topic Re: GPS sensitivity in XPERIA archive

GPS sensitivity

eng3 — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 19:44:36 GMT

I will often record a GPS track if I am flying in a plane and in a window seat. My old phone (HTC Incredible 4G LTE and even older HTC Incredible) would be able to get a GPS lock and record for the entire ride. Every now and then I may lose the signal. On my most recently flight, I tried this phone at the same time and noticed that it loses lock much more often. So overall, the sensitivity seems to be worse. When looking at detailed info, it seems like the number of satellites and signal strength from each satellite is about the same when viewing side by side. The Sony just requires a higher strengh to "lock". I'd rather have a GPS lock with lower accuracy and have some idea of where I am than nothing at all.

I tried contacting Sony support, but got a pointless response about clearing app data and visiting a store. I beleive this can likely be fixed through a firmware update. Just don't know how to get this info to the right people.

Re: GPS sensitivity

Uliwooly — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 19:54:02 GMT

@eng3

I have never been able to get GPS while on a plane, even if you google around you will see that GPS doesn't work, it'll be intersting if you record a video of both devices side to side while flying on a plane

Re: GPS sensitivity

eng3 — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 21:02:15 GMT

I have (had) an HTC Incredible and HTC Incredible 4G LTE and GPS has always worked in a plane. Even the Z5 Compact gets a signal, its just loses it alot more often. As long as I'm in a window seat, I always can get a signal. I've been doing this for many years. The only exception I've found is on a 787. Their fancy electronic window shades block the signal.

The HTC incredible even uses an older GPS chip as it only gets maybe 7 satellites. Whereas the Incredible 4G LTE and Sony are able to get signals from twice as many satellites. I'm not exactly sure the difference in technology. However, both HTC's can get and maintain a signal far better.

I don't know how I'd record a side by side, I'd need a third device to record the video. I don't have the 4G LTE phone anymore.

Either way, I'm not sure how to submit this complaint to it gets to the right Sony engineers so they can fix it in a future firmware update. I'm pretty sure it just has a higher threshold for a lock.

Re: GPS sensitivity

Uliwooly — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 21:08:31 GMT

@eng3

I'll escalate this but like I said, I haven't been able to get GPS while on a plane.

Re: GPS sensitivity

eng3 — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 21:37:51 GMT

When you try, how long do you wait to get a signal?

If you get a signal first, while still on the ground with the door open with aGPS assitance from the cell tower first, it is much faster to get an initial GPS lock. If you turn it on mid-flight, it can take a while (up to 10min) to get a lock. Although, usually if I just hold it next to the window for a minute or two, I get a lock.

I did some quick searches. Here are some videos of people using GPS on a plane:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFi1OQ9-Y5U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWjpIGFmIrQ

Links to maps of all the GPS tracks I recorded last year all using a cell phone.

http://i67.tinypic.com/wtt7o9.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/25uju2q.jpg

You can certainly receive GPS on a plane.

Re: GPS sensitivity

Rickard — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 13:25:30 GMT

To improve the GPS accuracy, make sure that you are not covering the GPS-antenna in the phone. You can see a picture of where it's located on page 128 in the manual.

But GPS-signals does not pass through most solid objects so when used inside a plane, you may have bad reception and it may be hard to get/keep a lock. The speed will also affect this.

I checked the email your local support sent you and it's not a store they referred you to, it's two authorized service locations that you can contact in case you want to have the phone and the GPS checked as you mentioned it having poor reception compared to other phones.

Re: GPS sensitivity

eng3 — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 22:11:20 GMT

Thanks for the diagram. Based on the location of the antenna and the way I hold the phone, that area is never covered.

I am aware that a plane is a poor reception environment but that is irrelivant because my complaint related to Sony's performance relative to other cell phones with GPS in the same environment. It should be able to perform just as well. The issue is that the way the phone/gps chip/etc is programmed/designed to determine the signal is sufficient to acheive a "GPS lock" is much more strigent as compared to other phones. When using the Sony phone side by side with other much older phones, the Sony performs significantly worse in terms of its ability to acheive an initial GPS lock and keep the GPS lock. When comparing the signal levels from each satellite, the Sony phone seems similar to other phones. It just does not lock. In good GPS environments, the GPS works fine. I have compared my phone to another person with a Z5 compact that happened to be sitting next to me on the plane and we both had equivilant issues. So I do not think it is just my phone.

I beleive this is likely something that can be adjusted in a firmware. Therefore, I am simply asking that my request be forwarded to sony engineers for consideration to incorporate in a future update.

I did not know the appropriate path to submit this request. I tried local support, however, I did not receive any response to my reply. Thus I tried this forum. This is a fix request but I have suggestions I'd like to send in as well. (ie. Real Burst mode from holding down shutter (like on iphone), lower ISO noise, automatic dynamic range level optimization after photo is taken. Full mode Camera2 API support) I figure that Sony will not make changes unless they receive customer feedback.

Re: GPS sensitivity

AnnoyedWithSonyUK — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 22:22:37 GMT

@eng3

They really don't want to believe you when you say other devices get GPS lock on a plane! I'm with you and have found Sony phones to be less sensitive to other manufacturers. I have put it down to perhaps a common design decision made by Sony across the Xperia range compared to other manufacturers.

Ian

Re: GPS sensitivity

Uliwooly — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 22:39:17 GMT

@eng3

Why don't you stop by your local Xperia Support as suggested by Rickard and your Local support ?

Re: GPS sensitivity

eng3 — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 23:21:24 GMT

1. I only wish to submit this request for consideration by the sony engineers responsible for future firmware updates. That should be able to be done online.

2. The closest local support is rather far from me so it would be very inconvineint.

3. There is no way to reproduce the issue unless the local support rep wants to get on a plane with me.

Re: GPS sensitivity

Uliwooly — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 23:26:10 GMT

@eng3

The reason I'd asked you is bc maybe there's an issue with your phone, that's all.

Re: GPS sensitivity

eng3 — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 23:29:15 GMT

The GPS works in the car even in my house. The GPS lock in these good signal areas is so fast on both phones I dont notice a difference. I only notice it when I'm on a plane. Even phone/data reception although that is difficult to compare.

I was on a flight once where the person next to me had a Z5 compact and asked to compare GPS signals and they looked nearly identical and had the same issues with getting a GPS lock, while my HTC phone got a lock with no issue.

Therefore, I think it is unlikely the issue is only with my phone. I'd be happy to visit local support if I lived closer to one.

Re: GPS sensitivity

Uliwooly — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 01:50:00 GMT

@eng3

I don't think there's anything else that can be suggested here, keep in mind that this is a user based forum, you can contact your Local support or check on the XDA Forum or Sony developers http://developer.sonymobile.com/

Re: GPS sensitivity

Rickard — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 10:55:17 GMT

What i can do is forward this as feedback internally but i'm not sure if it's possible to improve the GPS performance in this case.

Re: GPS sensitivity

eng3 — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 19:11:12 GMT

Thank you, that is all I was asking for.

I realize it may not be possible to fix this issue but I would at least like to bring it to the attention to someone that may have the ability to fix it so they are aware.

If I have other similiar issues (feature suggestions, software improvements), what is the best way to send them in? Send directly to you? email local support?

Re: GPS sensitivity

samuelgmaurer — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 05:19:40 GMT

Perhaps you could post to:

http://support.sonymobile.com/global-en/contactUs/