I have a theory that the "GPS Enabled" feature of most recent model cell phones doesn't really work very well, if at all. This feature is really a survival issue, since many people rely on their cell phone as a way to contact rescuers in an emergency.

I've just gotten my second cell phone that is so-called "GPS Enabled". This one is the Treo 600, which is also a Palm Pilot. It would seem incredibly useful to have a moving map on it connected to that GPS. But it appears there is nothing in the software interface that allows a connection to the GPS, not on any GPS enabled cell phone. The GPS chip is there only to provide a location reference for a 911 call, as mandated by congress.

It seems so obvious that it would be useful to use the GPS from a software application on one of these phones that you wonder why they don't do it. I have a theory about that. It's because it basically doesn't work, and if they gave you applications that use it, you would find out that it doesn't work. It's only there to meet the letter of the law.

If you've used a GPS, you know how finicky the signal can be. If you have a GPS in your pocket, and pulled it out, what are the chances it has an accurate position? Pretty slim, in my experience. And the GPS chip on the phone is presumably not monitoring the GPS satellites all the time, that would suck up too much battery power. It takes a long time to establish a GPS position for all GPS units I've used, and they have an antenna specifically designed for a GPS. Also, combined GPS/Comm Aviation handhelds I've seen often lose GPS contact when the Comm is transmitting. Presumably, the GPS on the cell phone would be used when calling 911, and this transmission would further degrade the ability of the GPS to establish a postion.

I don't have any direct knowledge either way, I'm only speculating based on the above reasoning. Does anybody have any knowledge that can confirm or deny my theory? Has this system been tested?