Location accuracy depends on which of the following location data sources are available to My Location or Latitude from your device.
You can improve location accuracy by turning on WiFi (wireless network), especially when indoors where the GPS signal is weak. You don’t even need to be connected to a network for location accuracy to improve with WiFi.
Data sources
The following location data sources may be used to derive location:
- GPS: GPS accuracy can be up to several meters depending on your GPS signal and connection. Your phone must support GPS, have it enabled, and allow Google Maps access to it.
- WiFi: WiFi (wireless network) accuracy should be similar to the access range of a typical WiFi router, or about 200m or better. Your phone must support WiFi and have it enabled.
- Cell ID: Cell ID (cell tower) accuracy depends on cell tower density and available data in Google's cell ID (cell tower) location database. Accuracy may be approximated at distances up to several thousand meters. Note: Some devices do not support cell ID location.
Other sources
Other available device sensors, such as accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and barometer, are also used to improve the overall location experience. This includes but is not limited to capabilities like improving fine-scale positioning and improving battery life.
Location accuracy
Coverage for Google's cell ID and WiFi location databases varies by location and is not complete. We are always working to improve both coverage and accuracy over time as usage of our location-based services continues to grow.
Note: When Latitude is running in the background, it will default to cell ID (cell tower) location on most phones to preserve your battery life.