Understanding Location Services on iPhone and iPod touch

When using Location Services³ (on by default — Settings > General), iPhone employs a combination of Wi-Fi,¹ cellular, and GPS² to determine your location. GPS works best with a clear view of the sky (outdoors) while Wi-Fi and cellular can work very well indoors.

Note that some applications that use location services, such as tracking mode in Maps, may use additional power. See this page for additional information on how to get the most out of your iPhone battery.

For more information, see www.apple.com/iphone. To provide your location, data is collected in a form that does not personally identify you. If you don't want such data collected, don't use the feature. Not using this feature will not affect the functionality of your iPhone or iPod touch.

Notes:

1. iPod touch only uses Wi-Fi for Location Services (if a Wi-Fi network is available).
2. GPS is available only on iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.
3. Maps, directions, and location information depend on data collected and services provided by third-parties. These data services are subject to change and may not be available in all geographic areas, resulting in maps, directions, or location information that may be unavailable, inaccurate, or incomplete.