topic Re: Xperia S GPS Problem in XPERIA archive

Xperia S GPS Problem

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:56:24 GMT

Hi Sony and Users,

Since day one 1 (9 march 2012) that i had the Xperia S i have GPS problems.

Looking at the forums there are more people with the same problem.

It looks like the 2011 range has the same problems.

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/25770?start=0&tstart=0

The Xperia Pro / Neo / V are running on Android 2.3.4 (What i have read).

The Xperia S is running Android 2.3.7

Why is there no bug fix for the 2.3.4 version.

Why did you bring out the Xperia S with the bug still in it. When does the Fix come.

The forum thread of the 2011 models, already sad that the bug was there on oct 29, 2011 by JojoNeo.

So you just continue to bring out phone's with the same problem??

For me the only thing that works is to turn on Flight Mode and then Navigate. Thats NO option for me.

I have a HSDPA 14,4 Mbit/s connection on my phone but the problem is still there.

5 minutes of navigation and the connection freezes till i restart the phone.

Link to XDA Forum thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1541227

Message was edited by: Patrick Link Add

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:21:48 GMT

I have the same problem and I hope that Sony will solve it soon, or give us at least some reply.

Herman

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

maRRRco — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:38:07 GMT

Guys, listen me !!!

Bring the phone back and change brand if you are in time.

We are waiting since 5 months, and probably we have to wait other 2 months, before to receive the ipotetical fix for 2011 series.

Now I read about a similar problem on Xperia S and i got a few laughs .

This is absolutely inconceivable, i don't know why Sony is so crazy to do it.

I'm not sure this time is a software bug, but perhaps worst it can be an hardware issue of all terminals.

But if you don't want to wait, and is your right, change the phone immediatly and not with a new unite.

Change completely Brand, this no way to produce phone, Sony please makes Tv that is better. :smileyangry::smileyangry::smileyangry:

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:55:30 GMT

disabling the power saver app seems to work for most people, just make sure you change the setting before.

GPS issues is a big no-no for a mobile device, especially in this price range, so I hope SONY didnt screw this up.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Markus1 — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:26:58 GMT

If the problem you're having is the very same as described in the thread (to which you included a link), you will find some answers from us (Sony people) in there.

For that problem we do have a fix and it will come with the Android ICS update.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:58:31 GMT

Thx for your reply,

After some more testing.

If the signal drops to zero, i dont get a fix anymore and i have to restart the phone.

This wil be between 5 and 20 minutes

In the other thread the signal is gone for about 30 seconds.

But if Sony knows of the problem in de 2011 range, why do they bring out the Xperia S whit almost the same problem.

And is ICS really goning to fix this problem? Because this is really a no go if the gps only works in flight mode.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

maRRRco — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:44:11 GMT

" But if Sony knows of the problem in de 2011 range, why do they bring out the Xperia S whit almost the same problem ? "

Money dear friend, this is the true reply.

or total inaccuracy to do firmware or chose hardware, and this mean again, other money out of our pocket and in Sony pocket.

Bad to admit it, but is the only explanation i did myself for a situation of this type.

Is not conceivable a wait of 7 month for a fix, ft there will be, or buy a new phone with pretty the same problem of 2011 series

Sony insulte its customers, so if you bought the phone since 7 days return it ! ! ! !

I'm very angry, and across i see only a total deafness and indifference.

I repeat again this is no way to make phone or do business with faulty products.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

pascalmagnette — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:25:03 GMT

Confirmed

GPS as useless as on Arc ...

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

intellix1 — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:26:28 GMT

Tested the gps today for the first time............First with Wisepilot and then with google navigation. Worked fine for 20 minutes and then could no longer locate my position and kept searching for GPS signal. I turned off data......turned on/off flight mode..............switched off and then again switched on the gps...........

but it didnt help.

Only resort was to restart the phone. After restarting, gps determined my position in less than 3 secs.

Question is when the GPS loses track (owing to the issue described in the thread and also since 2011 series of phones), shouldn't turning off and again turning ON the GPS ideally solve the problem?? Unless there is a bug due to which the phone keeps data in a cache to determine that something needs to happen before the GPS can start working again.

Cos when I restarted the phone, I presumed, the cache was cleared and hence the entire process was reset and the GPS was good to go for another 20-30 minutes before the same issue would reoccur.

This is such a bad bad problem. I never had issues with my X10 with GB 2.3.3 where I regularly used the GPS for 3-4 hours during trips.

Also when I had heard in their advertisements, that Xperia S uses both GPS and GLONAS to obtain position, I thought navigation would really be better than the earlier phones owing to the dual support.

However, this is proving to be such a bad bad bug. Not at all expected from a reputed company for such a costly device.

If things are not resolved soon, I may decide to return the phone and go for something else.

