Recomendations for dual SIM phone with good GPS - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 01:59:41 pm
content: I have finally decided to return my awful Motorola G6 as it is awful in various ways but the latest show stopper is the GPS being very inaccurate and slow to the point that it is not even that good for driving and when walking nothing can even tell me what direction I am walking in.So I am on the hunt for a new phone. Preferably dual SIM although I am thinking of giving one up. What i do want is good GPS as I use my phone as a SAT NAV and when walking unknown towns it is very handy.Suggestions? I'll splash £500 on something really good.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 05:44:45 pm
content: This is very strange. May be you have unrealistic expectations? I have two phones at the moment Samsung Galaxy S4 (work) and LG Nexus 6P (personal). Both have perfectly usable GPS for driving and walking.But in my experience all phones struggle with direction when walking. They don't derive it from GPS at low speeds, but from a compass, which is not great.The advice would be any modern phone, but Motorola G6 is already one of those, so I don't know.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 05:57:14 pm
content: Check to see if your phone is sold in the US, if it is, check the FCC database where you may be able to find a package of documents giving all sorts of info on it. Its entirely possible that some kind of intervention may become obvious at that point, for example, there may be external antenna connections buried somewhere on the unit, or maybe you are unknowingly using it in the wrong orientation.Anyway, its worth trying. keep in mind that most GPS antennas only have one 'up' direction and they need to be facing that way up to be accurate. the only exception I know of to this are the small quadrifilar helix type antennas made popular by Sarantel. They can be used facing any direction. So a GPS with a patch antenna if used sideways is going to be wildly inaccurate nomatter what.There may be other manufacturers who make QFH GPS antennas at this point. Internally, they may sort of resemble a barber pole.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 06:39:39 pm
content: Simon, check out some of the offerings from Vivo. They can run 2 nano SIMs + 1 microSD up to 256 Gb.http://global.vivo.com/en/products

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 06:41:16 pm
content: My expectations are not excessive. Even the person i spoke to to organise the return confirmed she had one with the same issue. I have had it since May and they just organised the return with no fuss. Basically Motorola won't issue a recall on the dodgy thing and just take them back when they get complaints. When you are over 50m off your path of expected travel and after 2 unexpected turns the satnav app has just realised you are somewhere totally different there is a problem. As the person on the phone confirmed the updating is too slow but I also found it inaccurate. I was sitting on a bus by the window and google maps kept moving my location by several hundred metres because the GPS could not figure it out. So no it's not me it's motorola.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 06:43:18 pm
content: Then it may be just a problem with that specific model.The normal expectation from a modern phone that GPS works as expected. So I guess any other phone will work for you.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 06:46:53 pm
content: Yes it is indeed an issue with that particular model. The one I had previously (G4) was fine. Yes in principle any phone will do but I took that approach with Motorola which is why i now ask for advice based on real usage, It has other issues but this is the one that put me over the edge.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 06:52:47 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on November 04, 2018, 06:39:39 pmHave you used one? looking at the V11 I see that the OS is "derived" from Android so does it run all Android apps? looks good, the PR department need to learn the definitions of "memory" and "storage"

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 06:57:49 pm
content: Could you save a GPX file and use it to make a bitmap image that shows what it thought your position was and what your position actually was?Please, for your privacy, remove any information that shows where it actually is, just make a graphic that shows the trace and the path you actually were on. If the error is really atypical, it almost has to be the antenna.Here is what I would look for. Inside the phone maybe there is an internal antenna connector, like a u.fl, very very small, thats falling off or maybe the coax is crushed underneath some other part and non-functional and needs replacement? Check the GPS antenna/ signal path.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 06:59:52 pm
content: Quote from: cdev on November 04, 2018, 06:57:49 pmI don't care it is going back in the next 30 days. I can't get into the thing so aux antenna's are out and so is the phone.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 07:31:01 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 04, 2018, 06:52:47 pmGetting a SH V7 soon I hope.Looking at the spec for these they list 32 Gb as internal memory and expandable to 256.You have to hunt through the specs to see all that.I'm not keen on a whopping big phone like many of the more modern ones so the V7 seems to fits the bill nicely for me. I see no reason why it won't run any Android offering.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 07:44:02 pm
content: Well it seems rather non European I wonder if they even work over here?

