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Some Google employees have mentioned that it's there to improve GPS times. The devices already have a latitude+longitude estimate from cell towers and WiFi, and
by cryptoz 14y ago
Some Google employees have mentioned that it's there to improve GPS times. The devices already have a latitude+longitude estimate from cell towers and WiFi, and the barometer adds an altitude estimate.
- caf 14y agoYou would have thought that "ground level" (based on the latitude and longitude estimate) would be a pretty good starting estimate for altitude in most cases.
- cskau 14y agoIn a modern urban environment I think this is becoming less and less so. Living in a metropolitan area for me at least mean I spend quite a lot of my time in an Nth floor apartment, Mth floor office, and commute by subterranean subways and elevated train tracks, walkways and highways.
- caf 14y agoThe difference in altitude between the subway and the top floor of an apartment building isn't really very far though, when observed from a GPS satellite that's 20,000 km above you.