Pixel 4 to get dual-band GPS support through software update

It was first touted by Xiaomi who showcased dual-band GPS in their MI 8 flagship phone in 2018 which resulted in more accurate and faster GPS tracking. Many more manufacturers have also followed its lead and it seems, Google also has hardware based dual-band GPS support in Pixel 4, except that the same is yet to enabled / utilised.

What is Dual Band GPS?

GPS works by identifying a smartphone position via either satellite radio signals or GNSS (Global Satellite Navigation Systems (GNSS)). Currently, the vast majority of smartphones in the market are configured for a single-frequency GNSS, which means that the smartphone can track a single radio signal from a satellite. But this may lead to multipath error.

Multipath errors lead to a positioning inaccuracy of up to 5 meters, caused due to signals bounce off tall buildings.

Multipath errors can be nullified by using two frequencies instead of one. A dual-frequency GNSS uses two signals from two different satellites. Each signal has a different frequency. The accuracy thus increase from 5m to mere 3-5 cm.

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Abhishek

Abhishek is a Finance Professional and has worked in multiple MNCs. However, he is also an avid tech reader and tinkerer with over 20 years of experience. His passions include 3D animation and drawing Illustrations. His creations can be viewed at www.artstation.com/abhifx

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