Why is My Phone Showing The Wrong Location?
GPS Location On Google Is Wrong
Have you ever put in a business name in Apple Maps or Google Maps only to be guided to a wrong address? Or how about you wanted to share your location with a friend or family member but when you geotag your location that location is the wrong location? We have all experienced the headache when a location is wrong, but why do Android and iPhones location show wrong positions when they supposedly use GPS tracking technology? Lets first take a look at how mobile mapping apps and programs are failing to report the accurate current location, the causes, and of course the solutions to pinpoint your location!
Why is My Location Wrong On My iPhone
Mobile Mapping App Falls Short Of Google Maps
When iPhone and iPad users everywhere were informed of iOS6, which was the latest update from Apple that was supposed to give users over 200 new features for their mobile communication devices and tablets. As usual, iPhone and iPad users quickly updated their devices in order to access the latest and greatest features offered from iOS6. The only problem was that the new update left many iPhone users pissed off because Apple installed its own satellite mapping program on each mobile device, while at the same time removing the ultra-popular Google Maps app. This left iPhone users everywhere frustrated because the new satellite mapping program that utilizes GPS tracking for routing and navigation failed to come close to perform as efficiently as Google Maps. This is because when you update Google Maps you are almost always guaranteed a correct location. This is because the GPS location on Google requires manual verification via postcard.
Why Is My Location Wrong On My Phone?
So you updated the app on your phone that provides Google maps GPS location but continue to get the GPS location on Android or iPhone wrong? Unfortunately, there is no simple way to “fix Google Maps” or Apple Maps. The reality is phone GPS can be inaccurate as it uses cellular triangulation to pinpoint device location. This is the reason why if cell service is weak you might find yourself asking, “Why does my phone think I’m in a different city?“. Wifi locations and connections can help increase the accuracy of GPS, but unless you look for the option of a hardware solution you essentially are using a fake GPS.
Apple Maps vs Google Maps
Maps Showing Wrong GPS Location
Google Maps has easily been one of the most popular mobile applications for smartphone users. This is because the free program is user-friendly, accurate, detailed, processes GPS data efficiently, and simply an amazing tool for helping people in unfamiliar locations get from point A to point B. However, the routing and navigational program also essentially acts as a GPS tracker, recording the locational data of its users. GPS tracking data that companies such as Apple felt had immense value. So much value in the fact that Apple scrambled to put together its own competing mapping program to acquire the real time GPS tracking and locational data of its users. Unfortunately, they scrambled a little too quickly, which resulted in a poor product that did not show accurate location data.
Apple is always making headlines when it comes to technology and innovation, but when the Cupertino company released iOS6 they included their own mapping program that fell significantly short of the gold standard that the company has set when compared to their computing and mobile device solutions. This is because the navigation program Apple debuted was far from a polished product, leaving thousands of users with a bad taste in their mouths. In fact, the Apple mapping program would guide people in the wrong direction on one-way streets, miss exits, and a number of other situations that nobody would want to deal with while traveling in an unfamiliar area. For weeks now the technology headlines and forums have been discussing the many shortcomings of the new Apple mapping program. Stories about popular monuments being shown on the wrong side of the street only highlight both the problems of the Apple mapping program as well as the quality of Google Maps. Seemingly, everyone has a personal story about the new Apple mapping program, and it providing inaccurate or incorrect information. Even one of the technical editors for GPS Tracker Shop experienced this on a recent trip.
Why Is My Location Wrong On My iPhone
When An App Is Causing The Issue Of Wrong GPS Location
“Driving eastbound on Interstate 210 from the 5 freeway, we started to get to the end of the Interstate in the Pasadena area. In order to stay on the Interstate, we were supposed to exit on the right side, something the Apple mapping program failed to point out. Once we missed our turn we again routed the quickest avenue home through the city of Pasadena. On about the third portion of the directional information, the mapping program stated we needed to make a left on a particular road. The only problem was that left was a one-way road, making it impossible for us to turn left. After a number of issues such as this, we were forced to open Google Maps in the browser and route us home.”
Apple holds itself to a very high standard on all products, but their desire to take GPS tracking and locational data from their users for probably marketing purposes (and to piss off Google) led to the release of a product that simply was far from ready for consumer use. Surprisingly, Tim Cook even wrote an open letter to Apple users about the mapping program debacle, apologizing that it did not meet consumer nor Apple expectations. Only time will tell if Apple will make the necessary adjustments to its mapping program in order to compete with Google Maps. The suits know how valuable that GPS tracking data from users is, and if they want it they will need to improve their mapping program.
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Apple Wanted to Buy Waze
Why did Google buy Waze?
The only thing that people remember from the infamous iOS6 update was that it brought the guillotine upon Google Maps. This was a premeditated move by the usually smart thinking brains at Apple to push its own mapping program (Apple Maps) on its ever-growing customer base. Unfortunately, they greatly overestimated the efficiency of Apple Maps and it was only a matter of time before the technology blogs were blowing up with stories about people getting lost because of the inaccuracies of the mapping program. Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote an open letter of apology, Google Maps was re-introduced and Apple was left figuring out what to do next in order to gain market share in mapping programs designed to store user locational data via GPS tracking.
Apple has always been on the cutting edge of technological products in both software and hardware. This is why it was so surprising to see the Cupertino-based company debut something stamped with the iconic Apple logo that has so many shortcomings. However, the launch did provide some valuable insight into that smartphone users wouldn’t accept anything but the most efficient mobile apps on their cell phones. That has resulted in Apple looking outside of their offices to find a mapping solution for mobile devices, and the rumor is they may have found it in a tech start-up company called Waze.
Waze is combining social networking and real-time GPS navigational technology to offer users a different type of experience with their mobile navigation apps. What makes this navigation GPS app so different is that it shows the constantly changing road conditions that other GPS systems fail to reflect. Through the assistance of an online community contributing to Waze, users are guaranteed to have access to the most accurate traffic conditions. The coolest thing is that users make this passive contribution by simply allowing the Waze app access to the user’s GPS tracking data stored on their smartphones! The routing features and real-time traffic conditions are standard features of many GPS navigation systems, but one of the things that make Waze stand out from the pack is that the mobile app also gives users the ability to report automobile accidents, police traps, or any other potential hazards that can slow or stop traffic. Although no press release or public announcement has been made on a possible deal, anonymous sources on both sides have stated negotiations are fairly advanced. In fact, the rumor is that Apple is willing to pay nearly half a billion dollars to acquire Waze, but the mobile navigation app company is suggesting the figure should be closer to three-quarters of a billion dollars. This actually shows how much value Apple places upon locational data acquired from GPS tracking because last year Waze only generated approximately one million dollars. Capital that was generated primarily through advertisements. After hearing about the rumors surrounding an Apple acquisition of Waze, popular technology blog TechCrunch contacted the Silicon Valley giant for clarification.
Unfortunately, when TechCrunch reached a company spokesperson they were informed no comments or statements would be made in regards to rumors.
Clearly, Apple is in desperate need of user-friendly, accurate and reliable mapping solutions for smartphone users. But after the massive disappointment felt among mobile phone users who were forced to use Apple Maps for their navigation needs, Apple must not only develop a mapping program equivalent to Google Maps but one far more superior. Something truly unique and innovative: words that have defined the tech giant. This is why Apple must do everything possible to acquire Waze, regardless of the sticker price.
UPDATE: Negotiations between Waze and Apple appear to have broken off and the Cupertino based company is moving forward with their own online mapping program software for mobile phones. In fact, Google has acquired Waze, boosting its business portfolio.
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Sage is a freelance writer with a background in information technology.
