A warning about magnetic iphone/ipad cases

[Gypsyjon]

I have a magnetic case/cover on my iPad. I run AquaMaps using built in GPS and it works just fine. I use it as my primary navigation tool.

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by mickt243

All iPhones from the “iPhone 3G” onwards have all had an actual GPS receiver.

All cellular iPads from “the new iPad” (ie, ipad3) have had actual GPS receivers.

All non-cellular iPads do not have a GPS receiver - it’s contained within the cellular chips...

Slight correction in that all iPads with cellular capabilities have a GPS receiver since my first generation device has one which was why I purchased it

[misfits]

Gezz, wish I had read this earlier.
The case I bought today for my samsung tablet has a magnet to close the cover.

Think I still have the receipt...

[Gypsyjon]

You can tell if an iPad has built in GPS by looking at the top of the unit. If it has a black bar running the width of the top it has GPS. The black bar is the GPS antenna.

Once again, my magnetic case does not and has not messed up my iPad GPS.

[hpeer]

Last night my wife’s iPhone stopped receiving email. Kept getting a “bad certificate” error message. I searched the internet for a few hours trying all kinds of stuff that didn’t work. Luckily I didn’t delete the email account and retry.

This am, following some additional advice I turned of the SSL. it worked! I went back to turn the SSL back in, and found it was already on.

Point being, these damn devices get mucked up all on their own. No outside help needed. I would not be too awful quick to buy a new phone but keep searching the web and trying things, even if they don’t seem to make a lot of sense. You may stumble across the solution.

Very frustrating. best of luck.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by misfits

Gezz, wish I had read this earlier.
The case I bought today for my samsung tablet has a magnet to close the cover.

Think I still have the receipt...

Not everything you read on the internet is correct. I know, it's hard to believe but it's true. There is close to zero chance a magnet caused the GPS system in an iPhone to die. I don't care what the kid at the Genius Bar says.

For sure a magnet will affect the compass function. But phone compasses are a bit inaccurate as to be not suitable for navigation IMO anyway so not a huge issue in real life. The digital compass is not used by the location services at all.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

No. The phone is held in place on its sides by a thin, plastic case which has a magnet on its back. That case is then held inside the larger wallet case by magnet.

This is a photo of the parts of the case.

I am pretty sure the "Genius" at the Apple store doesn't know what he is talking about. Have a look at this setting (assuming you are running IOS 11.4):

Settings->Privacy->Location Services->System Services->Compass Calibration

Is this setting on (green) or off?

[Sawbonz]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Thanks for the warning.. Just bought a new wallet for my Samsung and this had a magnetic Tab.

I will cut it off, jut to be safeAttachment 174696

I wouldn’t! The OEM iPad cases come with tons of magnets.

And then I read the rest of the thread saying the same thing........

[Peregrine1983]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

I am pretty sure the "Genius" at the Apple store doesn't know what he is talking about. Have a look at this setting (assuming you are running IOS 11.4):

Settings->Privacy->Location Services->System Services->Compass Calibration

Is this setting on (green) or off?

Thanks Transmitterdan. I really appreciate all the help. I understand how to change the settings for Location Services and I assure you all this is not a PICNIC problem.

The compass still consistently reads quite far off without the case now for over 24 hours. And I've re-calibrated it several times. My Lat/Long is accurate in the compass app, so it's receiving GPS, however it does not show up accurately in my navigation apps... showing my position as far off.

As another user stated above, it's quite likely this problem was not caused by my magnetic case, and just by use, wear and tear, a software glitch, or some other strange hiccup that seemingly can't be remedied.

This is my current compass status after many resets recalibrations, etc. etc. My phone is on the right, and the phone on the left is showing the correct compass orientation. One thing is consistent though... it's about 30 degrees off.

Edit: Nevermind... now it's 90 degrees off.

[misfits]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

For sure a magnet will affect the compass function. But phone compasses are a bit inaccurate as to be not suitable for navigation IMO anyway so not a huge issue in real life. The digital compass is not used by the location services at all.

I didn't think a magnet would cause a device to fail but never considered it effecting the devices compass. I only use the GPS function on the tablet running the Navonics app. Have to admit it's been spot on in the past. I did find the receipt in my wallet so that's a plus.

