Can’t get a GPS lock with your shiny new HTC Desire smartphone? Telstra says that a software SNAFU is the reason and is rushing to issue a fix “as a matter of urgency”.
Just one week after Telstra launched the acclaimed HTC Desire onto its Next G network – and extended its exclusivity deal with HTC to six months – a flaw in the smartphone’s software has crippled the GPS receiver and rendered the phone almost useless for navigation.
Users are finding that their Desire fails to find and/or lock onto GPS satellites, and in the instances where a fix is obtained the signal quickly drops out.
Telstra and HTC yesterday acknowledged the issue and issued a joint statement confirming that “that the software for this feature is set up incorrectly. The device’s GPS hardware is not affected and will operate once a minor software update is made.”
Both companies “are working closely to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency and aim to rectify this issue in the shortest possible timeframe.”
The patch is expected to be pushed out as an over-the-air upgrade as well as a full ROM download.
A Telstra spokesman said the issue is not connected with the customised ROM which HTC created for the carrier, which includes the GPS settings.
Owners of Desire handsets bought online from the UK or sourced through local parallel importers
MobiCity are reporting no issues with the GPS, while handsets issued by Telstra but flashed with HTC’s generic Desire UK ROM image still have trouble obtaining a GPS lock under certain circumstances.
A thread on the
Whirlpool forum indicates on a reflashed Desire the mobile data setting needs to be disabled in order for the GPS to work properly, although users are continuing to test the Desire’s GPS functionality under a variety of settings and circumstances and report on the results – ah, the joys of an active online community!
However, before you rush out to download HTC’s own ROM package, Whirlpool regular “Cyaegha” has
tested a Desire running both UK and Telstra ROM packages and found the localised ROM delivered almost four times the average download speed on Next G – going from 636Kbit/s with the generic ROM to 1.56Mbit/s for Telstra’s home-baked ROM.
So unless you need your Desire to handle GPS right now, it might be best to wait for Telstra to issue its ROM update. Okay, you’ll also be stuck with the carrier’s branding and preloaded apps and icons, but that’s a story for another day…