My iPad knows where I am!

[rong]

So my NON 3G iPad was sitting my lap as I was being driven down the street. I had google map up and a map of the town i was in so we didn't get lost. Somehow the iPad was able to follow our trip all through town, even though it was NOT connected to the internet and NOT connected to 3G since it doesn't have that option. I know it has an accelerometer, but I'd be very surprised if that's all it needs to track my position all over the city.

How does it do this?

 

[Sam707]

That happened to you too...
I have a 32gb Wifi only iPad and i loaded up a destination and i left for that destination.
While i was getting there my ipad kept showing me where i am and i was shocked

 

[peled]

Ye.
We heard it before. I remember someone mentioned the same thing here in the forum.
The iPAD is triangulating it's position from some random passing by open public Wifi's.
But anyhow, the base only WiFi model is also location aware, though not as much as the 3G model. It can figure out your location based on Wi-Fi signals, and figure out your direction using the digital compass.
That is called A-GPS or Assisted GLobal Positioning System
3G model however can also figure out your location using cellular towers. Both models also carry the accelerometer.

 

[RAC]

How does it do this?

Do you have WiFi turned on?

I think that the likes of Google generate a database of WiFi router MAC addresses and GPS locations as they drive around the streets.

Locations Services, in iOS, uses what ever it can, WiFi MAC addresses, 3G triangulation and GPS coordinates to get a location. When it comes to offering local services, even the WiFi information is good enough.

In some bizaar cases, where the WiFi database has errors (or perhaps duplicate MAC addresses) there are reports of people in North America being shown a location in Korea.

 

[Hasty]

We can all sleep soundly in our beds knowing that Steve Jobs is watching over us.......

 

[RAC]

We can all sleep soundly in our beds knowing that Steve Jobs is watching over us.......

Alternatively, "they" know where you live!

There have been privacy concerns that I think actually went court in the UK. Google apparently collected (they say innocently) a lot more than MAC addresses as they drove around and have undertaken to destroy any such data.

The reports mention email headers and even passwords but I don't know how accurate those reports are.

I have MAC address filtering on my router (not to mention that I have just upgraded it) and the location shown is a few houses out.

 

[jwt873]

There is a WiFi positioning service called Skyhook. They are constantly accumulating a database of WiFi spots and by using this database, they can triangulate your position. It's not as accurate as GPS.. (They claim an accuracy of within 10-20 meters vs 3 meters for true GPS). And, of course you need to be able to 'see' WiFi spots. If you have a WiFi only iPad and have no WiFi signals available, you won't be able to determine your position.

This link describes how Skyhook works -> Skyhook: How It Works > Overview

Apple used Skyhook's WiFi positioning system in its 'i' devices up until August of 2010. It seems Apple has branched out, built up a database, and are now using their own WiFi positioning system.

See this link for details -> Apple Drops Skyhook Wireless Technology From iPhone (AAPL, DELL, MOT, QCOM, TXN)

Finally... Apple has an information page explaining their positioning technology here -> iPad: Understanding Location Services

 

[Gunny008]

We can all sleep soundly in our beds knowing that Steve Jobs is watching over us.......

He does more that that to me while I'm in bed

 

[SweetPoison]

We can all sleep soundly in our beds knowing that Steve Jobs is watching over us.......

He does more that that to me while I'm in bed

Okay, then.