11. Using the GPS

In this chapter, you learn how to use the phone’s GPS chip in conjunction with Google Maps, the preinstalled location-based app for viewing maps and getting directions between any pair of points. Topics include the following:

Enabling and disabling GPS

Using Voice Search and S Voice to request directions to a destination

Exploring direction and navigation options in Google Maps

Configuring Location Settings

The Galaxy S5 has an embedded GPS (Global Positioning System) chip that enables the network to determine your phone’s current location. When the GPS is active, the phone can use E911 emergency location services to transmit your location (see “Emergency Calling” in Chapter 4, “Placing and Receiving Calls”). Some apps can use the GPS to provide information relevant to your current location, such as notifying you of nearby friends and businesses. The most common use of the GPS, however, is to run apps that display maps of your surroundings, provide turn-by-turn driving and walking directions, determine the distance to locations, and show you where you are in relation to your friends.

If you previously owned a Galaxy S III or S 4, you’ll note that the confusing array of GPS apps with overlapping functions has—for the most part—been eliminated from the S5. Unless your carrier has preinstalled similar or complementary apps, Google Maps is the primary GPS-driven app for navigation on your phone.

• Pull down the Notification panel and tap the Location button to toggle its current state. Enabled Quick Setting buttons are bright green.

• Open Settings (switch to the Home screen and tap Apps, Settings or tap the Settings icon in the Notification panel). In the Network Connections section, tap Location. Tap the Location slider to toggle its state.

• If you perform an action in an app that requires GPS (such as requesting navigation instructions or tapping the AccuWeather widget for the detailed forecast) but GPS isn’t enabled, you are usually asked to enable it in Location Services. Enable GPS by toggling the Location slider to On.

2. Voice Search launches. Request directions by saying “Go to destination,” “Drive to destination,” or “Navigate to destination,” where destination is a business name, street address, landmark, or city, for example.

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Complete Action Using

If an app that provides similar functions to Google Maps is installed (such as Sprint’s Scout) and you haven’t specified a default app to automatically use, a Complete Action Using dialog box appears. Tap Maps and the Just Once button. To prevent this dialog box from interrupting future navigation requests, make Maps the default by selecting it and tapping the Always button.

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3. Assuming that Voice Search can identify an unambiguous destination, Maps launches, displays a route map beginning from your current location, and speaks the first direction. At each location change, Maps provides a new instruction.

• On the Home screen, tap Apps, followed by Maps.

• If there’s a Google folder on your Home screen, it contains shortcuts for every preinstalled Google app. Open the folder and tap Maps.

• If the Google Search widget is installed on a Home screen page, navigate to the page and activate it by saying “OK, Google.” Then say “Open Maps.”

• Quickly press the Home key twice to activate S Voice. When S Voice launches, say “Open Maps.”

1. Ensure that GPS (Location) is enabled (see “Enabling/Disabling GPS,” earlier in the chapter) and launch Maps using any of the methods outlined in the previous section.

2. Optional: If your current location (represented by a blue dot) isn’t visible on the map, tap the My Location button.

3. Tap the Directions icon to specify your starting point and destination.

4. Indicate your mode of travel (Driving, Public Transit, Bicycling, or Walking) by tapping an icon at the top of the screen.

5. Optional: To begin from somewhere other than your current location (as determined by the phone), tap My Location. Perform a search for the starting point or select it from the recently visited and searched locations.

6. Tap Choose Destination. Indicate your destination by typing, tapping the microphone icon and speaking, or tapping a history entry.

7. Do one of the following:

• If the starting point is a location other than your current one, a list of routes appears. Tap a route to view it. (If desired, you can change routes when the map is shown.)

• If the starting point is your current location, tap a route to view it or tap Start Navigation to accept the proposed route in the miniature map and immediately begin navigation.

8. A route map appears. Prior to beginning navigation, you can optionally do any of the following:

• Alternate routes are gray. To switch routes, tap one of the alternates.

• To view text-based directions for the selected route, tap the route description at the bottom of the screen or swipe it upward. When you’re finished, press the Back key or swipe the text directions downward.

• To change the display, tap the menu icon and choose options, such as displaying a satellite view or a normal map view.

• To change the origin or destination, tap the box at the top of the screen. To clear the current trip, tap the X.

9. Do one of the following:

• Tap the Start icon to begin turn-by-turn voice instructions. This option is only available if the trip begins from your current location.

• If you’re starting from a different location, a Preview icon appears rather than a Start icon. Tap it to view the trip.

1. Open Settings and tap the Location icon. (Alternatively, you can open the Navigation panel and then press and hold the Location button.)

2. Tap Mode.

3. Select a Locating Method: High Accuracy, Power Saving, or GPS Only.