A phone with accurate GPS recording abilities

[NEvans]

I am due a phone upgrade and while my current phone, an old Samsung has generally been a good phone, it has been very patchy collecting gps data. When I download a ride to Strava the map suggests I've been all over the place. This could be partly/mainly blamed on Strava but when I use Google Maps it's not always great.

Suggestions please (apart from just don't use Strava)

[LittleGreyCat]

My Samsung S5 seems OK with GPS.
I have two tablets, an Asus and a Sony, and the Asus doesn't seem that good at locating the pointer on the correct part of the map, either Google or OS, but the Sony and my S5 both seem to be fine.
Not much help for a new phone, but for me 2 out of 3 devices are good. So odds are in your favour.

[Psamathe]

I can't make suggestions as you seem to be looking Android but one thing to check on is if it can make use of the Galileo GPS system (as well as GPS & Glonass).

Ian

[NEvans]

I can't make suggestions as you seem to be looking Android
Ian

Is there a belief that other systems such as iPhone are better?

[Psamathe]

I can't make suggestions as you seem to be looking Android
Ian

Is there a belief that other systems such as iPhone are better?

Another debate entirely to which there is no "right" answer. My "because you're looking at Android" was only because I have no experience of the different Android based phones available.

Ian

[Nigel]

I think you have to define the phone budget, or at least budget range. New smartphones range from £50 to £2000.

My experience is that the Lenovo Moto G phones are darned good for the price (sub £200). I run a now quite old G4, and the current version is on my shortlist when it comes up for replacement (I might splash out on the "G Plus" version for the magnetic compass as I'd use that feature). I'm sure that an Apple or Samsung at three or four times the price is a little better, but for my use, I don't consider it to be three or four times better.


Jumps in GPS track can be for many reasons. It might be poor reception, but it could also be the phone going to low power. If I was really bothered about GPS tracks, I'd use a dedicated GPS device to do it, not a phone.
That said, I am considering that a phone, with adequate secondary battery backup and waterproof case, may now be a better option for navigation when walking/skiing in wilderness areas than a new dedicated GPS at £300-£600.


- Nigel

[zenitb]

My Samsung S5 seems OK with GPS.
I have two tablets, an Asus and a Sony, and the Asus doesn't seem that good at locating the pointer on the correct part of the map, either Google or OS, but the Sony and my S5 both seem to be fine.
Not much help for a new phone, but for me 2 out of 3 devices are good. So odds are in your favour.

+1 for the Galaxy S5.

[mercalia]

my £20 Nokia Lumia 635 ( Windows 8.1) seems to have a good gps that locks on fast to the Bing maps in built

[atoz]

My antique Galaxy SIII mini manages reasonably accuracy on GPS using Osmand for tracking. Unfortunately it is long overdue for replacement due to the antiquity of the operating system (Jelly Bean). Probably primary age kids have much better phones- lol

[MockCyclist]

I've been continuing to use my Garmin GPS whilst simultaneously using my iPhone 7 with Strava.

I've just uploaded two tracklogs for the same ride of 1h 40m to Google Earth. Garmin recorded 648 points because it's set to 'intelligently' filter surplus points. Strava with iPhone recorded 3986 trackpoints.

In terms of accuracy, there's not a lot in it and where there is a variation, it's not obvious which one is correct anyway. In my second screenshot, neither track is laid on the farm track which I travelled along.

Here are a couple of screenshots taken in Google Earth. The tracklog with fewer trackpoints is from Garmin, the other one, iPhone 7 via Strava.

/trivia: this is Thixendale so called because it's the 'confluence' of 16 local dales /trivia off

iPhone and Garmin comparison by Mock Cyclist, on Flickr

iPhone and Garmin comparison (2) by Mock Cyclist, on Flickr

[ChrisF]

I've been using Strava on Android (Sony Xperia z2) for over 4 years without a hitch really. A couple of times the GPS has turned itself off but turning the phone off/on sorts it. GPS tracking has been excellent. Make sure that your system settings use the GPS for location and not just WiFi/3G cell positions.

The screen is now cracked on the Sony (I sat on it one day) so I've just bought a used Galaxy s7, as good as new for £140, it'll be interesting to see how that compares for GPS. Both the Z2 and the S7 are waterproof so I can use them mounted on the handebars.

[charliepolecat]

+1 for the Galaxy S5

My Galaxy S5 has just died, so waiting for the replacement via insurance (cost to me about 50 pounds) - which will probably be the S7 since the S5 is long obsolete. It'll be bigger than the S5 which is not good news, but hobson's choice in this matter.

[Cunobelin]

Phone GPS isn't always a genuine GPS

True GPS requires an additional chip which enables the use of GPS satellites to pinpoint where you are

Phones often do without that and merely triangulate using cell towers

Both are restricted in accuracy by the signal you receive

[NickJP]

I've used a Google Pixel 2 for navigating with Locus and Brouter. Accuracy seems pretty much the same as on the Garmin GPS I have. In fact, the phone can talk to more satellite systems than the Garmin. When I got the Garmin, it could talk to GPS and Glonass. After a firmware upgrade, it can see Galileo as well. If I fire up an app on the phone which shows what satellites are being used (app is GNSS Viewer), I can see Beidou, GPS, Glonass, Galileo, and QZSS satellites in the list.

[thelawnet]

Afaik you want the Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 9,or the Mi Mix 3.

Both use two gps systems (US and EU) simultaneously for maximum accuracy.

Some Huawei phones have the same feature but it is not clear if it is enabled. Possibly the Honor View 20