Why in the iPhone 4S support the GLONASS?

Good news for iPhone users Russian: it turns out, the new model of Apple's smartphone has support for domestic GLONASS satellite navigation system. This was officially announced at the Apple website listed in the characteristics of the device, according to Lenta.ru. And GLONASS functions in iPhone 4S along with GPS. In previous generations of smart phone supports a GPS satellite navigation system.

In fairness it should be noted that the iPhone 4S - is not the first smartphone compatible with GLONASS in Russia. In April this year on the shelves of the country there was a product with similar functionality (GPS + GLONASS) - MTS 945. The gadget runs on Android OS.

Also, the global satellite navigation system works and other smartphones, in particular, Samsung Omnia W with Windows Phone 7 on board. The Korean manufacturer has even created a special High Fidelity Position application that supports the receiving of data from Russian satellites (of them as part of the GLONASS system to 28 units).

GLONASS support was made possible by the chip Broadcom, which is able to work with both navigation systems. GLONASS provides comparable accuracy in determining the location, although it is slightly inferior to the American competitor:

• GPS: 2.00-8.76 m
• GLONASS: 4.46-7.38 m
• GPS + GLONASS: 2.37-4.65 m

As can be seen, the combined use of GPS and GLONASS, in some cases, can increase the accuracy of the navigation systems. But the main reason to support GLONASS easier and banal: the Government intends in 2012 to impose imported devices with GPS duty of 25%, if they do not provide support for GLONASS.