Samsung Galaxy S GPS-gate: two problems, not one (and what to do about it)
By Chris Ziegler 
posted August 17th 2010 2:26AM
posted August 17th 2010 2:26AM
- "Use wireless networks" is now turned off by default, but even with it on, the phone may be slow or unable to determine even a rough location. Originally, we'd believed this was the only problem. Samsung tells us that it's a new Google mandate that Android devices be shipped with the "use wireless networks" option disabled, which means you're relying on traditional GPS alone to determine your location -- a lost cause indoors, in urban canyons, or under dense tree cover. Indeed, we discovered it was turned off on our Captivate, Vibrant, and Epic 4G after fresh hard resets, and there's no indication to the user that it's probably in their best interest to enable it; we're accustomed to being presented with the option during account setup on other Android devices, but it doesn't happen here. After enabling it from settings, we found that both the Captivate and Epic 4G were able to get our location with 1,000 to 1,500-meter accuracy practically immediately in Google Maps, though the Vibrant still never came through; it had the weakest signal of the three, which may have accounted for that (though it never dropped the signal altogether).
- The regular GPS circuitry and software aren't doing their job. Cell tower triangulation and WiFi location database services like Skyhook only take you so far -- at the end of the day, you still need to tune in to the birds a few thousand miles up to figure out precisely where you are. All Galaxy S models seem to be having trouble turning GPS reception into coordinates, even when the phone is able to see four or more satellites in view (four is the minimum you normally need for a precise, three-dimensional lock). In some cases, resetting the phone apparently helps, but it ceases to work again after a day or two of use. To our knowledge, none of the homebrew fixes out there have been able to solve this part of the problem perfectly and permanently. The Captivate and Vibrant are both affected by this one; we're not sure on the Epic, but we're working to nail it down.
[Thanks, Carl]
Good thing I only buy HTC.
@B3astofthe3ast
If the update is not sent next month, am shifting from EPIC to EVO. Coz I really need GPS!
why does everything have to be called ***gate? Watergate is not a scandal about water you know...
Also, can't you just call it navi-gate? ;)
@GaryZ Then why was Nixon left....all wet?
@B3astofthe3ast i use to be in love with samsung phones, but after owning one and hearing of the vast problems i'm starting to feel sick. what are they doing over there, come on samsung get it together!
@GaryZ Kudos my friend that was very ingenious lol
@kramer And we all believe you, very much. Every person on a website that says he's going to switch phones totally means it. They have a closet full of $600 off-contract phones. Or they're owned by a cell provider until 2107.
@B3astofthe3ast
Funnily enough if you google "Telstra Desire GPS" youll find that HTC too had problems with GPS.
@hime
It's obvious that he's going to get one or the other, since the Epic hasn't come out yet. Jeez, lighten up.
@ChronoSapien Samsung is number2 global behind Nokia, they supply everything to everyone, its more an android gps API problem as father of java said than samsung's fault.
@B3astofthe3ast
How in the F is that a GOOD thing?
@GaryZ
It is the same way with 'meta'. Metaphysics is not about physics.
So have a setting off by default is a problem.. mm 'kay lol
The other problem stands true but.. still
@GaryZ It's also worth noting that gate is normally used to describe a scandal. There is no scandal here. Samsung acknowledge the problem and is trying to find a fix. Enapplet just wants to call anything gate now because they're still hurt over antenna gate where there was a scandal.
Nobody said phones don't have problems Enapplet. There's a difference between discovering a problem and designing the problem into the phone on purpose and trying to deny that the problem exists.
@Blaque14K if they deleted my harmless comment yesterday then they're gonna ban ur ass. Enapplet is such a nice name, lol. Well done!
@GaryZ Let's never forget this is the fucking press we're dealing with. Taglines are so fashionable...
@kramer
Until the update is released, just use the following settings to have a workable GPS for the time-being.
