Apple iPhone iOS 5.1 - Manual (Page 131)

Compass
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About Compass
The built-in compass shows which direction your iPhone is pointing and the geographical
coordinates of your current location. You can have the compass point to magnetic north or
true north.
Important: The accuracy of the compass can be affected by magnetic or environmental
interference; even the magnets in the iPhone earbuds can cause a deviation. Use the digital
compass only for basic navigation assistance and don’t rely on it to determine precise location,
proximity, distance, or direction.
If Location Services is turned off when you open Compass, you may be asked to turn it on. You can
use Compass without turning on Location Services. See “Location Services” on page 160.
Choose Magnetic
or True readings.
Current location
The direction iPhone
is pointing
Show your current location in Maps.
Calibrating the compass
You need to calibrate the compass the first time you use it, and occasionally after that. iPhone
alerts you if calibration is needed.
Calibrate the internal compass: Wave iPhone in a figure eight.
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