GPS on Android - why it is needed and how to enable it. Enabling, checking and setting up GPS on Android

All modern smartphones and most tablets are equipped with a detection module GPS locations. GPS “lays out” routes through unfamiliar areas, can determine your location with an accuracy of several tens of meters, and also automatically launches some programs or turns on reminders in specific places. Perhaps the only disadvantage of GPS is that it drains the battery of a smartphone (tablet) very quickly. Before starting GPS, let's figure out how to properly configure its operating mode. Let's take a closer look at how this can be done, and also explain how to configure GPS using the engineering menu in case of incorrect operation.

Modern devices combine the functions of several devices at once

Setting the GPS operating mode

GPS is enabled in the notification bar. It is indicated by an icon that resembles a needle. You can determine the operating mode by going to “Settings - Personal data - Location - Mode”. The system will offer you three options: “High accuracy”, “Battery saving”, “By device sensors”. In newer Android versions they can be called: “By all sources”, “By network coordinates”, “By GPS satellites" Let's figure out what's behind each of them.

1. "High precision"(“According to all sources”). The most accurate, but at the same time the most “gluttonous” mode. Determines coordinates by all available means: GPS, Wi-Fi and using . The space is constantly monitored for the presence of a signal, determines the location both in open areas and indoors. This mode is also called A-GPS. If conventional navigators pick up signals exclusively from satellites, then not every smartphone and tablet is capable of this. Additional service information, downloaded from World Wide Web, will significantly speed up search and communication with satellites.
2. "Battery Saver"(“By network coordinates”). Uses only wireless networks- GPS module is not enabled. In this case, the accuracy of determining coordinates decreases somewhat. Indoors, the location is determined quite accurately by Wi-Fi signal, online mobile operator- by signal from the radio tower.
3. "By device sensors"(“According to GPS satellites”). This mode only works in open areas - the location is determined by the satellite signal. Indoors, the signal is lost, and the location, accordingly, will not be determined.

For optimal battery consumption, you should select the “By device sensors” mode and turn off location detection in the notification panel. If you need to get directions, then you turn on location determination again and follow the instructions of the navigator. If you want to have one, and you are not bothered by slightly increased battery consumption, then select the “Battery Saver” mode. If battery consumption issues do not bother you, and you like it when the system determines your location with an accuracy of up to a meter, then your mode is “High Accuracy”.

Setting up GPS through the engineering menu

Flawlessly working GPS module (satellite search, fast connection to them, a stable connection with them) greatly simplifies life, especially in those moments when you are moving through unfamiliar terrain.

But in Chinese models, running on the MTK processor, with long work GPS connection may be unstable, in the worst case, the location may not be determined at all. This is all due to the fact that the module is not configured quite correctly to work in our latitudes.

In order to adjust the GPS operation, log in where you will have to make a number of simple settings. We would like to warn you that you will perform all actions at your own peril and risk.

So, the device must receive superuser rights (also called Root).

1. Turn on GPS and Wi-Fi and go out onto the balcony, or better yet, to any open space.
2. Sign in engineering menu. To do this, enter the combination *#*#3646633*#*#, or *#15963#*, or *#*#4636#*#* on the keyboard. It may differ from the combination for your smartphone (tablet). If none of the listed combinations work, download the Mobileuncle ToolHero program and select the appropriate menu item in it. The program itself is Russified, but the engineering menu is in English.
3. In the program menu you will see several bookmarks. Scroll to the left, select the Location tab, and go to Location Based Service.

1. In the EPO tab, check Enable EPO and Auto Download. EPO is system file, containing information about the coordinates of the satellites and their flight path. This item is not active on all devices. How to download EPO can be found on specialized Internet forums, for example, http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=466241.
2. Go back to the previous level and select YGPS. In the Satellites tab you will see a diagram with the location of the satellites. They will all be red. This suggests that the gadget sees them, but due to incorrect settings cannot connect with them.
3. Go to the Information tab, click full, then after a couple of seconds AGPS restart.
4. Return to the Satellites tab. After a few minutes, the tablet will connect to the satellites and the dots will become green. Please note that if you are setting up GPS on the balcony, then your device may still not connect to some of the satellites. This occurs due to signal interference.
5. Reboot your device. Now the signal from satellites should be picked up much faster and more reliably.

