Compass is static. It won't budge!!!

[vegas33139]

I bought myself and my wife two nice new gold shiney 5s's recently. Whilst mine is working pretty much flawlessly, I tried to calibrate the compass on my wifes 5s, only to find her compass won't even move!! It calibrates ok, or so it tells me because I move it around in circular movements until the actual compass appears. I go into the next screen and I manage to get on 0 degrees on the level calibration, but as soon as I swipe back to the compass screen it doesn't move. You can swing her phone around as much as you want, it stays static!!!! Any ideas?

I've tried all the usual tips that I have managed to Google - it still won't budge!! We do a lot of compass based outdoor activities, so this function, if it worked, is an invaluable app. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[phreddyl]

Not sure what you found on google but did you close out the app and do a hard reset? If that doesn't fix it I would go to the app store and try to find a free one and see if that works

 

[kch50428]

Back-up the phone and reinstall the iOS, then restore the back-up... If the issue persists, a visit to an Apple GeniusBar is in order.

 

[iEd]

Hello.
I'm assuming you've tried resetting the phone? And is the software up to date? You may want to try restoring the phone as new if you haven't tried it already.

 

[vegas33139]

Thanks for the replies guys. You'll have to forgive my seemingly novice approach to these darn iPhone thingies. I'm a Blackberry convert of 12 years so this iPhone stuff is like some sort of alchemy to me!!

I have (soft) reset the phone and the S/W is up-to-date, Getting another free compass app is not what I want to do really. It kinds skirts around the issue. If it's on the phone, it has to work, imho.

I'm not suer what an Apple genius bar is - forgive my ignorance.

So, collectively, is the best approach to back up the entire phone to itunes, do a factory reset, then reinstall from itunes?

Once again, thanks for the prompt response.


Vegas,

 

[kch50428]

I'm not suer what an Apple genius bar is - forgive my ignorance.

It's the in-store tech support department...

Re-installing the iOS is quite simple... just connect to iTunes... sync and back-up... restore the iOS... then re-sync and restore the back-up... you should be right back where you started with settings, apps, etc.

 

[phreddyl]

Wanted you to try a free one to see if it's something wrong with the hardware on your phone not the software.

 

[iEd]

There is a app called sensor stream that I have I believe its free. That shows a live read out of all the sensors. I used it when it was thought that the new iPhones had bad sensors.

 

[vegas33139]

Once again - thanks for all of the replies.

I'll get myself off to the local Apple store in Plymouth tomorrow to see what they have to suggest.

 

[vegas33139]

Ok, problem solved. :cant-watch: I went to my local Apple store, here in Plymouth, UK. I showed them the phone and sure enough, I opened the compass app and it was as still as a mouldy moose.

Whatever the guy tried at the Genius Bar, nothing worked. So, without any bother they replaced my wife's 5s. I asked them to check the compass before we walked out of the store and it worked flawlessly.

When we got home my wife put her new phone in her protective case and thought nothing of it. An hour later she came into the living room and told me her compass isn't working!!!:cant-watch:

Pretty p*ssed off with the whole episode, I laid my phone next to hers on the table and opened my compass app to try and compare settings side-by-side. My compass didn't work now either.:huh:

I then had that horrible feeling of stupidity wash over me. The case. Her protective case has a magnet in it to hold to protective flap open when using the phone. Gingerly, I took her phone out of the case and tried her compass. Bingo - working like a dream, it always did!!

Talk about not seeing the wood for the trees!!! It's ok, I'm over it now and my wife is back in love with her brand-new replacement shiny new 5s - which she didn't really need!!

 

[iEd]

Good to hear that your problem was solved.
When I read the second phone's compass didn't work and your compass didn't work I thought you might live Bermuda Triangle or something.

 

[plantfoot]

Ok, problem solved. :cant-watch: I went to my local Apple store, here in Plymouth, UK. I showed them the phone and sure enough, I opened the compass app and it was as still as a mouldy moose.

Whatever the guy tried at the Genius Bar, nothing worked. So, without any bother they replaced my wife's 5s. I asked them to check the compass before we walked out of the store and it worked flawlessly.

When we got home my wife put her new phone in her protective case and thought nothing of it. An hour later she came into the living room and told me her compass isn't working!!!:cant-watch:

Pretty p*ssed off with the whole episode, I laid my phone next to hers on the table and opened my compass app to try and compare settings side-by-side. My compass didn't work now either.:huh:

I then had that horrible feeling of stupidity wash over me. The case. Her protective case has a magnet in it to hold to protective flap open when using the phone. Gingerly, I took her phone out of the case and tried her compass. Bingo - working like a dream, it always did!!

Talk about not seeing the wood for the trees!!! It's ok, I'm over it now and my wife is back in love with her brand-new replacement shiny new 5s - which she didn't really need!!

That has done the trick with mine too thanks