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The phones with the best / most accurate compass sensor

W

windranger

Lurker
Hi,

I want to write an Android app which relies heavily on the phone's compass.

I'm looking for a phone with a compass sensor as accurate as possible and low latency/inertia.

Are there any reports on comparisons between different phone models or makers..?

From what I've searched HTC, LG and Huawei phones seem to be good as far as the compass is regarded; HTC uses Asahi Kasei's sensors.
I could find more complaints about Sony's Xperia.

I'm thinking of choosing from HTC, LG, Huawei, Galaxy, ZTE, maybe Xperia but I'd like to know some legitimate opinions first.

Thanks.
 
No opinion on which brand or model has 'the best' either.
But just offhand, wouldn't you be better off getting a phone with a more mediocre GPS capability to test on so your app will be most effective for a wider audience? Focusing on 'the best' will result in an app that is suitable only for phones that meet that standard, excluding the majority.
 
I used to have intermittent weird (every few months) location problems when I had a Note 3. I was on forums about my UK spec version.

Two other phones didn't have compass sensors at all. Moto G and my current G4.
I find it irritating to wait until the phone knows which way I have started travelling, so always look for a magnetometer on spec sheets.

Anyway, my two cents is that while there are other factors and support or lack of for the various positioning infrastructure, it's nearly all down to the SoC specs. It took me a long while to realise this.

It's easier to compare specs on Snapdragon 'models', and, sure, the casing, build, antennae? software and OEM support has a bit to do with it, but you can't beat the latest and greatest - region for region. The 845 must be cracking it big time and the soecs of the latest 6 and 4 series are almost as impressive.

I've no recent real world experience and bow to others here, so I'll go back to my corner and shut up. :)

I'm happy I won't have (and no longer want) to fork out for a flagship when the Moto G6 / Plus (like the X4) is finally compass enabled.
It doesn't have to be great for my uses.

I would pick a top SoC on a few models first.
 
tonymddn said:
I used to have intermittent weird (every few months) location problems when I had a Note 3. I was on forums about my UK spec version.

Two other phones didn't have compass sensors at all. Moto G and my current G4.
I find it irritating to wait until the phone knows which way I have started travelling, so always look for a magnetometer on spec sheets.

Anyway, my two cents is that while there are other factors and support or lack of for the various positioning infrastructure, it's nearly all down to the SoC specs. It took me a long while to realise this.

It's easier to compare specs on Snapdragon 'models', and, sure, the casing, build, antennae? software and OEM support has a bit to do with it, but you can't beat the latest and greatest - region for region. The 845 must be cracking it big time and the soecs of the latest 6 and 4 series are almost as impressive.

I've no recent real world experience and bow to others here, so I'll go back to my corner and shut up.
smilie.png


I'm happy I won't have (and no longer want) to fork out for a flagship when the Moto G6 / Plus (like the X4) is finally compass enabled.
It doesn't have to be great for my uses.

I would pick a top SoC on a few models first.
Click to expand...

I have a Moto E4 Plus and the compass sensor is dead on (standing in one spot).. Maybe consider the E5 Plus when it arrives?
 
bcrichster said:
I have a Moto E4 Plus and the compass sensor is dead on (standing in one spot).. Maybe consider the E5 Plus when it arrives?
Click to expand...

Thanks. I would be looking at the E5 Plus but it also does not have a magnetometer built in, nor the E4.

Are you referring to having a spot-on Location every time. I do too now with the Moto G4.

The Note 3 in 2014 was putting me in a park outside Paris for a few days at a time, later in North Wales and one whole day thought I was near some government departments in Karachi! I was in London the whole time.

Point I was making poorly is it's down to the SoC if it has a built-in Magnetometer for Compass directions.

I used to think it was the device that was or was not fitted with a compass sensor.

The OP mentioned a good compass, though may have meant an accurate location in relation to a new app, I don't know.

I really do miss a compass / magnetometer, even though once the phone figures which way you have been travelling and catches up eventually, it makes no difference in Maps.

Delivering and collecting customers cars for a while last year though it used to drive me nuts with Maps thinking I need to go back and do a left, left and left again to continue on a route that was facing me, for example.

Derailing threads is my game, @tonymddn is the name. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
tonymddn said:
Thanks. I would be looking at the E5 Plus but it also does not have a magnetometer built in, nor the E4.

Are you referring to having a spot-on Location every time. I do too now with the Moto G4.

The Note 3 in 2014 was putting me in a park outside Paris for a few days at a time, later in North Wales and one whole day thought I was near some government departments in Karachi! I was in London the whole time.

Point I was making poorly is it's down to the SoC if it has a built-in Magnetometer for Compass directions.

I used to think it was the device that was or was not fitted with a compass sensor.

The OP mentioned a good compass, though may have meant an accurate location in relation to a new app, I don't know.

I really do miss a compass / magnetometer, even though once the phone figures which way you have been travelling and catches up eventually, it makes no difference in Maps.

Delivering and collecting customers cars for a while last year though it used to drive me nuts with Maps thinking I need to go back and do a left, left and left again to continue on a route that was facing me, for example.

Derailing threads is my game, @tonymddn is the name. :)
Click to expand...
No, maybe a misunderstanding. When I spoke of the compass readings in one spot, I was talking REAL compass function. A compass running on GPS doesn't show any direction change until ya start walking a certain direction. It's a real compass senor in this. As for magnometer? Not sure but the device definitely reads metal too, can use it to find lost screws in the sand, using an EMF app.. Hope this helps
 
bcrichster said:
No, maybe a misunderstanding. When I spoke of the compass readings in one spot, I was talking REAL compass function. A compass running on GPS doesn't show any direction change until ya start walking a certain direction. It's a real compass senor in this. As for magnometer? Not sure but the device definitely reads metal too, can use it to find lost screws in the sand, using an EMF app.. Hope this helps
Click to expand...