Conclusion

Nowadays you know everything about the operating modes of satellite GPS module on an Android tablet, and in case unstable work you can customize it.

We will be very grateful if you share your feedback on the material or add valuable additions regarding the operation of your particular device model.

This is why it is very important to properly configure GPS on Android to get the most out of this component.

Why do you need GPS in a smartphone and how is it used?

The location system is used in Android not only for navigation, but also in a number of other cases.

For example, many Google applications actively and constantly determine the location of the smartphone and its user. The obtained data is used for a variety of purposes.

So, Google Search helps you find nearby cafes, restaurants and other establishments. It is enough to drive into search bar"Where can I eat?" smart system will display a list of nearby catering outlets. Shops, train stations, hospitals, public institutions and other organizations - nothing can hide from the omnipresent “eye” of Google, and the search giant will help you find those that are closest to the searcher.

GPS is also used to create reminders linked to geographical coordinates. This functionality is implemented in Google Keep. There you can make a list of products and set a reminder so that the application displays a corresponding notification as soon as the smartphone - and its owner - is in the store.

Of course, in this case, GPS is a tool, and it is up to the user how it will be used.

GPS is also used in the camera - coordinates are “attached” to the photographs taken. This is excellent proof that the photograph taken from the top of Elbrus is not the result of photoshopping, and it was taken exactly there, on this mountain.

Anti-theft devices also operate based on GPS positioning. All programs that allow you to find a lost Android device require the smartphone location module to be enabled. And yes, it works!

And finally, GPS is also used in navigation, be it working with cartographic systems ( Google Maps, Yandex Maps) or directly determining and plotting a route (Navitel, 2GIS).

In general, the GPS module is a useful thing. Well, except for a few “buts”.

Why you should turn off GPS in Android

However, GPS is not a panacea at all, but rather a double-edged sword. The geolocation system can cause some trouble.

The first problem is, of course, the increasing battery consumption. GPS is a fairly resource-intensive technology that eats up the battery with great appetite. Even top-end smartphones cannot work for more than 4-5 hours with the positioning module turned on and active, let alone less “advanced” devices.

The second problem is that too many applications want to know the user's location. And if you want to trust the same Foursquare with information about where you are, then some kind of alarm clock that accesses GPS causes at least bewilderment.

In addition, Google collects and stores information about all the user’s “travels,” about his locations at various dates and times, and this is somehow strange and causes mild attacks of paranoia even in those who are not particularly suspicious.

Leaving GPS on or turning it off forever is a personal decision for each user. But it’s still worth setting up this service.

Setting up GPS in Android

First of all, go to the “Settings” application of the Android operating system. This is where the bulk of the manipulations will take place. The item we need is called “Location”.

What can you do with GPS at this point? Actually, it can be turned on or off - to do this, just move the corresponding slider. When it is ON, GPS and coordinates can be accessed by any application that is given the appropriate permission.

The Recent Geo Queries list shows all the apps that have attempted to locate the user in the last few hours. Thanks to this, you can “catch malware” - a program that collects data about the user and does not use it for the benefit of that user (as Google does).

But the most main point location settings - this is Operation Mode. Modern smartphones are equipped not only with a GPS module, but also with A-GPS technology. It allows you to determine your location with more or less high accuracy, even if the device cannot communicate with positioning satellites.

For A-GPS operation various data are used - information from towers cellular communication(in this case, the triangulation technique is used) and information from available points Wi-Fi access, even if the device is not connected to them.

So, have modern smartphones There are 3 modes of operation of the GPS module: by all sources, by network coordinates and by GPS satellites.

The first mode is precisely the implementation of A-GPS technology. The smartphone uses all available sources to determine its location. This could be positioning satellites, cell tower coordinates, data from Wi-Fi access points, or all three. Working in this mode allows for the highest accuracy in location determination, regardless of whether the device is located outdoors or indoors, but leads to increased battery consumption.

