M8 vs GPS help!

[iDoc86]

hey, i recently upgraded from iphone 4s to iphone 6 which is a wonderful upgrade after years, anyway i use some fitness apps such as Map my walk and Nike+running and before on iphone4s i have to turn on location services so those apps will work and and drain my battery & i thought that in iphone 6 and due to M8 processor no need to turn on GPS yet i was surprised when i found out still i should turn on gps so what in heck is m8 for?

 

[Bigeric23]

This will explain the M8:

The new M8 Motion coprocessor will bring low-power awareness to the new iPhones | iMore

 

[anon(4698833)]

The M8 coprocessor is a motion sensor. Kinda like a sophisticated pedometer. It knows how many steps you've taken but not where you are.

The M8 processor has nothing to do with the location functionality you're referring to...location services in exercise apps are purely based on GPS information, so data is a necessity for those features to be used. The M8 processor assists with gyroscopic and barometric activity, allowing those functions to be supervised by a stand alone, and more focused/precise "brain" while the main processor does everything else.