GPS on my iPhone 6+ has always been accurate. Amazingly accurate. Most of the time, it took only a few seconds to pinpoint my location on any app using GPS, Apple Maps, Google Maps... This has been the case for almost 3 years.
Update to iOS 11, then up to iOS 11.2.1
After the update to iOS 11 / 11.2, GPS is never accurate. The best it can get to is an approximate location of a radius of 20 meters. And often, the actual location is even outside that circular area. Whatever the app, same problem.
Tried to go in a very opened area, with no building, no trees... on a very blue sky day. Waited for minutes in Maps... same problem.
Tried the common fixes found everywhere on the Net
- Reset Network Settings (after each update, then have to enter all wifi passwords again)
- Reset Location & Privacy
- Location Services ON/OFF
- Reboot ... several times
- All apps have been updated to the last version (eg Google Maps)
- Airplane mode ON/OFF ...
- and of course, tried with wifi ON and OFF
Nothing has improved in the GPS department...
(Unfortunately cannot restore to iOS 10 since I don't have a fresh backup of before the update)
Is this a known issue for some iPhones (namely the 6 family)?
Any other advice welcome.
edit
No improvement with 11.1.2
Nov 28 update
As of today, everyone I know who has an iPhone 6+ on iOS 11+ and use GPS a lot has this problem. Did an app to calculate the best accuracy the device might have within 30 minutes, under a clear sky, out of town - GPS is always erratic, inaccurate. It's definitely an iOS / firmware issue.
Went to Apple store and talked an hour with the manager, explaining the problem etc... Basically answers were
- there is nothing to do - your phone is defective and has to replaced with a new/used one [buy a new [678]+, or an X] ...
Dec 22 update
It seems the reason to this sudden trouble could well be due to Apple slows down iPhones as they get older. GPS is a complex mechanism, and forcing the CPU (and other components) to act differently, to slow down, and probably get less power, could have an effect on the GPS chip and behavior.