4 ms·

Too bad the compass still doesn't know which way I'm facing 90% of the time.

jm_l 7y ago
The whole point of AR directions is that it uses data from your camera to figure out your orientation
ridewinter 7y ago
Google uses AI along with the camera to correct the compass. If they could integrate this correction with their standard compass API it would be a game changer. As a side note, the API docs in both Android and iOS fail to mention how unreliable the compass outputs are!
- tjoff 7y ago
  Or they don't don't know about it. It is pretty apparent that the google maps team have never tried to navigate via compass on an actual phone.
  - martyvis 7y ago
    Compass operation is clearly dependant on the hardware and your physical surroundings. My phone compass ( LG V30+) works well in a suburban street or open bushland, showing high sensitivity. Inside my steel framed house or 5 metres from a 40 storey steel reinforcement sky scrapers not so much. ( And not much different from my 40 year old Silva compass) That's why Google is using the camera, Street view and AR to align the orientation
    - tjoff 7y ago
      Yes. And why, for the love of everything that is holy, can you not disable compass navigation then?!? Even gps direction is vastly superior during walks - despite the obvious issues with that.
izacus 7y ago
Perhaps it's time to disrupt the world of compass physics by inventing one that doesn't get influenced by other magnetized objects? Because that's the only way you'll fix that.
- nradov 7y ago
  It's only the electronic compasses in mobile devices that are garbage. I've experimented with holding a regular small mechanical compass in one hand and a cell phone in the other. The mechanical compass is steady and accurate whereas the cell phone compass jumps all around. It's just poor design.
  - izacus 7y ago
    Sure, but that's because the compass in your phone is smaller than your nail is thick. Which obviously makes is significantly more sensitive to any disruption. How would you design it better?
    - snaky 7y ago
      You can design a separate compass transmitting data to the smartphone. There's many people who could trade $50 and some additional weight in their bags for accuracy.

jm_l 7y ago

The whole point of AR directions is that it uses data from your camera to figure out your orientation

Google uses AI along with the camera to correct the compass. If they could integrate this correction with their standard compass API it would be a game changer. As a side note, the API docs in both Android and iOS fail to mention how unreliable the compass outputs are!

tjoff 7y ago
Or they don't don't know about it. It is pretty apparent that the google maps team have never tried to navigate via compass on an actual phone.
- martyvis 7y ago
  Compass operation is clearly dependant on the hardware and your physical surroundings. My phone compass ( LG V30+) works well in a suburban street or open bushland, showing high sensitivity. Inside my steel framed house or 5 metres from a 40 storey steel reinforcement sky scrapers not so much. ( And not much different from my 40 year old Silva compass) That's why Google is using the camera, Street view and AR to align the orientation
  - tjoff 7y ago
    Yes. And why, for the love of everything that is holy, can you not disable compass navigation then?!? Even gps direction is vastly superior during walks - despite the obvious issues with that.

izacus 7y ago

Perhaps it's time to disrupt the world of compass physics by inventing one that doesn't get influenced by other magnetized objects? Because that's the only way you'll fix that.

nradov 7y ago
It's only the electronic compasses in mobile devices that are garbage. I've experimented with holding a regular small mechanical compass in one hand and a cell phone in the other. The mechanical compass is steady and accurate whereas the cell phone compass jumps all around. It's just poor design.
- izacus 7y ago
  Sure, but that's because the compass in your phone is smaller than your nail is thick. Which obviously makes is significantly more sensitive to any disruption. How would you design it better?
  - snaky 7y ago
    You can design a separate compass transmitting data to the smartphone. There's many people who could trade $50 and some additional weight in their bags for accuracy.