The second mode turns off the GPS module - and then data from towers and access points is used to determine coordinates. This allows you to save a lot of battery power, especially if Wi-Fi is also turned off, but it degrades the positioning accuracy – up to a range of several blocks.

You can further reduce battery consumption by turning off Wi-Fi in A-GPS. The instructions are described in the article "".

Of course, to position using network coordinates, it is not necessary for the device to be in the field of view of the satellites. Therefore, if you use this mode, the location will be determined equally poorly regardless of where the Android device is located: indoors or outdoors.

The third mode disables A-GPS technology, and the device begins to try to determine its coordinates solely by geopositioning satellites. Battery consumption in this case is also quite high, but lower than in the A-GPS + “pure” GPS combination, accuracy is within a few meters. The only “but” is that if you move the smartphone indoors (or into a tunnel, for example, in general, you deprive it of the ability to “see the sky”), and it loses contact with satellites and, along with it, orientation in space.

This way you can set the optimal mode GPS operation.

You can then enable or disable geodata transfer. The switch is located in Settings, in the “curtain” or on the corresponding widget.

Optimal GPS settings on Android

If you need to provide maximum time battery life, then it is better to set the GPS operating mode to “Only by GPS satellites” and completely disable it from Settings, “curtain” or widget. Thanks to this, battery power will not be consumed trying to determine the location of the device.

Then, when GPS is still needed, for example, if you need to plot a route from point A to point B, you can turn it on - from the settings, “curtain” or widget.

If you want to take advantage of all the benefits of always-on positioning (for example, personalized search results in Google app), but you don’t want to run with your smartphone to the outlet every three hours, then you can turn on the “Only by network coordinates” mode. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for navigation. The geolocation service itself should be left enabled.

And finally, if the battery charge is not too important - you still have to “run to the outlet” two or three times a day, then you should turn on the “By all sources” mode and leave the service turned on. This ensures maximum positioning accuracy both indoors and outdoors.

All modern Android smartphones and tablets are equipped with a GPS module. This allows these devices to be used as GPS navigators. In addition, the presence of a GPS module allows you to leave GPS tags on photos and use many other useful functions. In this regard, many novice users are interested in how to enable GPS on Android. In this article we will briefly consider this issue.

Typically in Android GPS devices module is included. But, if you previously disabled this function, and now you want to turn it back on, then you need to open Settings and go to the “Location” section.

At the top of the “Location” section there is a switch that is responsible for disabling and enabling GPS on Android.

If this switch glows blue, it means GPS is turned on. Except simple switching on GPS you can change the navigation mode. To do this, go to the “Mode” section. Based on device sensors."

In the “Mode” section, you can choose one of three modes for determining your location.

Consider these modes:

• High accuracy. IN this mode all is used to determine location available information: GPS sensor data, Wi-Fi data, and mobile network data. If you turn on GPS in this mode, you will be able to determine your location with maximum accuracy.
• Save battery power. The operating mode intended for the device. In this GPS mode module . Instead, data obtained via Wi-Fi and mobile networks is used to determine location.
• Based on device sensors. In this mode, only information from the GPS module is used.

You can also enable or disable the use of your location data in the Location window Google services. To do this, go to the “Sending geodata” section.

There are two more in the “Data Sending” section additional sections: “Sending geodata” and “Location history”. Open each of these sections and turn off (or turn on) the use of your location data.

Modern smartphones have navigation modules built in by default. In most cases they work quite accurately. Just turn on GPS in Settings, launch the Maps app, and within minutes the program will determine where you are. And if you didn’t turn off the GPS, the determination will take a few seconds.

But what if GPS doesn't work? How then to determine the route, speed, your location? Don’t rush to take your smartphone for repair: most often this can be solved correct setting phone.

Auxiliary services

In addition to the satellite receiver itself, auxiliary settings are sometimes very useful for determining your location. As a rule, they are easily enabled on the phone itself:

• A-GPS. This service downloads your location data from the Internet using data cellular networks, to which you are connected. Of course, its accuracy is much lower, but it speeds up accurate satellite determination.
• Wi-Fi. Did you not know that according to the data Wi-Fi networks Can you also determine the location?
• EPO. However, more about it below.

