How iphone detect location in flights?

[shivamanuja]

Hey everyone, i want to ask simple question, i am from india and i was in flight and my iphone 6 was in airplane mode so i started clicking pics and making videos when my flight was at approx 36000 ft. Height with a speed of 820km/hr, when i checked my pics later and it started showing cities and states names in photos description, so i just want to ask that if my iphone 6 was on airplane mode without any single connectivity like bluetooth or wifi, so how it detected all locations in camera? What hardware is fitted in iphone 6 which detects location without any connectivity and how it work? is there any app or any method so we can track ourself in airplane while travelling so we can get info like right now we are passing above which state or city?

 

[kch50428]

Apparently, iOS 8.3 slipped in an unnoticed feature... The device's on-board GPS receiver stays on when the device gets put into Airplane mode...this has not always been the case.

 

[shivamanuja]

Well no sim service works at 36000 ft. height, so it means my iphone 6 was using gps and from where it was receiving signals? From where it was getting locations info at such height?

 

[shivamanuja]

Is there any app or any method to detect locations in airplanes while travelling? Apart from getting info through pics details.

 

[kch50428]

From where it was getting locations info at such height?

The GPS coordinates are in the pictures EXIF data saved by the iPhone camera when you took the picture... And whatever app you are using to view the pictures is taking the EXIF data of the pic and filling in the details and showing you the city names, etc.

 

[kch50428]

Is there any app or any method to detect locations in airplanes while travelling? Apart from getting info through pics details.

Any app that doesn't need a cellular network or wifi data will do... Look for apps that save full maps to your phone.

 

[shivamanuja]

Well i have turned on all location services in my iphone settings thats what all locations were detected while using camera, but is it safe to use gps like this in flight? Will it create problem with airplane navigation systems?

 

[shivamanuja]

I was using iphone camera and the locations services are on for every app, later i saw locations in photos details. But from where it was receiving signal? From airplane own navigation system?

 

[shivamanuja]

Normal apps like google maps or apple own maps app will work in airplane if my iphone is in airplne mode and using gps?

 

[kch50428]

Normal apps like google maps or apple own maps app will work in airplane if my iphone is in airplne mode and using gps?

if you're in Airplane mode, and turn on wifi, and the plane has wifi and an Internet connection, yes... Otherwise you have to have an app that is "offline" capable and stores all the maps on the device.

 

[kch50428]

But from where it was receiving signal?

The phone's GPS receiver.

 

[shivamanuja]

The phone's GPS receiver.

Ok my iphone gps was receiving signal from where? From airplane system or from which sattelite?

 

[kch50428]

Well i have turned on all location services in my iphone settings thats what all locations were detected while using camera, but is it safe to use gps like this in flight? Will it create problem with airplane navigation systems?

Yes and no to each question respectively.

 

[kch50428]

Ok my iphone gps was receiving signal from where? From airplane system or from which sattelite?

GPS uses multiple satellites... Accurate fixes generally need good signal from at least 4 satellites... Has nothing to do with the plane's systems, unless you're using the plane's wifi in flight for Internet.

 

[shivamanuja]

Okzz thanks for so much detailed info, it really helped me to understand this thing, so can you suggest me good gps app which i can use in flight?

 

[kch50428]

Okzz thanks for so much detailed info, it really helped me to understand this thing, so can you suggest me good gps app which i can use in flight?

any app that saves full maps to the phone... There are several in the App Store...

 

[shivamanuja]

Finally i tried google maps in domestic flight, it worked great, however it didnt show proper cities names of india but yes it was working well and was detecting location while travelling and was showing state and city names whenever possible but in between flight it stopped working like when i left from my city airport then after half and hour it stopped working and after 15-20 minutes later it started detecting location and worked very well.