Note: The sony guy says they know the issue and will provide a fix via ICS. This is not a GB or ICS issue but should be a simple firmwire problem. We still don't know for sure when we shall be getting the ICS updates rolling out. So it would be better if sony can push out a minor update to fix bugs like these. I have been loyal to the Sony brand for my entire life, but seems like it is really time to change. Releasing new generation of premium phones with old bugs.......not a good move. No wonder Sony is unable to get anywhere near Samsung (let alone Apple) in terms of Cell phone sales.

Can Sony provide any update or ETA on when this issue will be fixed? Cos I need to travel regularly and I really prefered using Google Maps instead of a conventional gps. Seems like my new phone is worthless.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:25:21 GMT

I couldn't say it better. :-bd

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:36:33 GMT

Thank you for your information, I am an X10 user (still) and I rely on the GPS of the phone almost everyday and for hours at a time so the first reviews of the S are really discouraging.

Sometimes I wonder, when they decide to sell a device for $700, have they tested it first to see if it actually works?

Apart from the GPS fiasco, how do you like the device. Is it "night and day" difference from the X10?

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

intellix1 — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:20:57 GMT

Xperia S is way way lot better in terms of overall performance and the biggest wow factor is the Screen.

The display is simply awesome. I saw some comments on the forums and other reviews suggesting it is worse than Galaxy S2 and Iphone4s, but frankly speaking the display is lot better than Galaxy S2 even though Galaxy has Super Amoled screen. Believe me the display is awesome and the color quality is true to life. Overall I love the build and the phone.

But the let down factors are

1) GPS -- The main disappointing factor for me

2) Battery life -- Although I am slowly moving towards 16-17 hours without charging. It will get better if you use a bit conservatively. I am trying to find out rogue services (and same discussed in XDA as well) which apparently are sipping away juice when the battery is in standby.

I believe this is a simply great phone. But Sony needs to resolve the issues which initial users are pointing out.....issues like the GPS

As I said, I really hope I dont need to sell off the phone for something else......but will probably do so if no firmware updates to fix the GPS OR the rumored ICS update is coming soon.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:31:42 GMT

As you said earlier... I wouldnt hold my breath on ICS solving any issues. SONY Ericsson is known to create more issues with their updates than fixing the ones that people already complain about.

I know how you feel because I ve been there with my N8.

There is a roumor though that a bug fix is coming for the S. Since there is "radio silence" from SONY, it is probably not true. I assume that they are going to pretend that there is really no problem with the GPS and you should send it in for a check up (as usual).

I hope they fix it so you can enjoy your new phone! Good luck! and keep us posted!

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:21:26 GMT

i just called support the guy i spoked to..told mee that he had not heard about the problem before???

my phone does the same gps stops after 5-30 min and then i wont log on again,,,then i have to shut down the phone before it can log on again:(

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

maRRRco — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:54:21 GMT

Mail Sony support it terrible, they always say not to know the problem you are showing.

They don't know nothing, probably they didn't see never their Xperia phones ihihih :smileylaugh:, or at least, don't use them.

Just for fun, a nice title for this discussion:

" The sound of silence"

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:14:58 GMT

Hi, First time today I tried navigation. O2 UK on Wisepilot and Google Navigation and each time lost GPS signal after only a few minutes. GPS and Data is enabled, nothing else. Also using Wisepilot navigation screen reverts sometimes to full screen menu mode. Initial GPS fix is super fast, alas when you start driving these problems start. Frustrating and dangerous.

Loving the phone otherwise, however if this issue is not fixed I will be cancelling this new phone contract and Sony would have lost a new customer, period.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Oskar-GPS — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:53:35 GMT

Hi All,

There is a problem in SW version 6.0.A.3.62 that in some networks causes the GPS receiver to lose the GPS fix after about 5-50 minutes. Then you need to reboot the phone to get a GPS fix again.

The problem is fixed in SW version 6.0.A.3.67.

This is not related to the GPS problem reported on the 2011 series of XPERIA phones.

//Oskar

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:04:22 GMT

Thanks for email with your reply. However my phone is running software 6.0.A.3.67 out of the box when I picked it up yesterday. Apparently then, this has not fixed my GPS problems as posted with many others here and on XDA forum.

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

maRRRco — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:18:40 GMT

Hello Oskar

i not even want to know what concern network to gps running ... but, why in xperia S the problem was fixed in a while, and we are still waiting since 6 months a firmware for the 2011 series ?

i believe someone have to give an explenation for this

are we B series customers?

i know many italian boys with Xperia S and with the new firmware 67, they don't lose signal every 5 minutes also with data disable, so the solution has been introduced for them, and not for us.

Sony, nice behaviour, congratulations !!!

Re: Xperia S GPS Problem

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:01:11 GMT

My XS came out with .62, after reading all the good test results of Cholek3 on XDA (He is on .67).

I have flashed my device to .67 UK version ( The update is not out in my country.).

I did some quick testing (45 minute drive) and did not have any problems.

Normal i did freeze with 5 minutes max 20 minutes.

So it looks like the minor update did work.

I will do some more testing tommorow.