Dial: *#*#1472365#*#*
Application Settings
Session Type: Tracking
Test Mode: S/W Test
Operation Mode: MS Based
Start Mode: Hot Start
GPS Plus: ON
Dynamic Accuracy: ON
Accuracy: 100
Use Skyhook: ON
Use PC Tool: OFF
SUPL/CP Settings
Server FQDN Type: AUTO Config
SUPL Secure Socket: ON
AGPS Mode: SUPL
@hime actually some might switch
i buy phones without a carrier for example (my carrier is a 1eur/month one..)
i know if the galaxy disappoints me too much i'll ebay it away, ill lose probably 40EUR doing so (compared to new)
then ill get eg a N8 so mm.. 1 or 2 month with a galaxy and switch to another for 40EUR loss and some effort, it's not that bad if you're unhappy.
now i don't really plan to change myself unless im utterly disappointed eg fix doesnt come after 1 or 2 month
My Vibrant gets fine GPS signal. I forget where I found it, but I switched around some settings after dialing some funky code and haven't had any serious issues since. I lose signal occasionally, but I just reset the nav app and it picks back up immediately. Hopefully froyo finishes this for good already, though!
@kramer If Samsung's update doesn't fix this and a host of other issues with the Vibrant, I'm dumping this phone and getting the HTC G2 that's coming down the pipe and I'll never support Samsung again. Seriously, There are things I love about the Vibrant but the GPS issues are only one of many problems I've found that just shouldn't be there.
"Unlock the door HTC, I may be coming back soon..."
@kramer Why pay out of pocket for someone else's mistake? I bought a Samsung Captivate to try out Android and consider switching off my iPhone 3GS. After a week of trying to get the GPS working reliably, I gave up and returned the phone within the return period. Much like Engadget, the workarounds out there including the *#*#1472365#*#* tweaks never really fixed the problem for me.
One of the primary reasons I even considered switching to Android was Google Maps Navigation. And it was pretty much worthless on the Captivate. Outside of that, the Samsung custom apps for Android like their Mail app had enough issues to just drive me away for now. I'm going to hold off for Android 3.0 before trying the platform again, to see if Google does actually crack down on all these vendor mods to their system.
@GaryZ
They call everything ***-gate because they know it will get the news item 100+ comments in a matter of hours if they do. It's called ratings, and revenue.
Maybe they should call this discussing the "****gate-gate".
@Blaque14K
I like how Enapplet was so quick to jump on this and hype up this problem, but took forever to talk about the IPhone4 and it's design flaw, and to some extent still refuses to acknowledge it. Hey Engadget, if the agps worked on these phones, would you have given them a higher score? Probably not, seeing that the iPhone4 review remains unchanged...
@GaryZ Comment FTW.
@Osnaz What? Lets see, the Captivate and Vibrant have been out since Jul 18th and the first front page story about the GPS appeared on Aug. 2. And now a more formal one on Aug 17th.
The iPhone 4 launched on June 24th, and Engadget talked about the antenna issue on June 24th, 25th, 26th, 30th and many more times in July.
"so quick to jump on this and hype up" indeed. If your definition of quick is a few weeks, and your definition of slow is the same day of release. Most people define those terms the opposite way.
@drakino An idiot by any other definition is still an idiot, with reality slipping ever so slightly away from him with each passing day.
@drakino
I am in the same boat that u r. I love my 3gs, but android seems so exciting! But, everytime I consider making the switch to the newest android phone, there's something that holds me back. Don't want the new Motos because of blur, htc won't quit with sense, and in general all new releases seem rushed. It's a sad day when apple couldn't GIVE me the latest iPhone, and I wish I'd went with the original droid.
@B3astofthe3ast
Sorry, but they have the same issues. Didn't Samsung show all phones have this problem in one way or another. And didn't they proven this with samsung, moto, and htc phones in the NYC subway station underground? It's not a bug, everyone else has this issue.
lol.
@Blaque14K
So true. Well said.
Like some sites are trying to say the Droid 2 has an antenna gate going on, when the X had the same launch day issue and it got fixed with a quick software update. And the X had activation issues that affected the antenna....
@recharged95
My Captivate works fine, gets cell phone triangulation in a couple seconds and the GPS fix in about 10 seconds.
@kramer
its a very easy fix that you could fix yourself, goto xda-developers and follow the easy steps and your gps will work fine, just like mine
@GaryZ nice. :-)
@Osnaz I LOVE IT! The Apple hate and ignorance towards the company knows no bounds on engadget.com
I always wonder how long it will take, in ANY article, for some fanboy to bring Apple into the equation. Hate them or love them, people can't seem to stop talking about Apple. Even if it has NOTHING to do with them. If this were the iPhone having this issue, there'd be a sh*t storm going on.
