Interesting "Find my idevice"

[Blue92]

Most times when I activate the "Find my Iphone/iPad" application it will show my iPhone about 30 miles east of my current location and my iPad within a 100 yards or so. After 5 or so minutes the iPhone comes back home sitting next to the iPad.

I normally don't have it on since it seems to shorten the battery time greatly.

Anyone else see strange results like this?

 

[Kaykaykay]

I have five devices on Find My IPad/iPhone and they're all showing within two city blocks, even though all five are in the same room. They often show up slightly off location, whether I have them all here or at my other home.

 

[KevinJS]

My record so far is about 1000 miles off. I was in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and the iPad, which was sitting on the table in front of me, was showing up in Billings, Montana. In fact, I posted the screen shot on the forum that night, so it's probably still kicking around somewhere.

 

[Blue92]

My record so far is about 1000 miles off. I was in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and the iPad, which was sitting on the table in front of me, was showing up in Billings, Montana. In fact, I posted the screen shot on the forum that night, so it's probably still kicking around somewhere.

Beats my 30 miles.

After about 5 minutes or so the two devices will show as being with 50 to 75 feet of each other.

 

[twerppoet]

I'm guessing it is part of the AGPS system. In order to get a quick fix the iPhone will look at the nearest cell phone towers and guesstimate where you are, then continue to refine that location. The first guess can be off by quite a bit, and if you've got poor GPS reception it can take a bit. (your data connection speed also plays a roll in AGPS). If your iPad is wi-fi only, then all it can do is look for the location of what networks it sees. There is little refining to do with this, so it appears pretty quick, and remains stable when found.

Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyway, that's what I think is going on.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I'm guessing it is part of the AGPS system. In order to get a quick fix the iPhone will look at the nearest cell phone towers and guesstimate where you are, then continue to refine that location. The first guess can be off by quite a bit, and if you've got poor GPS reception it can take a bit. (your data connection speed also plays a roll in AGPS). If your iPad is wi-fi only, then all it can do is look for the location of what networks it sees. There is little refining to do with this, so it appears pretty quick, and remains stable when found.

Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyway, that's what I think is going on.

That's the kind of thing I've read, too, but my locations seem to stay off by a half-block or so on iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 (which my husband has inherited from me) and iPads 1 and 2 -- all 3G. Only my touch 4 and my husband's iPad 1 are wifi. Not a big deal. Just goofy. I've noticed that the locations never match exactly, even when I have all the devices on one table or desk. All the same, I've not gotten lost and needed to blame it on the readings, lol.

 

[twerppoet]

That is really strange, the iPhone 4S I mean.

If you want, try this. Turn off your Location data in settings. According to Apple this will also delete the location database buffered on the phone. Turn it back on (forcing a complete reload of your location data) and then see if it's working better.

 

[Kaykaykay]

That is really strange, the iPhone 4S I mean.

If you want, try this. Turn off your Location data in settings. According to Apple this will also delete the location database buffered on the phone. Turn it back on (forcing a complete reload of your location data) and then see if it's working better.

No biggie. Haven't had probs with it being off, because I don't use it as GPS. For location-based apps, it's been working well enough finding nearby businesses, etc.

 

[twerppoet]

Good enough then. I was just curious if it would have any effect.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Good enough then. I was just curious if it would have any effect.

I will try as you suggest at some point. I'm lazy because I have so many iDevices and would need to rework and compare them all (I'm anal that way -- do it all, or don't do it, lol).

 

[twerppoet]

No problem. I'm rather lazy myself, and would feel hypocritical if you felt you had to do something I suggested, let alone right this minute.

Besides, I don't give it much of a chance of working. It is just the only thing I could think of.