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 07:50:13 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 04, 2018, 07:44:02 pmNo, nobody ever thought of making portable telephones work in other countries.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 07:57:36 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 04, 2018, 07:44:02 pmPick your one:GSM850/900/1800/1900MHzWCDMA 850/900/2100MHzFDD-LTE 700/850/900/1800/2100/2600MHzTDD-LTE1900/2300/2535-2655/2570-2620MHz

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:14:44 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on November 04, 2018, 07:50:13 pmYou may be surprised to know that different regions use different frequencies and GPS systems..... although most stuff is universal that particular company does not inspire me yet.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:15:57 pm
content: I have come across this:https://www.stklife.com/collections/x2-bundles-limited-time-offer/products/x2-with-case-and-tempered-glassbut i have to wonder how much marketing versus engineering, I get a bin skeptical when my sense of patriotism is appealed to, obviously not assembled in the UK

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:17:33 pm
content: Try one of the Samsung Duos phones, nice units, dual SIM and usable world wide and which are quite usable. Get a case and screen protector for it right off, I use a full sleeve and that has saved the phone from drops. Buy a large mini SD card as well for it, if you need the capacity. Simple UI, reasonably good GPS, it told me I was in the middle of a dam, which was right, seeing as I was right there triangulating from local landmarks, and gave correct altitude as well, even though it took 20 minutes to boot the GPS from being off for months, as I rarely use the GPS or wireless sides, seeing as data here is expensive, and "free Wifi" is non existent as well, or horridly shaped and has nasty MITM certificates. Wireless on at home, and then I do not need GPS to tell me location.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:18:58 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 04, 2018, 08:14:44 pmI'm not in the least surprised, funnily enough, I have a little experience in the matter.. And uh, no, GPS is GPS everywhere you go.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:19:13 pm
content: Sometimesthey hide an external antenna jack on the outside, under some rubber thing you might not think was movable. Probably not on the ultra-modern looking ones but sometimes they do. Quite a few of my phones have had one somewhere.Quote from: Simon on November 04, 2018, 06:59:52 pm

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:20:12 pm
content: Quote from: cdev on November 04, 2018, 08:19:13 pmThere is nothing

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:58:14 pm
content: I like my samsung J5 a lot. Only app where i may use GPS without data is viewranger and it takes around a dozen of seconds to lock to a satellite. Precision is as good as a phone can be

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 08:58:59 pm
content: Well i bought the supa dupa UK designed one.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 09:21:17 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 04, 2018, 08:58:59 pmCool.Please report your experiences when you've bashed it around some.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 09:34:50 pm
content: will do

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 01:01:32 am
content: Pretty much all of the big brand smart phones have more than adequate GPS functionality. I even get a GPS fix indoors in a room with no windows and metal roof on my Samsung Galaxy S8. The sensitivity is pretty amazing.Samsung (and others) make dual-SIM versions of many of their models (Samsung dual SIM models have a 'D' at the end of their model number). The Samsung G950FD (Galaxy S8 Dual-SIM) is currently selling for AUD$699.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 07:50:03 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on November 05, 2018, 01:01:32 amSo Motorola is not a big brand?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 06:32:23 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 05, 2018, 07:50:03 amMinuscule here in NZ.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 06:34:00 pm
content: miniscule everywhere if they are not careful

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 07:40:45 pm
content: Oh no, one phone you had a problem with, they clearly suck immensely!Note 7 didn't kill Samsung, and that was a couple orders of magnitude bigger a problem.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 07:53:48 pm
content: actually the previous model was not the most loved. But people have short memories, or no choice.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 08:12:21 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 05, 2018, 07:53:48 pmThe Moto G5? They're fine.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 10:00:18 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 05, 2018, 07:50:03 amMotorola's consumer product line is a shell of what it used to be. Their smartphones have pretty much died off since Google bought Motorola Mobility in 2011 (who really only did so for the patents).None of the 3 mobile carriers in Australia sell Motorola products anymore although you can still buy the Moto C outright (released mid last year) from some retail stores. Motorola's market share is tiny compared to Apple, Samsung, OPPO, LG, Huawei and others. I actually had to Google to see if smartphones were still being made with Motorola/Moto branding as I honestly wasn't sure. I haven't seen a single Motorola phone in person for several years.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2018, 07:06:54 pm
content: Well i would not recommend an STK phone. Once again I was let down by something that said: buy me because i was designed in britain.......Mobile internet would not work, it's only dual SIM if you forego the SD card, no fast charge, another stupidly slippery case design that means you have to use the horrible cover just to stop it sliding off lightly inclined surfaces or your bed. Yea, that is going back to where the sun don't shine. For now i will put my G4 back into service.

author: Technobabble_
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2018, 07:57:47 pm
content: I've usedhttps://fccid.io/in the past to lookup items. Note: It's not run by the federal goverment; it's a 3rd-party curated search.

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 05:54:54 pm
content: I had also moto G,samsung a5 2016,huawei mate8, all worked well.never saw a smartphone with bad gps, only if you put some shitty firmware or apps who use gps same time or just overcharge the phone's ram.all smartphones worked well with respect to civil gps requirements...I say, look to samsung...Envoyé de mon iPad en utilisant Tapatalk

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 09, 2018, 09:31:43 pm
content: And the motorola G4 GPS looks to be as bad as the later model. Once i am over the burning hole in my pocket from the new PC i am having to build I'll look into a samsung and see if i can ditch my second phone number making a single SIM phone cheaper.