Q1. “What does the blue arrow on the compass face indicate?”
A1. When you are navigating towards a destination, you will see a blue arrow on top of the compass face which points straight towards your destination (not to be confused with the direction towards your next maneuver).
Q2. “I notice there are different Compass modes on my iPhone 4 or 3GS. What are they and how do they work?”
A2. When run on an iPhone 4 or 3GS, the compass can be configured to display your direction using the built in magnetometer (digital compass) or to provide a heading using orderly changes in position from GPS location data. Press the center of the compass to toggle between the magnetic compass, the GPS satellite-based compass, and the third option which automatically selects between the two modes for you based on your current speed.
Q3. “What can I do if my iPhone 4 or 3GS shows compass interference?"
A3. The magnetometer in the iPhone 4 or 3GS is susceptible to magnetic interference from electronics and ferrous metals. If an accurate direction cannot be achieved due to interference, you will be instructed to move away from the interference and re-calibrate the iPhone 4 or 3GS by moving it in a figure 8 pattern.
Q4. “Is the magnetic compass in the iPhone 4 or 3GS used to show my direction of travel on the maps?”
A4. Yes, you should see an option for MotionX-2D Direction-Up in the maps menu, which uses the heading provided by the magnetic compass in the iPhone 4 or 3GS devices. Press the calipers icon in the lower right area of the map to see your various map display choices.
Q5. “Why is the compass displaying a simulated heading?"
A5. If you have a Simulate Trip Automatically animation running, the compass will reflect the heading of the location arrow as shown in the simulation. The Compass will revert to normal when the simulation stops.
Q6. "If the compass interference popup is displayed while driving with the map set to direction up on my iPhone 4 or 3GS, how can I clear the popup without waving the iPhone in a figure 8?"
A6. Speaker magnets and the alternator in your car can cause interference with the compass built into the iPhone 4 or 3GS. If this occurs, a popup will display asking you to move the iPhone away from the interference and re-calibrate by moving in a figure 8 pattern. Since this is unsafe while driving, you can simply tap on the popup and the map will switch from Direction Up to Course Up.