If Apple thought their Maps software was a headache, they may have a bigger one.
Gizmodo is reporting that the M7 motion Co-Processor in the iPhone 5S is giving readouts that are wildly different than those of the iPhone 5. First they tested the built in level function:
A simple Stanley spirit level tells the whole story: The iPhone 5S level readout in the iOS 7 compass software read 2-3 degrees off in our tests, while other users are reporting that the level is off by as many as 4-6 degrees. We performed the same test with an iPhone 5, and readout was almost perfect, indicating that hardware is at least partly the culprit. That also means a fix might not be as easy as an OTA firmware update.
Next they tested the gyroscope:
As with the simple inclinometer measurements, the iPhone 5S gyroscope readings show a discrepancy between the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S. This shouldn’t be a surprise since it’s the same piece of hardware as the inclinometer, just with an added third dimension. Above is what happened when I tossed both phones on a level table. The iPhone 5 reads level, while the iPhone 5S reads -3 degrees off level.
And what about the compass?:
The compass is a little more challenging to test, because the numbers on both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S tended to jump around bit. After getting the readings steady, though the two phones consistently measured 8-10 degrees apart. It’s also worth noting that on the iPhone 5S, the compass application was prone to either freezing up or giving wonky readings that could only be fixed by killing and restarting the app.
And finally the accelerometer:
We did a brief test on the new iPhone’s accelerometer data, and preliminary results seem to indicate that the 5S is registering way more latent motion than the iPhone 5. The above images show the readouts from the accelerometers of both phones sitting flat on a level desk. Our testing isn’t conclusive here, but it’s worth noting because the discrepancy is in line with those seen in tests of the other sensors.
So, why does this matter? Other than the fact that the M7 co-processor is a big selling point, it will pretty much screw up any software that uses data from that chip. Games, running apps, GPS apps. Anything. That’s a #fail if you bought an iPhone 5S specifically because of this feature. Too boot, Gizmodo suggests that this is a hardware problem. Now that will be easy to fix in future production runs of the iPhone 5S. But if you already own one, I can’t see Apple swapping it out. It could happen, but I am not holding my breath. Ideally, this is a software issue that is fixed with a update. But that’s not likely seeing as different iPhone 5S handsets produce different results.
Now as I type this, Apple has not responded to this, but if they are smart, they will as this is likely to explode across the Internet.
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This entry was posted on October 3, 2013 at 4:01 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Apple. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Is The iPhone 5S Motion Co-Processor Wonky?
If Apple thought their Maps software was a headache, they may have a bigger one.
Gizmodo is reporting that the M7 motion Co-Processor in the iPhone 5S is giving readouts that are wildly different than those of the iPhone 5. First they tested the built in level function:
A simple Stanley spirit level tells the whole story: The iPhone 5S level readout in the iOS 7 compass software read 2-3 degrees off in our tests, while other users are reporting that the level is off by as many as 4-6 degrees. We performed the same test with an iPhone 5, and readout was almost perfect, indicating that hardware is at least partly the culprit. That also means a fix might not be as easy as an OTA firmware update.
Next they tested the gyroscope:
As with the simple inclinometer measurements, the iPhone 5S gyroscope readings show a discrepancy between the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S. This shouldn’t be a surprise since it’s the same piece of hardware as the inclinometer, just with an added third dimension. Above is what happened when I tossed both phones on a level table. The iPhone 5 reads level, while the iPhone 5S reads -3 degrees off level.
And what about the compass?:
The compass is a little more challenging to test, because the numbers on both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S tended to jump around bit. After getting the readings steady, though the two phones consistently measured 8-10 degrees apart. It’s also worth noting that on the iPhone 5S, the compass application was prone to either freezing up or giving wonky readings that could only be fixed by killing and restarting the app.
And finally the accelerometer:
We did a brief test on the new iPhone’s accelerometer data, and preliminary results seem to indicate that the 5S is registering way more latent motion than the iPhone 5. The above images show the readouts from the accelerometers of both phones sitting flat on a level desk. Our testing isn’t conclusive here, but it’s worth noting because the discrepancy is in line with those seen in tests of the other sensors.
So, why does this matter? Other than the fact that the M7 co-processor is a big selling point, it will pretty much screw up any software that uses data from that chip. Games, running apps, GPS apps. Anything. That’s a #fail if you bought an iPhone 5S specifically because of this feature. Too boot, Gizmodo suggests that this is a hardware problem. Now that will be easy to fix in future production runs of the iPhone 5S. But if you already own one, I can’t see Apple swapping it out. It could happen, but I am not holding my breath. Ideally, this is a software issue that is fixed with a update. But that’s not likely seeing as different iPhone 5S handsets produce different results.
Now as I type this, Apple has not responded to this, but if they are smart, they will as this is likely to explode across the Internet.
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This entry was posted on October 3, 2013 at 4:01 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Apple. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.