How to determine which tablets have on inbuilt compass

[jarnie]

Given that a tablet (or phone) needs an inbuilt compass for the position of the drone (relative to whete the tablet is) to be displayed correctly at the bottom of the Fly app screen I am wondering how to determine which tablets have an inbuilt compass.

I have checked some Samsung tablet models listed at 'Best Tablets and Phones for DJI GO & DJI Fly (Updated Daily)' web site and none appear to have an inbuilt compass (according to bench test data) and even contacting the tech department of Samsung no one seemed to know.

Maybe I should make the switch to an Ipad? DO they all have an inbuilt compass and if not those after a certain generation (eg 3rd generation) guaranteed to have an inbuilt compass?

OR does the compass only work with Wifi (the Ipad 3rd generation specs state -

Location​

Wi-Fi​

• Wi-Fi
• Digital compass

Wi-Fi + Cellular​

• Wi-Fi
• Digital compass
• Assisted GPS and GLONASS
• Cellular

Thanks

 

[elborak]

I asked (in another thread) for the maintainer of the list to add magnetic compass to his table. He declined saying that he thought almost everything had one. I tried...

 

[JackL]

Most anything with android and cellular seems to have one. Wifi only devices with a compass seem mostly non existent.

 

[vindibona1]

This thing about a compass in phone/tablet is new to me... If I were to buy an iPad Mini would it have to have a specific compass feature? If no compass, what then?

 

[jarnie]

Thanks for trying.
Looking at the specs of diffeernt IPad

Most anything with android and cellular seems to have one. Wifi only devices with a compass seem mostly non existent.

I was starting to think that this might be the case. BUT if it appears to depend of whether the tablet has cellular does that mean that if you are outside the range of the closest (cellular) tower then the compass would not work?

 

[JackL]

Thanks for trying.
Looking at the specs of diffeernt IPad

I was starting to think that this might be the case. BUT if it appears to depend of whether the tablet has cellular does that mean that if you are outside the range of the closest (cellular) tower then the compass would not work?

I don't think so. I have six tablets around here and installed the compass app on all of them. Three take a sim card and have compass. One is Sprint with no sim but has a compass and two wifi only tablets that have no compass. All my phones have a compass. My current ONN 8" wifi tablet does seem to feed compass data if it is in motion, presumably from the GPS. Another cheap wifi only tablet I have doesn't. I hope someone that really knows the deal explains it eventually.

 

[anotherlab]

Thanks for trying.
Looking at the specs of diffeernt IPad

I was starting to think that this might be the case. BUT if it appears to depend of whether the tablet has cellular does that mean that if you are outside the range of the closest (cellular) tower then the compass would not work?

There are wi-fi only Android tablets with a compass. Like the Samsung Tab SS7. One place that you use to see if a device has a compass is gsmarena.com. While I haven't found a way to search on features if you are looking at specific models and select them. It will list if they have a compass or not.

If a tablet or phone has a compass, it will work whether or not you have a cellular connection. They use a magnetometer, which will measure the strength and direction of the Earth's magnetic fields.

 

[Howard70]

Hello Jarnie:

I can't help with Android products - I shifted away from that platform two years ago. However with iPads you can review full technical specifications (including whether or not they have a compass) on the Apple website. Go to iPads > model in question > tech specs and then scroll down to Location features (that's where they place whether or not the model has a compass and whether it has a GPS).

Here are some links:

iPad Pro

iPad Air

iPad

iPad Mini

A quick look through those suggests that all current iPads have actual digital compasses. Only cellular capable models appear to have GPS. Note that you don't need to actually use the cellular system to get an iPad with a GPS, but the tablet needs to be cellular capable. Added in edit - the GPS in the cellular capable iPads is a stand alone GPS - it does not require cell coverage. I know this from experience as the GPS in our iPads (and iPhones for that matter) works perfectly when we are blissfully deep into the white areas of Verizon coverage maps!

It is possible to get a GPS only tablet to show the heading of travel as long as the unit is moving, but that is not indicative of an actual compass. Headings of GPS only units in motion come from successive locations determined by GPS and a line between those indicates the heading of motion. Obviously that is of no use to you.

I don't know if Apple has archived information about older iPads on their website or not. Personally, I'd recommend getting a current model to prolong the useful life of the tablet. Older units fall out of support in sequence so if you buy an older unit you get a shorter period of updates and application support.

Howard

 

[Droning on and on...]

... One place that you use to see if a device has a compass is gsmarena.com. While I haven't found a way to search on features if you are looking at specific models and select them. It will list if they have a compass or not.
...

The GSMArena phone finder will let you search for just about any feature. There is also a tablet finder on the same page.

