iPhone as a primary GPS

[+spiritwolf922]

Thank you, Apple iOS 6.0, for taking one of the few hobbies I have and royally FUBARing it to the point where I can no longer rely on the Geocaching app because you had to pull Google maps off your system. /endrant

 

That said, does anyone out there have an iPhone-compatible app that they can recommend that I can use as a work-around for Geocaching's app? My iPhone's GPS accuracy in the Geocaching app has dropped from 16 feet to 291 feet (and sometimes 1.1 miles). My friend and I went looking for something that should have been a relatively easy park-and-grab and my Geocaching app went bonkers, tossing me anywhere from 473 feet in one direction to 1.2 miles in the opposite direction. And when we moved, it didn't. Needless to say, we didn't make the find.

 

I should also point out that I do not know how to read a compass. Unfortunate, but there it is. I have relied heavily on the Geocaching app and now that it's only good for reading up on descriptions, I need to have something else that's as easy to use.

 

I have the following apps (none of which really helped): Geocaching, MotionX-GPS, iGCT, Mapquest and Commander Compass.

 

Recommendations? (Besides going out and buying a "real" GPS...)

[+splashy]

Just wait, there will be a solution because so many people is gecaching, Apple don't want to lose them to Android.

If you buy the first of the first generation, many things have to settle. As they have to resolve the wifi, youtube and scratching.

For now try to find a working app.

Edited September 25, 2012 by splashy

[+Cachelucky]

I agree I hate iMaps. I am on a steak with daily finds and averaging 2.4 per day but since I upgraded to iOS 6, I am struggle to find one or 2 a day. I can't zoom in as far with iMaps as with goggle maps and it bounces around continuously. A work around app would be greatly appreciated if anyone knows of one. I love geocaching and don't want this to cause me to loose interest. I also got the new iPhone 5 on Friday and do not see any improvement where geocaching is concerned. This whole change is very disappointing.

[+desmognathus]

Sounds like I will not be upgrading to 6.0... good to know. Or see here for a work-around.

Edited September 28, 2012 by desmognathus

[+Red90]

I'm confused... My Geocaching app still uses Google Maps with the option of OpenstreetMaps while on IOS6.

 

edit: I guess not....

Edited September 28, 2012 by Red90

[+Lieblweb]

Have you rebooted the App and phone?

 

Sounds like you have a technical glitch. My geocaching app with IOS 6 (on iPhone 4) works fine. Even with the jittery map, It's not any different (in accuracy) as it was before the upgrade

[+spiritwolf922]

Have you rebooted the App and phone?

 

Sounds like you have a technical glitch. My geocaching app with IOS 6 (on iPhone 4) works fine. Even with the jittery map, It's not any different (in accuracy) as it was before the upgrade

 

If you mean, have I completely deleted the app and reloaded it, yep. If you mean, have I "hard-shut-down" the app and restarted it, yep. If you mean, have I shut down the phone completely and rebooted it then reopened the app, yep. I'm told that I'm just special.

 

Did I mention the talent I have for creatively breaking things electronic? Today's bug: One of my customers has been trying to e-mail me for the last week and none of his messages have come through. I checked Spam. Nothing. I checked Deleted. Nothing. I checked Blocked Senders. Nothing. I have checked everything I can think of and found... Nothing. I even sent him an e-mail while we were talking on the phone. He received it. He hit reply. I received.... Nothing! As I said, I'm just special.

[+Jonzila1]

I still have Appel 3 Started geoing a year ago love it till installed 6.0 Now it stinks my wife has same phone ,

But did not upgrade & hers is fine

Can I go back to what I had befor.

[+spiritwolf922]

I still have Appel 3 Started geoing a year ago love it till installed 6.0 Now it stinks my wife has same phone ,

But did not upgrade & hers is fine

Can I go back to what I had befor.

 

Nope, unfortunately, what has been done cannot be undone. Sorry.

[+E_ZIG_A]

Ok, now that we have the Google Map app on our iphones, do you think the Geocaching app will be able to tap into that soon? I am so frustrated with the Apple maps as I was doing a lot more spur of the moment geocaching when travelling for work (when dragging out a GPS is not possible) but with the 6.0, it is a sad and miserable experience!

[+Will IB Ready]

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

I'm using iPhone 5 with iOS 6.0.1 and the Geocaching app uses Google maps just fine and has been since I started using it.

I use the Google Satellite map every day.

Check the settings on the app and see what map type yours is set to. The only choices my app offers is Google maps, and OpenStreetMap.

[+E_ZIG_A]

rightio, doubting my own sanity here! Last week I could not change those settings, so was stuck with the appalling Apple Maps. Today, after downloading Google Maps, I suddenly have other options! All I can say is Hallellujah! I don't care how, why, sanity or not, it's GAME ON.....

[+geodarts]

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

I'm using iPhone 5 with iOS 6.0.1 and the Geocaching app uses Google maps just fine and has been since I started using it.

I use the Google Satellite map every day.

Check the settings on the app and see what map type yours is set to. The only choices my app offers is Google maps, and OpenStreetMap.

 

The Groundpeak App's street and sat maps on the navigate screen are labeled as Google, but it uses the Apple maps that are native to iOS 6. It may say Google, but that is not the case.

 

Yes, we used to have duplicate mapping pathways in the app. This was very much a headache for coding as it is best practice to simplify pathways, not try to maintain multiple code paths. We streamlined things to use Apple's built-in map kit, which was an excellent choice when the kit used Google maps. Now that the map kit has switched to Apple Maps and we've seen the initial quality of them, we are investigating other options.

 

After installing the new google app, I double checked my Groundspeak settings and the maps on the Navigate screen, but nothing has changed. The street and satellite maps differ from the google maps and are the same as the apple's, so I assume that the new app did not change the way that Groundspeak uses the built-in map kit.

 

I hope that a Groundspeak update will add more options. I primarily use Geosphere, and set up a bookmark to link to the google maps app from a selected cache.

Edited December 15, 2012 by geodarts