How to Turn Off All GPS/Location Services
You can turn off all location services, including GPS, on the iPhone. Here’s how:
Limit GPS to Only Some Apps
You can take a more specific approach by limiting or granting access to GPS information for specific apps. You can set when an app is allowed to access GPS information and other location technology to Never, Ask Next Time, While Using the App, or Always.
Limit GPS for System Services
Apps aren’t the only things on an iPhone that use GPS technology. Apple System Services also use location technology. You might want to turn off location-based Apple ads, for example, but turn on your location for emergency calls and SOS services. To locate this setting: You may see an arrow next to one or more of the System Services.
A gray arrow indicates that the service used your location in the previous 24 hours.A solid purple arrow means that a service used your location recently.An empty arrow indicates that the item it is next to may receive your location in some instances.
GPS Systems
GPS is short for the Global Positioning System, which is a system of satellites put into orbit and maintained by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS finds a position through trilateration that uses at least three of a possible 31 satellite signals. Other countries have developed systems, but GPS is the only one in wide use around the world. The only other system that is close in capability is Russia’s GLONASS satellite system. The iPhone is capable of accessing both the GPS and GLONASS systems. One weakness of GPS is that its signal has trouble penetrating buildings, deep woods, and canyons, including urban skyscraper canyons. In these instances, cell towers and Wi-Fi signals give the iPhone an advantage over stand-alone GPS units.
GPS on the iPhone
Although an active GPS connection is essential for apps that offer navigation and mapping features, there are privacy concerns related to its use. For this reason, the iPhone contains several areas where you can control how and whether the GPS capability is used on the smartphone.
GPS Complementary Technologies
The iPhone includes several complementary technologies that work in conjunction with the GPS chip to control the phone’s location.
Accelerometer and gyroscope: The iPhone has a small six-axis gyroscope and accelerometer combination chip. The gyroscope tracks the orientation of the phone, such as whether it is held upright or on its side. The accelerometer detects and records motions the phone experiences, big and small, as data the phone and apps can use. Wi-Fi tracking: When GPS doesn’t work well, such as inside buildings or among tall buildings, Wi-Fi tracking replaces or supplements it. Wi-Fi tracking uses a database of Wi-Fi networks around the world to triangulate the phone’s position based on multiple Wi-Fi signals. Compass: The iPhone has a digital compass as part of its motion-tracking chip. The compass supplements other motion technologies and orients maps on the phone. Barometer: You might think a barometer, which measures air pressure, is primarily a weather-prediction device, but it’s not used for that purpose on an iPhone. The barometer supplements the GPS chip and measures elevation changes to create accurate elevation and elevation-change readings. M-series motion coprocessor: The iPhone uses Apple’s motion coprocessor chip to continuously measure data from the accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, and barometer. The coprocessor offloads work from the main processing chip for improved power efficiency.
