why did old (like 90s/2000s) GPS take up to 15 minutes to get a lock, in giant bulky units, but my running watch gets it in 15 seconds?
In: 3751
It’s a combination of factors.
Better technology, faster transmission time, more powerful computers that can process the data faster.
Also, and this is big one, more GPS satellites are available now.
When GPS was first developed, it was meant for military use. Gradually they introduced it in the civilian sector (a big one was due to some unfortunate incidents involving civilian airplanes and cold war era paranoia).
In the modern era, anywhere you switch on a GPS it will typically have access to at least a dozen satellites. As a result it has a lot more data to work with which means it can get a fix on its position faster and with more certainty.
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