The GPS “conspiracy theory”

deep309 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 09:34 PM

I have read quite a few posts about people who have tried EVERYTHING to get GPS to work. My Touch picks up sats in less then a minute, for some people it takes several minutes and for some it just doesn’t work. Here is my “conspiracy theory”. I don’t have an ounce of evidence to prove it but is something that has crossed my mind.

Maybe the Qualcomm chips are defective. If two identical phones are loaded with the identical software but one phone has GPS working and the other does not would that not lead to the assumption that there is a problem with the chip that controls GPS? I came to this theory from reading about a practice of chip manufactures such as AMD and Intel selling defective chips. In the most simplest example, Intel produces a chip, they test each and every chip, chip A passes with full functionality and is sold for X amount of dollars. Chip B fails but is still sold under a different name and lower speed or functionality for Y dollars. Maybe Qualcomm and HTC know that the chips have a high rate of failure and put the good ones in the phones that advertise GPS and the defects in the Touch and other phones that do not advertise GPS. Just as with Intel not 100% of the second class or “other” chips are defective. What happens is the manufacturing process becomes more refined so that it produces less defective chips. But the demand for the Y chip is the same so they must ship some good X chips in the place of some of the Y chips.

Just a theory, not trying to start a flame war, take it for what it is.

D.

**jethro_static** · #2 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 10:05 PM

This maybe possible. Prolly some chips are defective. But manufacturers do not sell defective chips on purpose. That is why they have QA's that makes the big bucks. U cannot risk the reputation of a company for a small profit especially when the competition is very high.2 cent take it or walk away.

jim2561 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jethro_static

This maybe possible. Prolly some chips are defective. But manufacturers do not sell defective chips on purpose. That is why they have QA's that makes the big bucks. U cannot risk the reputation of a company for a small profit especially when the competition is very high.2 cent take it or walk away.

well as he said, it wouldnt be considered defective. because they never advertised gps.

i think its a super interesting theory...just a theory, but maybe a very accurate one!

**jethro_static** · #4 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim2561

well as he said, it wouldnt be considered defective. because they never advertised gps.

i think its a super interesting theory...just a theory, but maybe a very accurate one!

CDMA Touch's are advertised with GPS chip but disabled since day one. U can prolly see a unadvertised GPS on the Touch because it is disabled and nobody knows when the carrier will release the ROM to enable it.

Edit: Oh I see ur point. the defective one's are not advertised with GPS so Technically it does not have GPS chip. Well, If U get a device that does not advertised it has GPS, then U enabled it and it gives U problems, Please do not complain about ur device. They never said it has GPS right? LOL

**ScrapMaker** · #5 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jethro_static

CDMA Touch's are advertised with GPS chip but disabled since day one. U can prolly see a unadvertised GPS on the Touch because it is disabled and nobody knows when the carrier will release the ROM to enable it.

Edit: Oh I see ur point. the defective one's are not advertised with GPS so Technically it does not have GPS chip. Well, If U get a device that does not advertised it has GPS, then U enabled it and it gives U problems, Please do not complain about ur device. They never said it has GPS right? LOL

Hell, this could even explain the video driver issue... maybe some of the chips can't handle the performance....

deep309 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jethro_static

This maybe possible. Prolly some chips are defective. But manufacturers do not sell defective chips on purpose.

I think defective is the wrong term. Its more like "does not meet a certain standard". A perfect example would be the Intel Core 2 QUAD and DUO processors. They are both the exact same chip. The QUAD has 4 working cores and the DUO has 2 working cores. The DUO is just a QUAD that has two of its cores shut off intentionally. This is done because during the testing of the chip is was determined that it failed manufatures requirements to be called a QUAD. So instead of throwing it away they deactivate 2 cores and sell it as a DUO. It was an article on this exact process that gave me the idea of the GPS conspiracy.

D.

**ScrapMaker** · #7 (**permalink**) 07-20-2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deep309

I think defective is the wrong term. Its more like "does not meet a certain standard". A perfect example would be the Intel Core 2 QUAD and DUO processors. They are both the exact same chip. The QUAD has 4 working cores and the DUO has 2 working cores. The DUO is just a QUAD that has two of its cores shut off intentionally. This is done because during the testing of the chip is was determined that it failed manufatures requirements to be called a QUAD. So instead of throwing it away they deactivate 2 cores and sell it as a DUO. It was an article on this exact process that gave me the idea of the GPS conspiracy.

D.

Video card manufacturers have done this too... you can usually "unlock" cards that were artificially crippled... most chips will work PRETTY well at the higher level, but not to manufacturer requirements...

**jethro_static** · #8 (**permalink**) 07-21-2008, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deep309

I think defective is the wrong term. Its more like "does not meet a certain standard". A perfect example would be the Intel Core 2 QUAD and DUO processors. They are both the exact same chip. The QUAD has 4 working cores and the DUO has 2 working cores. The DUO is just a QUAD that has two of its cores shut off intentionally. This is done because during the testing of the chip is was determined that it failed manufatures requirements to be called a QUAD. So instead of throwing it away they deactivate 2 cores and sell it as a DUO. It was an article on this exact process that gave me the idea of the GPS conspiracy.

D.

U have a point on the term.

**jethro_static** · #9 (**permalink**) 07-21-2008, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScrapMaker

Video card manufacturers have done this too... you can usually "unlock" cards that were artificially crippled... most chips will work PRETTY well at the higher level, but not to manufacturer requirements...

It's crippled because it might give u problems if u enable it. they found it out on the testing. That is why it's always do it on ur own risk. It's like overclocking.