Phone Finder - search for a phone by feature - GSMArena.com

m.gsmarena.com

 

[Pappy]

The GSMArena phone finder will let you search for just about any feature. There is also a tablet finder on the same page.

Phone Finder - search for a phone by feature - GSMArena.com

m.gsmarena.com

Yes, I used this site to verify the device I was interested in had all o fthe sensors needed for the Fly app.

The non-mobile link is GSMArena.com - mobile phone reviews, news, specifications and more...

 

[jarnie]

Thanks everyone for your input and information.
Without selecting bits out of each reply what I liked -

Only require to be cellular capable to have a compass
The links to some Ipad models
I have been checking out specs on the GSMArena web site.

I am now wondering (although it hasn't been said) that the tablet/phone might also need a GPS as how would the Fly app 'know' that the drone is in front, to the side or behind the operator (refer to the bottom of the screen where it shows the orientation of the drone and where it is in relation to where the tablet is.

Thanks again.
At least I have learned a lot.

 

[Meta4]

Only require to be cellular capable to have a compass

There's a lot of confusion in the answers you've been given.
Here's the actual situation.
Almost every phone or tablet you could find has a compass sensor.
But there are one or two odd Samsung models and the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus without compass sensors.

I am now wondering (although it hasn't been said) that the tablet/phone might also need a GPS as how would the Fly app 'know' that the drone is in front, to the side or behind the operator (refer to the bottom of the screen where it shows the orientation of the drone and where it is in relation to where the tablet is.

If you use DJI Go 4, you don't need a GPS-equipped tablet for the orientation display to work.
But for some unknown reason, DJI decided the tablet/phone must have GPS for the orientation display to work.
Go figure?

Almost every Android tablet has a GPS receiver (excepting for an odd Samsung model or two).
Only cellular-capable iPads have GPS

GSMArena lists specs for most phones and tablets.

 

[elborak]

Most anything with android and cellular seems to have one. Wifi only devices with a compass seem mostly non existent.

My guess is that they assume the only use for a magnetic compass is for GPS/navigation apps, which generally require a constant data connection anyway. Silly (it's trivial to use a WiFi-only tablet for online navigation by just tethering to your phone), but that seems to be the reasoning.

 

[elborak]

Almost every phone or tablet you could find has a compass sensor.
But there are one or two odd Samsung models without compass sensors.

I wish it were that simple. The otherwise excellent Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus (in all of its models) lacks a compass, as do many other 7-8 inch Android tablets. Yes, it's the minority, but it's a very sizeable minority.

For phones, I agree it's essentially universal. Not so for tablets.

 

[Meta4]

My guess is that they assume the only use for a magnetic compass is for GPS/navigation apps, which generally require a constant data connection anyway. Silly (it's trivial to use a WiFi-only tablet for online navigation by just tethering to your phone), but that seems to be the reasoning.

More confusion
Tethering your phone will give access to internet data ... but it will not share GPS data.
And the main use for the magnetic compass it so the phone or tablet knows which way you are pointing it, so it will display maps appropriately.

 

[Meta4]

The otherwise excellent Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus (in all of its models) lacks a compass, as do many other 7-8 inch Android tablets.

OK ... I hadn't run into that one.
I'll add it to my post above.

 

[jarnie]

If you use DJI Go 4, you don't need a GPS-equipped tablet for the orientation display to work.

I didn't think the Mavic Air 2 worked with DJI Go?

I have been informed that the 'gadget' at the bottom of the FLY app doesn't show where my drone is in relation to the tablet because my tablet doesn't have a compass.

I don't think my Samsung T6 Lite has a compass (the specs don't indicate that it does and trying to use a compaqss app results in message that it doesn't have a magnetometer) although according to the specs it has inbuilt GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo

 

[Meta4]

I didn't think the Mavic Air 2 worked with DJI Go?

It doesn't.
The Mini 1&2 and Air 2 use DJI fly.

I have been informed that the 'gadget' at the bottom of the FLY app doesn't show where my drone is in relation to the tablet because my tablet doesn't have a compass.

For drones that use DJI Go 4, the app assumes that the home point is the location of the flyer (and it is in 99% of cases) if the tablet doesn't have GPS or it's disabled.
Only DJI know why they decided that the orientation indicator in DJI Fly needs GPS in the tablet.

 

[elborak]

More confusion
Tethering your phone will give access to internet data ... but it will not share GPS data.
And the main use for the magnetic compass it so the phone or tablet knows which way you are pointing it, so it will display maps appropriately.

No confusion. I wasn't implying that GPS data was shared over tethering. But there are quite a few Android tablets with GPS and no magnetic compass.