Who the fuck needs a compass?

[Paws]

They are marketing the new iPhone by pointing out that it now has a compass.

Who needs that? The iPhone can display Google Maps with GPS, so why a simple, less informative compass?

 

[Ekim23]

LOOOL

some people r weird u know...

they think they can survive with an iphone

 

[Telstra]

just imagine where GPS might not work.
in the mountian areas ??

 

[Corny]

hu? hadn't the old one a GPS already?

 

[Yooper]

The LATEST iPhone:

 

[cityboy-stl]

They are marketing the new iPhone by pointing out that it now has a compass.

Who needs that? The iPhone can display Google Maps with GPS, so why a simple, less informative compass?

You mean it has a physical magnetic compass? If it just has a compass display on the screen it probably uses GPS to calibrate it.

 

[Lawnmowerman]

You mean it has a physical magnetic compass? If it just has a compass display on the screen it probably uses GPS to calibrate it.

That was my thought, too. If it relies on GPS signals, and you are somewhere they aren't reaching, that "compass" is quite useless.

 

[COACHMN]

UH, In the wilds of Alaska a compass comes in REAL HANDY have carried one for years. But that is only one reason why I am upgrading from the original iPhone I have carried since Feb. 2008. I am on hold (40 minutes now) with the Apple Store folks. There are no Apple Stores in Alaska and the nearest AT&T store is 150 miles from me.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

That was my thought, too. If it relies on GPS signals, and you are somewhere they aren't reaching, that "compass" is quite useless.

yep that's what i was thinking.

 

[COACHMN]

Yup, iPhone 3G S actually has a magnetomiter with compass, so no GPS data or Cell data required, just uses the Earth's magnetic field similarly to any mechanical compass.

However applications can access all three location capabilities.

-dan

 

[xolinlevh]

cool feature, not the only reason i wanted to upgrade from my 3G to the 3G s, but nice none the less. however i wont be upgrading apparently because apple/ATT decided to fuck over all current 3G owners by exculding us from the $199/299 prices, in the fine print:

AT&T customers who want to upgrade from another phone or replace an iPhone 3G, the price with a new two-year agreement is $499 (8GB), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB).

 

[Kanemahu]

I'm still using the original iPhone and am seriously considering upgrading this time around. The only reason I didn't get the 3G is because of the "upgrade" to the service plan costs as well as the hardware. Since I use about 10 of my 400 minutes monthly, it was hard to justify a $100 phone bill.

Seeing as how more and more apps are beginning to utilize the intarwebz, I guess it's time to bite the bullet.

 

[hotatlboi]

It's not just about the compass. It's the compass API that will allow developers to make better games etc with the orientation aware capabilities.

 

[andysayshi]

The iPhone is not the first phone on the market to have a magnetic compass built in. The value is that it allows software to know which direction the phone is facing and/or traveling. Google Maps can orient to the viewpoint of the phone, for example, making the map easier to interpret. It invaluable for pedestrian-based map features.

 

[Paws]

UH, In the wilds of Alaska a compass comes in REAL HANDY

But who else except people in Alaska needs a compass? If GPS is useless in your region, why would you rely on an iPhone that runs on a battery and the display might get broken?

Urban people really have no use for it. All we need is Google Maps to show us the next pizza take-away. Apple could have produced an extra "survivor iPhone" with compass and water-proof, sturdy case for a few bucks more.

 

[gdude30]

LOL.

That video was funny "It's even a hand grenade"

But about the compass. The cool thing about the compass is in maps. Where you can actually use the compass to turn the map in the direction you are going. Something that should really be available on the old 3G and not exclusive to 3G S.

But also like someone else said for games too.

Speaking of which. Graphics are supposed to SIGNIFICANTLY improve with the new iPhone 3G S

 

[ANDORYUU]

When you use Maps, router planners (Garmin, TomTom etc), you need an internal compass as well as a GPS in the device. This is so the device knows which way you are heading. Just having the GPS and map doesn't help the standard user. You could walk a while before you know you're heading the wrong way.

I don't know why you would need a compass app on it's own, unless you are doing orientering / trekking.

 

[gdude30]

You make a very good point Andoryuu.

I completely forgot that if compass is compatible with Tom Tom App than it will be really good.

Meanwhile those who don't have 3G S and have the Tom Tom App installed. I guess we will be a bit limited..

 

[Apollo]

They are doing that because they didn't really change the design or functionality of the 3GS so they need a selling point.

And the compass works with a magnetrometor inside the device so it is acurate.

 

[bankside]

GPS will tell you which way the iphone is moving, but to know which way the iphone is facing, even when stationary, you need a compass.