The iPhone 5 Review
by Anand Lal Shimpi, Brian Klug & Vivek Gowri on October 16, 2012 11:33 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Apple
- Mobile
- iPhone 5
GNSS: Subtle Improvements
Section by Brian Klug
Like the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 CDMA before it, Apple has gone with the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) leveraging both GPS and Russian GLONASS which lives entirely on the Qualcomm baseband. In the case of the iPhone 4S and 4 CDMA, that was onboard MDM6610 and MDM6600 respectively, both of which implemented Qualcomm’s gpsOneGen 8 with GLONASS tier. Going to on-baseband GNSS is really the way of the future, and partially the reason why so many of the WLAN, BT, and FM combos don’t include any GNSS themselves (those partners know it as well). In this scheme GNSS simply uses a dedicated port on the transceiver for downconversion, additional filtering (on RTR8600), and then processing on the baseband. The advantage of doing it all here is that often it eliminates the need for another dedicated antenna for GNSS, and also all of the assist and seed information traditionally needed to speed up getting a GPS fix already exists basically for free on the baseband. We’re talking about both a basic location seed, precision clock data, in addition to ephemeris. In effect with all this already existing on the baseband, every GPS start is like a hot start.
There was a considerable bump in both tracking accuracy and time to an assisted GPS fix from the iPhone 4 which used a monolithic GPS receiver to the 4 CDMA and 4S MDM66x0 solution. I made a video last time showing just how dramatic that difference is even in filtered applications like Maps.app. GLONASS isn’t used all the time, but rather when GPS SNR is either low or the accuracy of the resulting fix is poor, or during initial lock.
With MDM9615 now being the baseband inside iPhone 5, not a whole lot changes when it comes to GNSS. MDM9615 implements gpsOneGen 8A instead of just 8, and I dug around to figure out what all has changed in this version. In version 8A Qualcomm has lowered power consumption and increased LTE coexistence with GPS and GLONASS, but otherwise functionality remains the same. MDM9x25 will bring about gpsOneGen 8B with GLONASS, but there aren’t any details about what changes in that particular bump.
I spent a lot of time playing with the iPhone 5 GNSS to make sure there aren’t any issues, and although iOS doesn’t expose direct NMEA data, things look to be implemented perfectly. Getting good location data is now even more important given Apple’s first party turn by turn maps solution. Thankfully fix times are fast, and getting a good fix even indoors with just a roof between you and clear sky is still totally possible.
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rarson - Thursday, October 18, 2012 - link
Me too, other than the stupid proprietary connection that jacks the price of everything up.Spunjji - Friday, October 19, 2012 - link
I sit pretty firmly in this camp, too. Despite the physical durability flaws, I do find the overall package of the iPhone 4/4S/5 to be superior to most comparable 'Droid handset. I just find the software to be unbearably obstructive to my desired use patterns.steven75 - Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - link
Maybe some people want a still larger display but keep the industry leading app support, industry leading hardware ecosystem, airplay, apple store support, industry leading resale value, industry leading OS upgrade support, and without any carrier bloatware?Seems pretty possible to me.
GotThumbs - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
"we've just got to deal with it." Wrong. You have to "deal with it".Believe it or not....everyone does NOT own one of these phones. The idea of getting a brand new item, be it a car, camera, laptop, tablet or phone and having to deal with the fact that that the companies quality controls are sub-standard is one of the lamest things I've heard....Oh! besides the number one example...... "You're holding if wrong" - Steve Jobs.
I try to not let this kind of monologue that reeks of Apple fanism not bother me...but come on! Talk about romancing about a freaking phone. Please keep it to a level of unemotional comparisons and the feel free to give your personal thoughts and not assume to speak for everyone else.
The fact that you felt compelled to write 5 or more paragraphs on the anodizing process is just pathetic. I stopped reading about it after the first paragraph and skipped to the bottom. I thought this is supposed to be a phone review, not a discovery channel episode on the anodizing process. I can't speak for you or anyone else, but I'm pretty comfortable telling you most consumers probably don't care about the process of anodizing, they just expect a quality product for their money.
People are paying good money...in a bad economy and your saying all they can do is "deal with it"? How about having an open mind and mention they have the choice to buy a different phone or wait for Apple to fix it in their next generation. Your only position appears to be....suck it up, its Apple and thats just part of being in the collective.
Again,,,,, YOU do not speak for everyone so please drop the "WE".
