19/08/2010 By Mark ( Source: http://www.intomobile.com )

Samsung Says GPS on Sprint Epic 4G is Good to Go

If you haven’t heard, the Samsung Galaxy S line of handsets, namely the Vibrant and Captivate, have been plagued by a little GPS issue. But no worries on that end–Samsung has promised a fix for it by September, which is just a few weeks away. However, a new Galaxy S variant is on its way and reviews have made the device rather enticing: the Epic 4G for Sprint. Is it going to suffer the same GPS issues, too?

First, some of us might not care about a phone’s GPS capabilities. We’re not afraid of the Thomas Guide and we’ve always had a positioning system embedded within us since birth–our brains. However, there are a few who do care about a phone’s GPS capabilities, and some have even replaced dedicated in-car systems with their phones. In the case of the Captivate and Vibrant, satellite locks would take ages if they even worked at all, and sometimes it would place the user several streets or towns from his or her actual location. No bueno.

The Sprint Epic 4G shouldn’t face this problem at all. Samsung says that it has been “tested and validated” and it seems most reviewers didn’t have issues with GPS at all. The official word from the Korean manufacturer as reported by Engadget says:

“We have tested and validated both Network Assisted (indoor) and Autonomous (outdoor) GPS on the Epic 4G. With regards to Vibrant and Captivate, we are currently testing software updates which will optimize GPS performance. We expect to be able to make the updates available in September and will communicate more information and download instructions in the next few weeks.”

There you have it. If you’re worried about the Epic 4G for Sprint having the same navigational issues as the Vibrant and Captivate, you’ll be okay and it shouldn’t be a deterrent from buying one. Everything is all good and jolly.