When customization is necessary: ​​a Mediatek curiosity

Today, Mediatek (also known as MTK) is one of the leaders in manufacturing mobile processors. Even such giants as Sony, LG or HTC today create smartphones using MTK processors. But there was a time when the processors of this Taiwanese company were used only in poor iPhone clones or dual-SIM dialers.

In 2012-2014, Mediatek released quite decent chipsets, but they constantly had a problem: GPS did not work correctly. Satellites with such devices behave according to the quote: “I am difficult to find, easy to lose...”

It was all about the settings of the EPO auxiliary service. This service, developed by Mediatek, helps calculate the orbits of navigation satellites in advance. But here’s the problem: the default EPO data in Chinese phones is designed for Asia and fails when used in Europe!

This is corrected in modern models easily. Let us remind you that all these instructions are only suitable for smartphones with MTK processors:

• Open menu Android settings
• Go to the “Time” section and set your time zone manually. This is necessary to avoid network location for time.
• Go to the “My location” section, allow the system access to geodata, check the “By GPS satellites” and “By network coordinates” checkboxes.
• By using file manager go to the root directory of the memory and delete the GPS.log file and other files with the combination GPS in the name. It's not a fact that they are there.
• Download and install the MTK Engineering Mode Start application, which allows you to log into your smartphone (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.themonsterit.EngineerStarter&hl=ru).

• Move to an open area with good visibility. There should be no high-rise buildings or other objects around that would obstruct your direct view of the sky. The Internet must be turned on on the smartphone.
• Launch the application, select MTK Settings, in it - the Location tab, in it - the EPO item. As you may have guessed, we update the EPO data for OUR time zone and time!
• Click the EPO (Download) button. The download should happen in seconds even on a weak connection.
• Return to the Location section, select the YGPS tab. In the Information tab, press the Cold, Warm, Hot and Full buttons in sequence. With their help, information about the location of satellites in orbit is updated, so each time you have to wait for the data to be loaded. Fortunately, it's a matter of seconds.

• In the same tab, click the AGPS Restart button. The AGPS support service will now take into account already downloaded data and more accurately determine the position of the satellites.
• Go to the adjacent NMEA LOG tab and click the Start button. After that, go to the Satellites tab. You will see how the system detects satellites. This process should take 15-20 minutes, during which the satellite icons will turn from red to green. Make sure that the display does not turn off during this time, or better yet, disable sleep mode altogether. When all (or most) satellites turn green, return to the NMEA Log tab and click Stop.
• Restart your smartphone.

Yes, this is far from the best simple procedure. Depending on version MTK processor(we described the steps for the MT6592 platform) the procedure may differ slightly, but essentially remains the same. But after these GPS actions It will work great on a smartphone.

Ten years ago car GPS navigators were a curiosity at domestic market electronic devices. But today it is difficult to surprise anyone with the presence of built-in global positioning systems in modern smartphones and tablets.

General information about GPS

Most modern smartphones and tablets on the mobile device market today are equipped with a GPS module for determining location. This is a really convenient and advanced option. In addition to plotting a route for a car or bicycle on the ground, the GPS module will be able to determine its own location with high accuracy up to tens of meters. Along with this, the system makes it possible to turn on some programs or activate the reminder function on the phone when you are at a certain point globe. on Android?

The main disadvantage of GPS positioning

The main disadvantage of GPS positioning in a smartphone is the rapid drainage of the battery. In this regard important point the correct adjustment of the operating mode seems to be below. Below we will discuss the basic tools for how to set up GPS on Android, as well as the principles of working in the engineering menu of a smartphone in case of incorrect functioning of the system.

Enabling GPS operating mode

To enable GPS navigation, you can use the notification panel of your smartphone. The enabled positioning system is displayed at the top of the screen in the form of a periodically flickering circle. To change or view how GPS functions, you need to go to the smartphone settings, then to the “Personal Data” section, from there to “Location” and select “Mode”. As a rule, operating system provides three options to choose from, including “By device sensors”, “Battery saving” and “High accuracy”. If we are talking about phones that use latest versions"Android", the menu may look slightly different. How to set up GPS on Android 5.1? In this case, the listed items will be named “By all sources”, “By network coordinates” and “By GPS satellites”.