@B3astofthe3ast "Good thing I only buy HTC"
I'll take waiting for a GPS-firmware-update over stuttering 720p MKV playback on your Evo and friends.
Hardware accelerated video playback courtesy of Cortex A8 + Neon on the Galaxy S series, FTW.
@Evileclipse I agree. They say Android isn't fragmented, but these issues all point to fragmentation as we've come to call it. There is this rush to make Andoid phones obsolete the week after it ships and these issues highlight that. We aren't getting positive moves forward. I'm passing on this phony sex appeal and sticking with my iPhone. I may have a antenna issue that doesn't affect me, but my phone is fast and doesn't let me down. Plus I get a whole 365 days before the world tells me my phone is old. woot.
@Osnaz Actually engadget first said the GPS was fine, then people with Galaxy phone asked them to check it and they found it doesn't work properly, but got a samsung spin that it had to do with an Android requirement. Then a bunch more people said, that isn't the real issue, and Engadget finally got the correct answer from Samsun, which is: they have a long standing duplicatable problem with Galaxy GPS, that is not from Android since comparative tests shoe other android phones dont have the problem (example EVO and Driod) . The fix by the way is not a GPS fix, it is a triangulation fix. The GPS problem, confirmed on PPCGEEKS and XDA developers cnanot be currently fixed by the users.,
@Blaque14K Designing a problem into a phone on purpose? Seriously? Fanboyism has just risen to a new level.
There is also a key difference between Apple's and Samsungs' problems... The GPS problem affecting Samsung users genuinely affects users in everyday life. With the iPhone antenna problem, only a handful of users genuinely experienced problems and dropped calls beyond deliberately holding the phone like an ape and jumping on the flamewagon because the media told them to.
I'm sure you were quite happy to sit back and watch all of the iPhone antenna-related articles roll by but damn those Engadget bastards to hell if they post a single article pointing out a defect in anything other than an Apple product!
"Enapplet"? I think not.
@Adamgs
Telstra HTC Desires having GPS issues was 100% the fault of Telstra and not HTC.
Imported HTC Desires had perfectly working GPS function.
After a Telstra only update, HTC Desires sold by Telstra had the GPS function restored.
@kramer According to the Engadget review, the EPIC does not suffer the same GPS problems as do the other variants of the Galaxy S.
Thanks Engadget.. now it's time for samsung to own up to it and fix it.
@zoid99 Read the end of the article about the already announced fixes coming next month.
@shibbybypass
They didn't admit there was a problem. They said they were "testing software to optimize GPS". I want Samsung to admit that the GPS is broken.
@zoid99 Either way if they are releasing an update to fix issues with GPS isn't that the same thing? Man people on the internet.
@shibbybypass
I hope so.. But they didn't say that and Samsung has a bad track record.
@zoid99
as far as they don't deny it and finger pointing at other companies for their fault, I think it's just fine. Instead of denying, they said they're working on an update which implicitly states that there's something something broken that's needed to be fixed. That's what matters the most, right?
@iCe14 Exactly I would have my torch and pitchfork if they said there was no problem at all. They said they are working on it and I will wait for the update to crucify them.
@zoid99 I still don't get it - the gps on my galaxy s works perfectly! What's my phone doing right that others aren't?
@zoid99 GPS works for me on my Bell Vibrant, locks fast (under 30 seconds), GMaps shows me accurate to 10 meters, it matches my Garmin Zumo while on the move.
This is *not* an all-inclusive problem with Galaxy S phones, it varies from phone to phone and I suspect location has a great deal to do with it. That, and the fact that less-than-educated people don't realize how low-power GPS signals are, and expect locks inside their domicile...even if said domicile is a metal and concrete high-rise.
On my (now returned, thanks SIM-lock!) Captivate, it took a long time to lock but then again it had no data to give it a leg up. But it did work.
@Croak
Both mine and my wife's Vibrant have the problem. Also a co-worker's Vibrant has the problem. Maybe it's location dependent? Maybe it's the 100 degree days we have had since the release? Try downloading GPS Status from the market and let us know how many birds you get a fix on. I usually get 0/11. Rarely I'll get 2/11. On my G1 right next to it I will get 8/11 and 2 meters accuracy. Something is not working correctly with the vibrant.