Compass and magnet

[k72]

I have a magnet in my phone to use for my car mount and it's throwing off the phone's compass. I had the same magnet in my 635 and never got notices about the compass needing to be calibrated. Are there any fixes for this?

 

[gpobernardo]

It's possible that the location of the magnetometer in the L640 is different from the L635, and that the current configuration places the magnet for your car mount near the magnetometer of the L640. Hence, the apparent fix for this would be to try to use a different car mount that doesn't use a magnet, or to place a large-enough steel/iron plate in between the magnet and your phone to disperse the magnetic field - though this last option would be unconventional under most circumstances.

Update: Check Guytronic's response. L635 has no magnetometer - this is the reason why there was no prompt at all.

 

[Guytronic]

The 635 had a magnetometer?
Hmmm I thought a compass wasn't a supported sensor for the 635.

 

[k72]

Ah, that makes sense. My GPS seems to work fine, it's just apps like Here City Lens, and I noticed a new button on the maps app for orientation. Are these just extras with the compass?

 

[gpobernardo]

If you're phone has a compass, which the L640 does, the user may opt to automatically orient the map based on the orientation of the phone, i.e. such that the map viewed in the phone will always point north... or so that the streets will be properly aligned. So, yes, it can be called an "extra feature" for phones that have a compass, compared to phones that don't.

 

[k72]

If you're phone has a compass, which the L640 does, the user may opt to automatically orient the map based on the orientation of the phone, i.e. such that the map viewed in the phone will always point north... or so that the streets will be properly aligned. So, yes, it can be called an "extra feature" for phones that have a compass, compared to phones that don't.

I discovered on a walk the other day the my compass suddenly began working. I guess even with the magnet in my case, if I'm in an open outdoor space, maybe it will works occasionally.

 

[gpobernardo]

Yes, the compass tends to work more properly and easily when there are a less number of variables around it, e.g. less number of sources of magnetic field disturbances moving with respect to the magnetometer inside your phone. Hence, since the magnet in the case is relatively "fixed" with respect to your phone, the compass can and may adapt the electromagnetic readings after a couple or so of calibrations, not having to repeat the same calibration process again in the future - provided there are no additional magnetic field disturbances, i.e. walking outdoors.