Without a Magnetometer (think True North) a device cannot point you in the right direction. A Magnetometer is the sensor that provides compass readings.
I can look at all the specification sources like GSMArena, Motorola, reviews and no Moto E or previous Moto G has them.

Try a compass app. They won't work.
Anyway, probably lost in translation as you say, and hopefully the OP / Developer can elaborate.
Developing, coding even rooting is out of my league.... but my time will now be charged at Three Cents, up from Two. :p


Screenshot_20180429-141019.png
 
tonymddn said:
Without a Magnetometer (think True North) a device cannot point you in the right direction. A Magnetometer is the sensor that provides compass readings.
I can look at all the specification sources like GSMArena, Motorola, reviews and no Moto E or previous Moto G has them.

Try a compass app. They won't work.
Anyway, probably lost in translation as you say, and hopefully the OP / Developer can elaborate.
Developing, coding even rooting is out of my league.... but my time will now be charged at Three Cents, up from Two.
stickouttongue.png



View attachment 131546
Click to expand...

I did. It does work. 100%, I promise. I turn and turn, it reads it without fail
 
tonymddn said:
Without a Magnetometer (think True North) a device cannot point you in the right direction. A Magnetometer is the sensor that provides compass readings.
I can look at all the specification sources like GSMArena, Motorola, reviews and no Moto E or previous Moto G has them.

Try a compass app. They won't work.
Anyway, probably lost in translation as you say, and hopefully the OP / Developer can elaborate.
Developing, coding even rooting is out of my league.... but my time will now be charged at Three Cents, up from Two.
stickouttongue.png



View attachment 131546
Click to expand...

Moto E4 PLUS
 
bcrichster said:
A compass running on GPS doesn't show any direction change until ya start walking a certain direction. It's a real compass senor in this.
Click to expand...
Is walking necessary? If your GPS and accelerometer/orientation sensors were accurate enough, it seems like small movements of the phone in the hand would be sufficient to estimate which location was north. I know google maps encourages you to wave your phone in a figure 8 pattern to increase compass accuracy. (See "calibrate your phone or tablet" here).
 
Xyro said:
Is walking necessary? If your GPS and accelerometer/orientation sensors were accurate enough, it seems like small movements of the phone in the hand would be sufficient to estimate which location was north. I know google maps encourages you to wave your phone in a figure 8 patter to increase compass accuracy. (See 'calibrate your phone or tablet' here).
Click to expand...

You're not understanding me or I misworded something. No walking needed with this device. Compass orients as you turn, it works. Compass is 100% with this device. Here's this too.. There are 2 types of E4's .. MediaTek (nicklaus) & Qualcomm (owens), I have Qualcomm
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_e4_plus_(usa)-ampp-8666.php
 
bcrichster said:
You're not understanding me or I misworded something. No walking needed with this device. Compass orients as you turn, it works. Compass is 100% with this device
Click to expand...

I don't have any experience with your model of phone, so I can't comment on how it works, how well it performs or what sort of sensors it has.

But on the broader theme of how android phones might determine orientation, my point is that a magnetic sensor might not be necessary to get 90% of the way there.
 
bcrichster said:
You're not understanding me or I misworded something. No walking needed with this device. Compass orients as you turn, it works. Compass is 100% with this device. Here's this too.. There are 2 types of E4's .. MediaTek (nicklaus) & Qualcomm (owens), I have Qualcomm
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_e4_plus_(usa)-ampp-8666.php
Click to expand...

You're right on that one. I got it into my head while out walking that you had an E4 and another Motorola.

Still showing the E5 Plus will have a 425, not a 427 of your E4 Plus, and while maybe a newer SoC (I'm not gonna research right now) its not showing on GSArena as having a compass sensor, sometimes listed as a magnetometer.

I might look at Qualcomm's comparison site this evening.... but just saying if the SoC doesn't have one, and presumably newer, higher end ones will work better, and it was something that has irked me in reviews and carrier specs for s while ,.... well... any chance I can still get a Hallelujah...
.... No?.... Fair enough :)


(the app won't let me paste links and I'm sitting on a cold Brighton beach.. Good luck with the thread!)
 
windranger said:
Hi,

I want to write an Android app which relies heavily on the phone's compass.

I'm looking for a phone with a compass sensor as accurate as possible and low latency/inertia.

Are there any reports on comparisons between different phone models or makers..?

From what I've searched HTC, LG and Huawei phones seem to be good as far as the compass is regarded; HTC uses Asahi Kasei's sensors.
I could find more complaints about Sony's Xperia.

I'm thinking of choosing from HTC, LG, Huawei, Galaxy, ZTE, maybe Xperia but I'd like to know some legitimate opinions first.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Hi, just saw your 2018 forum post about the accurate compass app you were going to develop. Did you get to develop it? If so, would you be willing to discuss it on the forum?

I'm seeking a compass app that can send me compass readings @100 readings per second, preferably in 0.5 degree resolution, though 1 degree will also work. The data should be available on the USB OTG port using serial protocol.

Thanks in advance...
 
I came here from the future (2023) to tell you all that what Android calls a "compass" is really only a simulator these days. Unless you pay for a top of the line android phone - your "compass" is software, using WiFi signals and other data to simulate your location. The hardware version of a "compass" is called a magnetometer and it took me two hours of searching to figure out that my Galaxy A13 does not have one. I am disappointed because I can't contribute to CrowdMag when I only have a "simulator" on my phone. It also points to a larger looming problem with smartphones getting too smart for basic efficiency and people believing they can do things they, in fact, cannot.
 
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