Please recommend me an alternative to Google Maps on Android?
July 3, 2018 10:10 AM Subscribe
I've been using the Here Maps feature on my Microsoft phone for years and it has proved invaluable. Whether in Central London or a rural back road in Portugal it has always given me an accurate positioning. Brilliant technology.
However, the same cannot be said of Google Maps on my Android phone.
In about 1 out of 12 cases it will throw a wobbler. For example, I might be in Covent Garden (Central London) needing to get to Piccadilly and the Big Blue dot will sent me to Clerkenwell - very annoying!
So I would to like to know, am I doing something wrong or its there an app out there for Europe which has the same no-nonsense dependability of Here Maps on Microsoft phone?
(BTW, I have tried the Here Maps app for Android - but it just does not seem the same)
In about 1 out of 12 cases it will throw a wobbler. For example, I might be in Covent Garden (Central London) needing to get to Piccadilly and the Big Blue dot will sent me to Clerkenwell - very annoying!
So I would to like to know, am I doing something wrong or its there an app out there for Europe which has the same no-nonsense dependability of Here Maps on Microsoft phone?
(BTW, I have tried the Here Maps app for Android - but it just does not seem the same)
No specific suggestion for you but just to say that I regularly use Google maps on Android in central London and it always seems extremely accurate.
posted by crocomancer at 10:35 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by crocomancer at 10:35 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Are you sure you've given Google Maps permission to use Location Services, and have it set to High Accuracy mode? Otherwise, it's not going to be very accurate, especially in built-up areas.
posted by pipeski at 10:46 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 10:46 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
You could check your location services and calibrate your GPS to ensure it's accurate. I don't know how much it helps, but Google Maps will calibrate by asking you to move your phone around in a specific way.
I would also pay attention to whether your wifi is on or off. Let's say you're out and your wifi is on and you've connected to a weak signal - your phone is going to try to use the wifi and it's going to be slow and crappy. If you don't have a good wifi signal, I'd turn wifi off and let your phone rely on mobile data. When my WhatsApp messages aren't going through, that's usually why, and I imagine it can affect the performance of Google Maps too.
posted by AppleTurnover at 10:55 AM on July 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
I would also pay attention to whether your wifi is on or off. Let's say you're out and your wifi is on and you've connected to a weak signal - your phone is going to try to use the wifi and it's going to be slow and crappy. If you don't have a good wifi signal, I'd turn wifi off and let your phone rely on mobile data. When my WhatsApp messages aren't going through, that's usually why, and I imagine it can affect the performance of Google Maps too.
posted by AppleTurnover at 10:55 AM on July 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: When in a city surrounded by buildings, Google Maps will use the existence of nearby WiFi networks to assist the GPS location. Make sure WiFi is turned on (doesn't need to be connected to anything).
The fact that you said that the GPS is inaccurate in a rural, wide open setting likely means its a hardware issue with your specific android phone. What exact phone do you have? Some phones are known for a poor GPS signal.
posted by dobi at 12:43 PM on July 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
The fact that you said that the GPS is inaccurate in a rural, wide open setting likely means its a hardware issue with your specific android phone. What exact phone do you have? Some phones are known for a poor GPS signal.
posted by dobi at 12:43 PM on July 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: What about Waze? Also, there is a variety of services that use OpenStreetMap data.
posted by JamesBay at 12:48 PM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by JamesBay at 12:48 PM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Make sure wifi is switched on, even if you're not connecting to any wifi networks. This helps the phone get an accurate position quickly in urban settings.
posted by kickingtheground at 2:01 PM on July 3, 2018
posted by kickingtheground at 2:01 PM on July 3, 2018
Response by poster: Guys thanks for the great responses...
Reflecting on this problem some more - big high-rise cities is where the problem is most acute.
Thanks for the suggestion to turn on Wi-Fi and give Google Maps permission to use Location Services. I will try that. I must check out Waze also.
BTW, the phone is an LG G4 which was bought with GPS as a high-priority feature. Very pleased with phone but the almost 100% accuracy of Here Maps on my Microsoft Phone in both urban and rural settings really spoilt me.
posted by jacobean at 2:12 PM on July 3, 2018
Reflecting on this problem some more - big high-rise cities is where the problem is most acute.
Thanks for the suggestion to turn on Wi-Fi and give Google Maps permission to use Location Services. I will try that. I must check out Waze also.
BTW, the phone is an LG G4 which was bought with GPS as a high-priority feature. Very pleased with phone but the almost 100% accuracy of Here Maps on my Microsoft Phone in both urban and rural settings really spoilt me.
posted by jacobean at 2:12 PM on July 3, 2018
If Here Maps is what used to be called Nokia Here, it's available as an Android app called Here WeGo.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 3:19 PM on July 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 3:19 PM on July 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
Best answer: If you're relying solely on GPS (not in combination with the cell system or local wifi networks), this will always, always, always be a problem.
You probably know this, but GPS works because the transceiver in your phone has line of sight with the satellite(s). The more satellites your phone can "see," the better the locational fidelity (because your location is triangulated amongst the sats). When you're in a built up area, the buildings around you may block the phone from seeing one or more satellite you might be able to otherwise, were you on top of those same buildings. That balloons the circular error (the possible distance from your actual position the phone thinks you are).
Turning on your other radios (cell network, wifi) and granting appropriate permissions will help a lot, generally, because those things (the cell towers' field of vision and the rough location of wifi networks) are also golocated. It will also, however, absolutely suck your battery dry. In some cases I have turned off the GPS function and navigated solely by those networks.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 7:02 PM on July 3, 2018
You probably know this, but GPS works because the transceiver in your phone has line of sight with the satellite(s). The more satellites your phone can "see," the better the locational fidelity (because your location is triangulated amongst the sats). When you're in a built up area, the buildings around you may block the phone from seeing one or more satellite you might be able to otherwise, were you on top of those same buildings. That balloons the circular error (the possible distance from your actual position the phone thinks you are).
Turning on your other radios (cell network, wifi) and granting appropriate permissions will help a lot, generally, because those things (the cell towers' field of vision and the rough location of wifi networks) are also golocated. It will also, however, absolutely suck your battery dry. In some cases I have turned off the GPS function and navigated solely by those networks.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 7:02 PM on July 3, 2018
Response by poster: Great answers. I will definitely have Wi-Fi enabled on my phone now next time it loses positioning.
Here Maps and Here We Go seem to be the same application on Android.
As an aside, I used Waze today for the first time as a car driver and was very impressed. Paramedics were attending to an ill driver which led to a tailback of about 30 cars and Waze had already picked up on it. Also very impressed with the route options offered and estimated timings of Waze. The clarity and accuracy of Waze also appear to be very good. I no longer have to be under the tyranny of following the Blue Dots of Google Maps!
Thank you everyone.
posted by jacobean at 7:24 AM on July 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Here Maps and Here We Go seem to be the same application on Android.
As an aside, I used Waze today for the first time as a car driver and was very impressed. Paramedics were attending to an ill driver which led to a tailback of about 30 cars and Waze had already picked up on it. Also very impressed with the route options offered and estimated timings of Waze. The clarity and accuracy of Waze also appear to be very good. I no longer have to be under the tyranny of following the Blue Dots of Google Maps!
Thank you everyone.
posted by jacobean at 7:24 AM on July 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Sorry, I'm not following--what's "the big blue dot"? You mean the thing that shows you what your phone thinks is your current location?
If so, that's a problem with your phone, not with google maps--any other app will probably have exactly the same problem.
posted by floppyroofing at 10:24 AM on July 3, 2018 [2 favorites]