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2.1 Update Causes GPS Issues, Fix Found

Submitted by Edward Kirk on September 17, 2008 - 4:15pm.
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Quite a few users have been reporting issues with GPS with the new 2.1 software update in the Apple Discussions. While it seems to have fixed the bulk of most users' problems like poor reception and frequent crashes, it may have created issues with location services.

Apple Discussions user hitchsaid described the problems:

“Both my brother and I have iphones and we both updated to 2.1 and the GPS on both our phones were working fine prior to 2.1 Now all we get are the crosshairs- the blue dot is nowhere to be seen. I have tried all the recommendations sitting outside for 20min, 3G off, airplane mode on/off, soft reset, location services on….wi-fi on, bluetooth off…. but nothing seems to make it work again….what is really bugging me is that it was working fine before the update.”

Luckily many users have had success with resetting all of the settings on the device. To do so, go to Settings > General > Reset and chose Reset All Settings. Let us know if it works for you in the comments.

[via iPhone Atlas]

My GPS location is/was perfect!

Submitted by kalahari on September 17, 2008 - 5:01pm.
I've just tested my GPS location for the first time since 2.1 upgrade. I was REALLY pleased to see that my house location was PERFECTLY identified for the FIRST time since I got the iPhone 3G.

Unfortunately, while I'm typing this in, my location is changing It moved to the house across the street and right now it has moved again -- this time down the street...

Still have the issue

Submitted by bply on September 17, 2008 - 5:30pm.
My GPS worked perfectly before 2.1. Afterwards the best it could do is put me within about a 2 mile radius. I tried the fix (reset all settings) and it's no better. Hope this gets fixed soon. I was loving the GPS!

I just tried mine while at work.

Submitted by Omar Jasso on September 17, 2008 - 5:55pm.
I've been looking at a crosshair for the past 5 minutes.



I'll have to check it out when I get home.

Submitted by brmcguire on September 18, 2008 - 8:38am.
I actually had this issue before the 2.1 update. My solution was to go into settings and reset location services. Then all my apps would then prompt me asking if I wanted to use location as well as google maps working. They need to fix this. I thought it was fixed in 2.1, but happened to me yesterday. Also I had returned my original iPhone thinking the GPS didn't work. I bet this was the issue then.

Mine works fine

Submitted by franmiele on September 18, 2008 - 9:34am.
I just tested my IPHONE GPS and it works fine after the 2.1 update.

GPS Blue Button

Submitted by drcruzn on September 18, 2008 - 11:41am.
After the 2.1 upgrade I lost the blue button as noted in other comments. I switched to the satellite view and the blue dot appeared. It was still visible when switching back to the map view. Closing then opening the application caused it to disappear again. I tried it severaL times only once did the blue button reappear upon opening the app.

Submitted by vandy1997 on September 18, 2008 - 1:24pm.
My blue dot is moving as well (back and forth 4 New York City blocks), and it is on top of my desk, and not moving at all! That is too funny. Maybe the signal is being refined or the position is being beamed down (and not always highly accurate, it seems). Apple should fix this when they come out to the refinement to the GPS signal (which will include direction and speed, I believe, so that a turn-by-turn app will be able to run on the iPhone).