Karelia

Do iPhones have different airplane modes?

None of the dozeon or so Android smartphones that I've owned over the last
few years had any trouble getting GPS fix while in airplane mode. My current
phones, Galaxy Note 3 and S5, can easily get GPS lock while in airplane
mode at 30,000 feet above the Pacific. Although the best I've gotten was l
locking in to 11 GPS satellites when the phone is pressed against the window.
On the ground, I usually get 15 or 16 when the phone is mounted on the
console.

DeafFlyer

If you turn off cell data, wifi, and bluetooth yourself, rather than use "Airplane Mode" is it not the same thing as airplane mode but with GPS not disabled? He did say with WIFI on though.

LtKernelPanic

I've been able to get a GPS fix with my iPhone 5 if it's within a couple inches of the window. FWIW normally in iOS the GPS receiver is off when in airplane mode but there are tweaks available if you jailbreak your phone that allow you to turn off the different radios individually.

satman40

Out of airplane mode..or jailbreak..not a problem,

FlyTrey

No it is not, the phone is still searching for a cell tower signal as disabling cellular data does not disable all cellular activity.

Then only proper way to use GPS on an iPhone is removing the sim card and manually disabling wifi/bluetooth.

DeafFlyer

I see. Why would it be searching for a tower if cell data is off? For emergency calls?

Karelia

again, is this something only iPhones do? If so, what's Apple's logic behind it?

Like I said, all of the Android phones that I own can get GPS locks while still in airplane mode even at 30,000 feet over the middle of the Pacific. (including Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy SII, S3, S5, Galaxy Note 2 & 3, HTC One, Moto X)

Need

Yes only iPhone. Don't know the logic. One possibility is that the original iPhone does not have a real GPS chip. It used cell tower and WiFi to triangulate your location. So maybe this Airplane Mode was carried over from the first iPhone and no one thought to change it.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1355

erika33

I guess it just pings a cell but does not send any data? I travel abroad with roaming data and cell turned off, but gps (google maps) works fine. It won't render the map (unless I've preloaded it) but will pinpoint where I am with geo-coordinates.

Middle_Seat

The Android app MAPS.ME (aka Maps With Me) works with GPS and free downloadable maps (available for many, many nations and US states). No internet or cell connection needed. As you fly over a city you can zoom in and see individual streets zip by.

Another Android app, GPS Test, shows lots of data about number of satellites, speed, altitude, etc.

pilotalan

OK, I use iPad and Android products for navigation in my personal aircraft, and here's the definitive skinny on cell phone GPS.

The last several years of cell phones have GPS chips in them (mandated by the FCC for Enhanced 911 services).
The GPS is a real GPS chip, and does not require cell service or cell location to function.

Assisted GPS does a couple of things.
1 - It augments GPS if you're in an urban area or indoors and cannot get a GPS signal.

2 - When starting up, the GPS chip is using timing variances to develop spherical distance solutions from multiple satellites. There are multiple possible locations and altitudes for your position, it takes time for the GPS to determine which possible location is the correct one. By using cell tower info, it can eliminate all the incorrect solutions, and lock your position sooner.

3 - GPS augmentation will also help cover for temporary loss of GPS signal.

On an iPad (and an Android phone), you can put in airplane mode, then tap the GPS button to turn GPS back on. Last I tried (a couple years ago), I don't think you can do that with an iPhone. I don't know with the latest OS revision.

I use this method with an aviation navigation application called ForeFlight on the iPad, and with another one called Garmin Pilot on my Android phone, with over 300 flight hours behind iOS and Android devices.

gfunkdave

I am unaware of a separate GPS on/off option on the iPad or iPhone. Putting the device in airplane mode disables the GPS. The only way to enable the GPS chip is to turn off airplane mode. But it does work just fine - I tried it on a flight last week:

pilotalan

I didn't remember right. With a cell-enabled iPad, leave airplane mode off, then go to settings and shut off Cell Data, Wifi, and Bluetooth. Nothing's transmitting, but the cell chipset is still running so you can receive GPS signals.

Android lets control the GPS chipset separately from the phone and data segments of the radio. Ipads lets you work around it, but iPhones do not.
You have to put iPhones in Airplane mode.

ZZYZXROAD

To answer OP question yes, I do it all the time in window seat using S3. Usually never turn my phone off and leave it on cellular data too. Don't think twice about it. Enjoy.

daved31415

When permitted, I suggest using GPS Essentials on Android. Before boarding, get the latitude/longitude of your departure and arrival airports and use the map to zoom in on both airports and take a look at the entire route, that way the data will be available when offline.

If you're in flight and are looking for the GPS coordinates, Kiwix provides a nice, free copy of Wikipedia that you can keep on your portable devices (~50 GB).