UMI SUPER GPS PROBLEMS

poxisan

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FreierMensch replied at 2016-8-3 15:51
Hello guys,
you all cry because the GPS.
Read the beginning of the Tread

OMG, tried all of this shit, all possible HW (yes, opened it, played with the pins, antenna, etc) and SW workarounds (never had a cover btw, and probably most of the users didn't have either), still the GPS on UMI Super is rubbish. As far as I can tell, based on the number of people complained here it's a construction issue which basically applies to all Super mobiles. Avoid this P.o.S if you want to use your mobile for navigation.

Just an extra note: the camera is also kind of crappy.

Relany

Hi all, I have the same bad experience with GPS, and I'm pretty sure it's a hardware issue. It looks that the GPS signal is too weak, I don't know the reason why, if this is because of low reception (weak antenna or metal back of the phone), or because of a bad amplifier used in the chipset. Anyway, everybody here reports low GPS signal, which can't be software corrected. Good phone, with good processor and battery, but it's not usable for navigation.
So, I don't think there can be a new firmware that can correct this issue. Sadly, but it looks so.
I think I should return my phone back to the seller, I can do that, and go for the new model Umi Max. I think Umi realized the problem and it should be corrected in Max, because it's almost the same phone. There should be a reason for releasing almost the same phone as a new model.

ciccios

Relany replied at 2016-8-8 15:20
Hi all, I have the same bad experience with GPS, and I'm pretty sure it's a hardware issue. It looks ...

what about a recall?

Relany

Why to recall? This is simply a cheap phone, it's not a car which can put your life in danger. Besides, most of the clients are abroad, it will be very hard and expensive to do a recall. No need.
That's why I usually avoid to buy a new model phone, but Umi Super looked so good for its money so I gave it a shot. It's good that I can return it back, it's an option with my supplier. I'll do that and I'll go for Umi Max. Hopefully the hardware should be fixed for the main problems with the weak GPS and WiFi, probably they will put in a better antenna.

ciccios

Relany replied at 2016-8-8 21:11
Why to recall? This is simply a cheap phone, it's not a car which can put your life in danger. Besid ...

a recall is a serious way to solve a situation like this. no matter if we're speaking about a car or ......
we've bought a "cheap" phone? when  we buy a phone in a shop in our country (Italy) we've to add import tax, IVA (22%), seller %.... so is not so cheap as you think, probably....
In Any way it is not my decision to put a phone with this specs. at this price on the market...  the company has to respect his customer.
if the company wants to grow up and compare with world wide company, have to avoid this ....
just my personal opinion, maybe wrong.
good luck for the Umi Max

Umpa

You're not alone. Another one with the GPS Problems. I do get a fix - but it's just inaccurate, jumping around and often just looses the signal. Really annoying and just not usable for navigation.
Tried already everything. Full reset and even the rebuilding of the GPS from the developer mode. Nothing could help.

It's really sad that UMI don't want to (or just can't?) fix the problem. Instead they announce new phones and their marketing is doing big promises. I highly doubt we'll see another OTA for the Super. They are always focusing on releasing new phones instead of fixing the broken ones they've already sold.
For me, @Relany, it's just ridiculous to consider buying another phone from this company as long as they keep on handling problems like they do it now.

For me the Super was the first and last phone of this company, if they dont fix the problems everyone here is talking about. And also I won't recommend them to anyone, which is really sad - because the Super isn't a bad phone. It's just the problems it has and the company doesent seem to care about.

Wolfp4ck

lol tested it here,
Rather funny, got a quick fix on my position (spot on)
Get in my car, signal is gone ... perhaps my car is made from Lead or something ..

Johnt

Same problems here. Gps locks on fine. once on the move its not accurate and keeps loosing the gps and searching for it. 3G is fine but 4G is very weak. needs to be a really strong signal for it to pick it up. Very poor to be honest umi needs to fix this.

saikee

\n\nI have used the Sat Nav since I bought the phone and still haven't experienced any problem with its GPS.  I am not here to act against the tide but I am sure some users would like to bottoming this issue out.  In my case the system works perfectly so it may be comforting to know for some that a health phone from UMI Super does available.

I went as far as switch off the sim card so no data assistance from 4G and also closed down the wifi.  The GPS signal of the phone can show which corner I stand at my office building.  I walked with it in my hand can can see my movement from building to building.  When I turn the car in a roundabout I could see the Sat Nav shows exactly the position of my car in each quadrant.

I have a stock phone so if mine works then it is not a design or software problem.

Some users have opened up the phone and discovered some contacts with the gps antena missing when compared with one showed in the youtube.  It is also a revelation that this phone cover has a big cross marked indicating it should have been rejected but nevertheless ending up in one of the users phone reported here.

Judging from the number of dissatisfied customers there seems to be a Quality control problem in the assembly line of the UMI Super phone.  I hope UMI people would take note of it as it could kill its business.

As far as my UMI Super is concerned the UMIdigi plastic cover does not alter the GPS reception.  Without it the reception appears to be marginally better.

As placing the phone horizontally would impede the gps reception mine does not have this problem either as I clip the phone horizontally whenever I drive, use its gps and listen to the music through the Bluetooth connection to the car hi fi system.  

The only dissatisfaction is the quality of the camera isn't great as the other features of the phone.

I have not altered my UMI Super in any way.  The only alteration to the system could be when installing GPS Test App it did offered to change my GPS files and I permitted it.  I believe this would change the region to Europe or UK from the factory set region.   I use the current Sygic as the Sat Nav App and do not have other system for comparison.  However I started using Sat Nav with Magellan Roadmate 700 when it came out in the early 2000s and cost over £1000, went through several manufacturers and 4 Android phones  so I know my UMI Super GPS is perfectly normal.   I have tried to find a fault but haven't got one yet
from the Sat Nav operation to report to you guys..

Thus my advice to users having the gps faults is to send their units back while they are still under guarantee.

When the phone GPS works normally one can see accurately one's psoition relative to each corner of a building as shown below:

stuliveshere

I own a UMI super, and am very happy with it - except for the GPS performance, which is very poor.

I am an electronics engineer with some experience with GPS, so I have done some light testing to ensure the phone is issue, but have not bothered to look at the hardware. I've wired an old bluetooth GPS receiver into my car and have that jacked into the phone for navigation - it will do for now.

The problem with companies such as UMI is they do not seem to like to engage with their community.

There have been many examples where taking a more FOSS approach is beneficial in situations like these

Some actions for UMI could include:

1) acknowledging the issue

2) release technical details of the issue

3) offer potential solutions to the issue (i.e. is it antenna coupling impedance? give us a document I can hand over at my local repair shop)

4) if there are no solutions, host a croud sourced competition to find a solution.

5) give owners of faulty handets a voucher, perhaps to buy another UMI product at cost price.

If nothing occurs, my next phone will be from Xiaomi.