Highest level of GPS accuracy

The most accurate positioning option is the “High accuracy” or “Across all sources” mode. At the same time, with this operating procedure, battery consumption will be the most intense and rapid. In this mode, the system tries to determine the location by all means available to it, namely: GPS, Wi-Fi and using mobile networks. The smartphone will constantly evaluate the space for the presence of a signal and try to determine the location not only in open areas, but also indoors.

This operating procedure is also sometimes called A-GPS. His distinctive feature Compared to the work of conventional navigators, it is possible to obtain additional service information about satellites via an Internet connection. This speeds up the search for satellites and obtaining data on their signals.

Other Global Positioning Modes of Operation

The GPS operating mode “Battery Saver” or “By Network Coordinates” is used to receive signals exclusively from wireless networks. In this case, the GPS module is not used. Of course, in this mode the accuracy of position determination is somewhat deteriorated. At the same time, indoor position can be determined using Wi-Fi.

The operating mode “By device sensors” or “By GPS satellites” can only function in open areas in the absence of interference. IN in this case The position of the object is determined using satellites. If interference occurs in the form of high-rise buildings or walls and ceilings of premises, the satellite signal will be lost and the position will no longer be determined. It would be appropriate to say that this article is about how to set up GPS on Android without the Internet. But it should be noted that such installations are also possible using the World Wide Web. In this case, the Internet is used to correct the situation when there is insufficient good signal from satellites.

The last operating mode is the most economical for the battery. In addition, you can disable determining your own position on the ground in the notification panel. If you need to get a route from point A to point B, you can turn on positioning and follow the prompts of the navigator built into your smartphone. If you need a personalized search for an object, you should give preference to the "Battery Saver" mode. Well, if the phone has a powerful and capacious battery the user may well choose the most expensive method of operation, “High precision”. The methods described above are suitable for solving the problem of how to set up GPS on Android through the main menu of the device.

Configuration using the smartphone’s engineering menu

However, some smartphone models, especially those made in China based on MTK processors, may experience connection difficulties or unstable communication. There are even cases when the device does not determine the location of an object at all. This is due to incorrect configuration of the GPS module for operation in domestic latitudes.

This software malfunction You can level and configure GPS on Android through the engineering menu of your mobile device. It should be emphasized that you can use this functionality on devices on which the mode is activated Root works, giving the user the opportunity to control the smartphone as developers.

Next, you should perform a series of sequential operations. First you need to turn on GPS and Wi-Fi and go outside or to the balcony of your room. After this, you will need to enter the engineering menu by entering the combinations on the phone keyboard: *#*#3646633*#*#, *#15963#* or *#*#4636#*#*. It should be noted that on different models On smartphones, the symbol combinations may be different, or even not suitable at all. Then, to solve the problem of how to set up GPS on Android, you can use the Mobileuncle ToolHero application, in which, after launching, select the desired item and enter the engineering menu.

Here the user will find several bookmarks, from which he must select Location, and then go to Location Based Service. In the EPO line, you must check the Enable EPO and Auto Download boxes. It should be clarified that EPO is a system file that contains information about the coordinates of GPS satellites and their lines of movement. This item is often deactivated on some phones.

Now you need to go back a step and select YGPS, and then go to the Satellites tab, in which the user will find a map of the position of the satellites in orbit. If satellites are displayed in red, this indicates that mobile device sees them, but cannot receive a signal from them due to incorrect settings.

To fix this problem, you need to go to the Information section, click full, and after a few seconds AGPS restart. After this, you need to return to Satellites and wait until the satellite icons turn green. It is best to carry out this operation in an open area, since on the balcony, due to significant interference in the form of house walls and trees, the signal quality is much worse. The last step is to reboot your device, be it a smartphone or tablet. Thus, the most common ways to set up GPS on Android are discussed.