Rant done.
Best wishes to all on your choices in life.
crankerchick - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
Talk about overreaction. Keep the statement within the context of the article. iPhone users have to deal with it if they want to remain iPhone users. Anand is an iPhone user as well are more than a few people reading his review--thus the use of the word "we" instead of the use of the term "iPhone users."That said, he should take care lose the "we" but wow, what a rant for something that one can easily use common sense and say, "No I'm not stuck with it." Other bloggers and review sites do the same thing.
LOL, everyone is always looking for someone to point the fanboy finger at.
KPOM - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
Apparently you have never read an AnandTech review. They go into that kind of detail all the time. That's what people like about them. You aren't going to read that in a CNet, The Verge, or Engadget article. You might get some of that at Ars Technica. But AnandTech goes into excruciating detail.VivekGowri - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
I mean, it's not like Apple is going to radically alter it a month after production starts, so if you want an iPhone 5, your options are to either put a case on it, or suck it up and live with the scratches. Alternatively, you could buy a 4S (if you want iOS) or any other phone that floats your boat.I'm a guy that daily drives a Galaxy Nexus, so accusing me of iOS fanboyism isn't necessarily the most productive way of going about your day.
phillyry - Sunday, October 21, 2012 - link
Yes!Well said Vivek.
But ya, Apple should still have the pressure put on them. So, I could see how people might take it the wrong way. 'Cause it could seem like you're just like, "It's all good Apple, we'll just suck it up." When, in actuality, your ideas are as you stated here. As per the OP's rant, I definitely thought it was off-base but could see where he would draw that conclusion, as it came across that way to me too. And, perhaps like me, he has a hard time keeping track of who uses which phone from the podcasts.
Again, well retorted though.
jiffylube1024 - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
You are seriously complaining about the depth the review went into on the anodizingprocess? You're reading a review of a product and you're complaining that you're being given more information? How about you just skip over that section if it doesn't interest you.
I lol'ed that you called that kind of serious scientific investigation into the anodizing process (which I found incredibly informative) "pathetic". Real, fact-based journalism apparently bores you; you'd just rather read opinion pieces and pass judgment on them. How high minded of you!
Other reviews don't even mention anything about the anodizing process other than that it's there. I don't get why you'd even bother reading a review on AnandTECH if you don't care about the technology...
As for the author's position to "deal with it" (the anodization scratch issue) -- what more can the author do? He can't fix the problem or even address it from a manufacturing standpoint. The review points out the issues with it; the decision making process is up to the consumer and the fixing of the problem is up to the manufacturer.
GotThumbs - Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - link
"Other reviews don't even mention anything about the anodizing process other than that it's there. I don't get why you'd even bother reading a review on AnandTECH if you don't care about the technology..."Anodizing a piece of aluminum does not constitute "technology" when compared to the design of a SoC or camera, at least in my opinion. I see it as a finishing process. My point is that a side link to more detailed information on the anodizing process would have sufficed and kept the reader on track with the hardware review.
I visit Anandtech on a daily basis and have been reading/visiting this site from the early years when Anand was still in High School. I thoroughly enjoy reading/learning about how new technologies in hardware are evolving and when they are compared to other current hardware available in the marketplace. But I feel there has been a growing tendency in Apple product reviews to have a hint of personal/emotional input rather than sticking to an analytical/technical assessment and let each reader digest the information without the personal emotional spin. It's like todays "News" casters interjecting thier personal thoughts/opinions on a news story. I prefer to get the facts and come to my own conclusion.
In case you haven't realized, more and more in todays society, we are "Marketed to" in ways that are growing exponentially. Todays marketing companies continue to market to us using methods not just like Product Placement in TV shows, Reality shows, Movies, Red Carpet runways. etc., but on FB, Twitter, blogs, and weak "tech reviews" like CNN's (Read more like product ads than a review) etc. Because of this bombardment of marketing from every possible source imaginable and newly evolving, I don't think its wrong to call out a reviewer when I feel there is even a whiff of non-neutrality. They can take it with a grain of salt or ponder on their next review to be sure they are approaching it in a clear and unbiased manner.
Complacency in a society and lowering on one's expectations is not something to embrace, its to be challenged and called out.
Listen, no one is perfect and yes I may have been a little high strung in my post, but it was fueled by emotion and passion and I won't apologize for that.
I do apologize to Vivek Gowri if I offended him in any way. It was not my intent.
Best wishes