Airplane mode?

[friskies64]

On a wi-fi only iPad, is there any difference between having airplane mode on and wi-fi on vs airplane mode off and wi-fi on? I know airplane mode disables antennas, but on a wi-fi only model, there aren't cellular or GPS antennas so is what else does it disable?

Thanks!

 

[Just_Me_D]

IOS: Understanding Airplane Mode

 

[friskies64]

Does that mean that the only different for my usage would be that location services would be disabled? I don't use Bluetooth.

 

[Just_Me_D]

According to Apple: When airplane mode is on, appears in the status bar at the top of the screen. No phone, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth signals are emitted from iPhone, and GPS reception is turned off. You won?t be able to use apps or features that depend on these signals, such as connecting to the Internet, placing or receiving phone calls or messages, getting visual voicemail, and so on. If allowed by the aircraft operator and applicable laws and regulations, you can use iPhone and apps that don?t require these signals.

 

[friskies64]

This is about an iPad though.

 

[Just_Me_D]

I know, but the same applies, despite the obvious differences. You won't receive any emails or iMessages, FaceTime calls or anything because when you go into Airplane mode on a Wi-Fi Only iPad, the Wi-Fi signal gets shut off. At least it does on my iPad 2 running iOS 6.

 

[friskies64]

My question is how is having airplane mode on and enabling wi-fi separately different from airplane off and wi-fi on.

 

[Just_Me_D]

You still have GPS capabilities. For instance. If a turn-by-turn voice guides navigation app like Waze is already installed on your iPad and have connected to the network at least once then if you were to disable Wi-Fi, you can still use Waze and it will still display your current location on its map. Airplane mode basically disables all signals. Under the scenario you mentioned above, with Airplane Mode Enabled and Wi-Fi On separately, it is my understanding that all non-Wi-Fi data is disabled. Basically, yes to your second post above.

 

[Just_Me_D]

He was talking about a wifi only iPad so there would be no GPS.

Thank you, Karen. My use of GPS was in reference to its location based feature, however it is determined. Sorry for the misuse.

 

[friskies64]

Does that mean there is no difference between the two situations?

 

[Just_Me_D]

Does that mean there is no difference between the two situations?

You basically answered your own question in your second post above. I was trying to give Apple's take and my interpretation & what I had experienced, but in guess it didn't go over too well. Sorry about that.

 

[kch50428]

You still have GPS capabilities. For instance. If a turn-by-turn voice guides navigation app like Waze is already installed on your iPad and have connected to the network at least once then if you were to disable Wi-Fi, you can still use Waze and it will still display your current location on its map. Airplane mode basically disables all signals. Under the scenario you mentioned above, with Airplane Mode Enabled and Wi-Fi On separately, it is my understanding that all non-Wi-Fi data is disabled. Basically, yes to your second post above.

He was talking about a wifi only iPad so there would be no GPS.

Any map or location based service will think it is still located and display the last known location of the last wifi hotspot it was connected to.

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My question is how is having airplane mode on and enabling wi-fi separately different from airplane off and wi-fi on.

A wifi iPad has two radios... wifi and Bluetooth. Turning Airplane mode mode 'on' turns those off. Turning wifi back on does just that... Bluetooth is still off... turning airplane mode off... and toggling wifi on & off just does the obvious... with no regard to Bluetooth... it will be in whatever state you last had it in, and stay that way until toggled on or off, or airplane mode turns it off.