[Closed] Do ipads/tablets use mobile data for Google maps?

You can save the maps offline and the route offline if you need to

With google maps you need to download a map area for offline use first otherwise it will need a mobile data signal

BUT you will probably find that the iPad won’t have a gps processor unless it is a version that can take a SIM card as I belive these have gps

Unlikely you'll have a Windows tablet, but if you do, or a laptop, you can use Microsoft/Bing Maps app and that has offline download. Similar to the old Nokia maps, you download a whole region or country which is easier than Google's offline download. Been useful when travelling and in a hotel with crap WiFi and can browse maps offline to plan where to go or find places nearby.

The old Nokia stuff split into HERE Maps and I believe you can get an app for iOS/Android, which might have the same offline feature. Microsoft dumped HERE's app but their own is much the same and uses their maps as a source for Bing Maps.

Though obviously can use a phone as well, though whole country download is fairly chunky and a tablet has a bigger screen.

BUT you will probably find that the iPad won’t have a gps processor unless it is a version that can take a SIM card as I belive these have gps

This is correct. Only the SIM + Wifi Apple tablets have GPS.

However, if you have one, you can still save the maps for offline use, and use it for navigation without a SIM card installed.

I have a SIM + WiFi iPad Mini that has no data SIM installed as I don’t really need one, and have used it in the camper for Google maps navigation fine.

Osmand is available for iOS.  Free for up to 5 maps ( each map tends to cover a country).  No data.  Turn by turn voice navigation.  Excellent.  Uses open source maps so sometimes it tells you to turn slight left down a turn only lane and then slight right on the other side of the road but you get used to it.  Plus you can help by editing the map.

Are you looking to browse maps (i.e download from the internet in some way) or navigate (so device knows where it is)?

For the second you need GPS or it can approximate location based on triangulation of phone towers. For the first just WiFi.

I know i have a journey coming up I haven't done before. I might have more, who knows. My idea was to fit a tablet of some sort into the yaris to hold music to play through the stereo, use as a satnav etc. Just an idea, wandered if it was possible and feasible. It would save having to buy a satnav.

My iPad Pro seems to have GPS, without a SIM. I have a number of mapping apps on it, including ViewRanger and U.K. Mapping, and if I tap on the appropriate little icon they’ll all zoom in and drop a blue dot right on top of my house. Pretty sure that dot would be half a mile away if it just used cell towers for location.

gnusmas, for your kind of use an iPad Mini would probably be the best option, it’s large enough to be easily readable, but small enough to be usable in a car, and also a good size for using as an ebook reader.

Is the screen on your phone too small? I use one of the magnetic dashboard mounts for mine.

It's a non starter, if it doesn't have mobile data then it doesn't have GPS even if you download the maps to the device.

I have an old car sat nav you can have, the maps won’t be up to date but it will do the job.

To try and simplify things a bit:

Data gets to your device in two ways, via WiFi or via your mobile connection. The Wfi connection will override the mobile connection unless you've monkey'd with the settings on you phone. The mobile connection will use your mobile data allowance, the WiFi will use that data allowance (sorry if that's a bit obvious).

Your mobile contract will have a couple of different bit, calls, texts and data. Calls and texts (SMS) use the phone signal, all other apps will use the data connection.

As mentioned a few times above, make use of the offline feature of Google Maps while connected to WiFi then use it when on the road.

On a GPS enabled ipad (or iphone), you can easily download a section/area of a map on google maps to save offline and use for navigation without the data connection enabled (e.g. if you're roaming).

When connected to wifi, use the google maps app, select the area you want (zoom in/out to cover the required area - might be just a city, or a whole country), then type 'ok google' in the search bar. Hit go/search/ok (whatever the button says - I can't remember) and your selected area will be saved offline.

Hope that helps!

Nick

Thanks for the info, appreciate it all. To make it easier to understand, Lyanda's dad and grandparents have invited us down for a few days between Xmas and the new year. I live in Carmarthen and they live in stevenage. Originally, they were going to hire a car for us to do this, but now we have the gnusmobile it makes things a lot easier to manage. This is one trip I will definitely need a satnav or similar for. Having not done this journey before, I think i will need something, hence the question.

Thankyou again

My iPad Pro seems to have GPS, without a SIM. I have a number of mapping apps on it, including ViewRanger and U.K. Mapping, and if I tap on the appropriate little icon they’ll all zoom in and drop a blue dot right on top of my house. Pretty sure that dot would be half a mile away if it just used cell towers for location.

When Google took it's street view images it also logged the physical locations of home internet ip addresses. If you're connected to your home wifi they know where you are.

A48

M4

M25

A1(M)

Get Waze on your phone. Excellent, free, guides you away from jams, warns you of potholes and hazards. WNTL?

I use a phone for both the jobs your thinking of at the same time. Do you have a smart phone? Is it Apple or Android?

physical locations of home internet ip addresses

Think is actually the network SSIDs and not just logged with Street view images as these are taken too infrequently.

Whatever did we all do before Sat nav?

if it doesn’t have mobile data then it doesn’t have GPS

GPS doesn't use mobile data (though it can use it for Assisted GPS but that just improves the speed of getting a lock).

You can get a Bluetooth GPS device to connect to any PC, laptop or tablet. If you really want one.

And yeah, Google Maps and others can pinpoint your location in other ways. SSID database is or was one, though I thought they were banned from using it for privacy reasons. Or maybe only for public WiFi. IP can lock you to a known rough location based on ISP. With a SIM it can get you down to nearest cell without using GPS and possibly triangulate if it picks up enough cells.

There's also clever stuff fixing your location based on account you're logged in with and last known location of your phone logged into the same account. Can even do cool things like knows where you likely parked the car knowing the motion of the phone was probably a car journey and where it last stopped. Yep, Google knows all about us.

My idea was to fit a tablet of some sort into the yaris to hold music to play through the stereo, use as a satnav etc. Just an idea, wandered if it was possible and feasible. It would save having to buy a satnav.

I think some of the answers here are confusing as the original question could be taken a number of ways. Any phone or tablet with GPS will be able to act as a satnav with Google maps (or Waze etc. but google maps comes ready installed on all Android phones). You can also play music at the same time.

You can download the areas of map for your route when you are at home, over wi-fi, to save having to use your data for the maps when on the move.

The final complication is that you mentioned an iPad, which strangely will only have GPS if it is one of the iPads that takes a SIM card. I have an Android tablet with GPS and of course my phone has GPS. I use my phone in the car, to play music from Spotify and navigate using Google maps. It even mutes spotify if a call comes in.

Satnavs are not needed if you have a phone (imho).

Satnavs are not needed if you have a phone (imho).

Or in fact a map. Simplest solution of them all.

Gnusmas, I sense you've not done the phone as sat-nav thing before but if I'm teaching you to suck eggs my apologies.

Trying to simplify the above as someone who does a fair few long trips to unfamiliar places.

Phone not tablet (assume you have a smartphone).

Google maps or Waze is good on Android. On Google maps you can download directions before you go to save data.

Get an air vent or similar holder. Halfords does one for about £8 that is very easy to fit/remove with springy jaws to hold onto the slots in an air vent.

Have a decent charger and keep it plugged in while navigating as GPS and map apps are often battery hungry.

Make sure you have a sense of the order of the main towns/roads on the route. Seeing signs to tell you are going the right way makes it more relaxing.

Listening is more important than looking. I know people who put their phone in the glove box and stream the directions through the speakers.