It isn't as accurate of course as a wifi+a-gps system like in the 4G version.
Apple - Press Info - Apple Q&A on Location Data
FTA

3. Why is my iPhone logging my location?
The iPhone is not logging your location. Rather, it’s maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location, some of which may be located more than one hundred miles away from your iPhone, to help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested. Calculating a phone’s location using just GPS satellite data can take up to several minutes. iPhone can reduce this time to just a few seconds by using Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data to quickly find GPS satellites, and even triangulate its location using just Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data when GPS is not available (such as indoors or in basements). These calculations are performed live on the iPhone using a crowd-sourced database of Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data that is generated by tens of millions of iPhones sending the geo-tagged locations of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers in an anonymous and encrypted form to Apple.

chas_m · Mar 17, 2012

Yeah, the Wi-Fi only iPads (and iPhones when the 3G is shut off) use triangulation against the database to figure out (fairly accurately in a broad sense) where you are. Depending on the number of wi-fi points around they can get quite close (maybe within 30 feet or so).

vansmith · Mar 17, 2012

iOS (last I checked) uses Skyhook to get your location with WiFi signals. The coverage map is here. In my opinion, it's ok at best but that is better than nothing I suppose.

As you can see from the map, unless you live in densely populated areas in certain parts of the world, you're mostly out of luck. However, you should give it a try and see for yourself. Living in a densely populated urban area, I've seen it as accurate as approximately 5 - 10 metres. Having traveled to more rural areas, I've seen it as "accurate" as kilometres.

chas_m · Mar 18, 2012

vansmith said:
iOS (last I checked) uses Skyhook to get your location with WiFi signals.

I don't know if they're still using Skyhook, so I'll assume they are and stand corrected. I thought I read somewhere that they'd dropped them, but can't find any reference to it now.

Living in a densely populated urban area, I've seen it as accurate as approximately 5 - 10 metres.

5-10 metres = 17-33 feet.

Having traveled to more rural areas, I've seen it as "accurate" as kilometres.

True that.

vansmith · Mar 18, 2012

chas_m said:
I don't know if they're still using Skyhook, so I'll assume they are and stand corrected. I thought I read somewhere that they'd dropped them, but can't find any reference to it now.

Indeed you're correct - they dropped Skyhook about a year and a half ago. Apparently they use their own tech now for WiFi positioning (I say apparently on purpose since that thread lacks any detail or evidence).

Does the Ipad 3 have gps?

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