[inspectr]

Any compass, including a fluxgate compass will be affected by magnetic fields in the vicinity of the compass. In fact a fluxgate can be affected by the magnetic fields associated with the motor and alternators on any boat.

It should not be surprising that a strong magnet in the vicinity of the fluxgate like device inside a smart phone would affect the accuracy of the unit. Doubly so if any part of the phone was capable of being magnetised, or could be affected.

When I was in the Merchant Navy, we used to have to "swing compasses" to remove the magnetic influences of the iron in the ship from the compasses. The two iron spheres on each side of the binnacle are called "Lord Kelvin's Balls" and the compass adjusters would fiddle with these balls to counteract the magnetic fields in the ship, as well as remove or add iron masses to a vertical cannister at the front of the binnacle.

After the 1974 Hobart race i met an old shipmate who was then Harbourmaster and we swung compasses before proceeding off to New Zealand. It was remarkable how some minor adjustments of the position of the steel balls and some tweaking of the contents of the forward cannister removed many inconsistencies of variation / deviation in the compass rose

The OPs problem with a consistent inaccuracy in his position could be related to incorrect chart datums between devices (just a thought)

[Alita49DS]

Peregrine , when you write "The compass still consistently reads quite far off without the case now for over 24 hours. And I've re-calibrated it several times. My Lat/Long is accurate in the compass app, so it's receiving GPS, however it does not show up accurately in my navigation apps... showing my position as far off."

Does that not illuminate even a dim light bulb for you that this might not be a hardware problem at all but something to do with the navigation software that you are using? Either the software, or more likely the settings.

If the GPS app is showing an accurate position then, logically, the phone must be receiving an accurate position. Also, the app should show you the number of satellites the phone is "seeing". As against wireless masts which the phone only uses to speed GPS acquisition by telling the device where in the world it is.

Both my iPad and my Android phone have closure magnets. As others have written they make not a jot of difference.

BTW, who would feel safe navigating using a phone screen anyway? Far too small. Conversely I deeply resent the typical Apple ripoff of charging a massive premium for LTE without which there is no GPS on an iPad.

[hellosailor]

Peregrine-
I suspect you have been victimized by "The Guru Bar" at the apple store. They've had all too much nasty press about trying to pull the wool over customers' eyes.

ANY gadget that has a magnetic compass built into it, including all the new smartwatches, and all the new smartphones, ROUTINELY NEEDS TO BE RECALIBRATED. You have the same issue in fact even with cars that have a little compass in the rearview mirror, with no brains attached to it. In a car, very much like any boat, you recalibrate by making two fairly tight circles or something similar.

With smartphones and smartwatches? Usually you are supposed to open the compass app, or open a system setting, and then wave the phone/watch in something like a "figure eight" pattern, horizontally not vertically. I have no idea why that's done differently than cars and boats, except perhaps it is harder to steer in a figure-8 course for most of us.(G)

But I'd lay odds you don't need a new phone. That's always the easy answer, "Dude, you need a new ____ your old one is so out of style!" And usually, sure, throwing money at the problem will solve it. But every one of those gadgets needs calibration, often every 3-6 months even without magnets around them.

I've seen a smartwatch decide "North is THAT WAY!" proudly pointing to the south of east, and only slowly creeping back to what was correct after literally a dozen recalibrations. No magnets needed apparently, just things getting out of calibration.

Magnets? Velcro dots can fix that.(G)

[StuM]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

With smartphones and smartwatches? Usually you are supposed to open the compass app, or open a system setting, and then wave the phone/watch in something like a "figure eight" pattern, horizontally not vertically. I have no idea why that's done differently than cars and boats, except perhaps it is harder to steer in a figure-8 course for most of us.(G)

It's because phones generally have 3 directional magnetic sensors so that they can tell which way they are being held.

[Peregrine1983]

Originally Posted by Alita49DS

Does that not illuminate even a dim light bulb for you that this might not be a hardware problem at all but something to do with the navigation software that you are using? Either the software, or more likely the settings.


BTW, who would feel safe navigating using a phone screen anyway? Far too small. Conversely I deeply resent the typical Apple ripoff of charging a massive premium for LTE without which there is no GPS on an iPad.

Speaking of dim lights....... I would re-read the above posts where it’s explained that this is an issue on multiple navigation apps and that I’m using this as a supplement to a Raymarine chart plotter.