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GPS location very unstable

(Topic created: 07-27-2024 08:02 AM)
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Galaxy S24

Just got my S24 Ultra and started to use. The GPS is very important to us as we travel and hike very often. Also, we take many photos and geotag them so we can see where we've been. First thing I notice is that my location is jumping around in Google Maps! My location isn't even close to my home, and it looks like I'm in other people's yards and bouncing all over the place. The precise location NEVER locks! This also initially happened with my galaxy S22U, but was eventually fixed.

 
I used the GPSTest utility to look at the gps data and the satellite acquisition is poor. Most of the L5 satellites are missing and Beidou satellites are far and few between. The gps accuracy and speed are jumping all over the place. My S22U accuracy was fixed at 8.4ft and speed close to zero, since not moving. My S24U accuracy is bouncing all over but typically around 33ft, and my speed can reach 10mph! This is completely frustrating. Anyone else having this issue, or did I get a bad phone? Zoom in down to the outline of your home to see this problem on Google Maps. 
By the way, I tested the the gps location accuracy using the Samsung phone diagnostics and it said "normal". Normal compared to what? Samsung, I hope you're seeing this, and please fix asap. I will be returning this phone if this basic necessity can't be fixed, unfortunately.😞
203 Replies
alpayk
Asteroid
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Galaxy S24

My gps problem persists just like many others, writing to post https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Galaxy-S24/GPS-location-very-unstable/m-p/2960675/emcs_t/S2h8ZW1... It looks like it is a software fault, because when my phone starts losing gps signal as i shared in the screenshot, i turn off and on again the gps then problem goes away at least for some time. I and many other samsung users expect this problem to be resolved for good. Please keep in mind that I, as a solution architect, am willing to help you resolve this issue if needed. If samsung needs any support, i would do whatever i can. Thanks

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Galaxy S24
For some unknown reason my gps started working properly about one week ago. I now have fast acquisition of all satellites and the gps locks with 8.2ft of vertical resolution. The results are very repeatable as I check 10+ times every day. That said, I don't know that any update resolved this issue and don't trust that it will remain functional.
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m3ron
Constellation
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Galaxy S24

I have the same issue. It's like GPS is probing very rarely. This is my impression.I see it when I am running and it takes the same application to show my correct pace after like 500m.I see the location pinpoint and it is not moving like I am running. This is not application problem because that occurs on all applications. Also when I look at the same time at GPSData application it looks like it lost connection to GPS module. Restarting application gives me immediately good results. And it is not satellite problem. Because I have 48 out of 68 satellites fixed. With that amount accuracy should be high.

I am running with GPS and comparing to my previous S21 I am getting some garbage results. It looks like I am running drunk. For 10km run that I have the real distance is 9,90km and 100m is just garbage.

Samsung, please fix this if this is software. 15 pages in this threat I guess clearly proves it.

EDIT: and today I ran with two applications at the same time. And GPS made same mistakes in the same places. So that's the proof for me that this is not app that's probing too rarely. Both applications showed 10.10 km instead of round 10km. Too much error. This is on June update.

EDIT2: now testing July and August update.

EDIT3: after 2 weeks of testing July and August update the problem still persist, but it is slightly better. For the first three runs it was promising. I only saw 1-2 small detours per 10km run. Also when I am driving a car when in traffic jam I see that I am jumping to another lane or my direction is not in the way I am driving but sideways.

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Chogger
Constellation
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Galaxy S24

You may find that the activity difference you ate seeing is down to the elevation gain stats being **bleep** as well. 

 

I've taken this up with the Samsung Health team and can't get a satisfactory response. I hike pretty much every day and the stats on my S24 ultra are way out as a flat walk turns into 800 ft of elevation gain and when you look at the chart it thinks I am constantly going up and down when the trail is flat, this in turn screws the distance covered too. 

I short, I have little confidence that this expensive device can track things accurately and my older s22 is far more accurate. 

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Bagdadishvili
Constellation
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Galaxy S24

This is ridiculous... such a phone having such bugs, and samsung cannot fix this already for so many months... missed the correct turn hundreds of times already...

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mrtnzagustin
Asteroid
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Galaxy S24

Guys, did you tried to do a hard reset on your phone? did it fix the issue?

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Chogger
Constellation
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Galaxy S24

A full device reset has no impact on the issue for me

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userNBJV2nsvaC
Constellation
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Galaxy S24

Hi

 

I love samsung devices but this is really annoying me lately and considering going to either s24 plus or ios 

 

I use my phone daily for work and a solid working gps is important to me 

I can be driving along and Google maps will bounce all over the place multiple re locations and struggles to see where I am on the map before rectifying it's location for it to happen again this is not ideal for when I am working in an area I do not know 

Waze is also the same anyone else got this issue ?

 

Using EE Network in the UK solid 5G signal 

Popsicle20
Red Giant
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Galaxy S24
It sounds like your GPS is having trouble getting a signal. When your phone is in your car, is it in view of the sky (sorry, not sure how else to phrase this). I've heard that sometimes the GPS can be blocked if the phone isn't close enough to a window.

I found this advice for Garmin watch users having GPS problems. Maybe it can help you.

"Begin your activity in an open area outdoors devoid of trees and buildings. The lack of physical interference should help your wearable acquire a GPS signal quicker. Heavy cloud coverage may also affect the signal."
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lbbirdz
Constellation
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Galaxy S24

I have a one week old Galaxy S24+ and am also having GPS problems. The first time I had a problem I didn't know the phone was having GPS issues. I was driving on the freeway in an area I know and the directions it was giving me were bizarre and wrong. What it was telling me to do would have taken me off the freeway I was on (which is where I needed to be) and put me on another intersecting freeway. Looking at a map, I can see it must have thought I was on the other freeway and was trying to get me on the one I was already on.

I use an app for listing birds that tracks where I walk and calculates the distance I traveled. After the freeway incident I walked a trail up a hill while using the birding app. I do this is walk multiple times a week and use my app most of the time. I was obviously outside and in the open. The app told me I'd traveled 1.39 miles when I'd only traveled .80 miles. I looked at the recorded track and it showed me wildly zigzagging back and forth across the trail. My Galaxy S9+ (previous phone) never did this.

Yesterday, after knowing I was having GPS issues, I did some short drives from home and turned on Google Maps navigation just to see what it would do, even though I didn't need it. One time it told me to turn the wrong way when leaving a shopping center. Must have thought I was on the other side of the road. At every intersection where I needed to make a turn it was 50 to 100 feet short of where I was, which meant I was turning before it told me to.

I downloaded a GPS test app and when I'm stationary the app seems to indicate GPS is working correctly in my phone. But when I start moving it goes haywire.

I sure hope there is a fix for this. I have also seen other posts around the Internet about GPS problems on S24 series phones. Started when the phones first came out and more posts are still popping up. Seems like they may have fixed issues with it being so far off that one person said it put them in another time zone, but there are still issues with it being off enough to screw up navigation.

Lisa