As with practically any other device, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has its fair share of complaints. Some have workarounds, some can be solved with mods or apps, and some seem to have no fix at all.
One common issue on the GS3 is that the GPS won't seem to work at all, refuses to lock onto any satellites, or frequently loses the connection, making it pretty much useless. But there does seem to be a quick (and somewhat unthinkable) solution to this—tightening a few screws.
You don't even have to take the battery out for this!
Just pop off the back cover on your GS3 using a flat head screwdriver, spudger, or your fingernail. Around the phone's edges, there are 10 screws. Use a small Phillips screwdriver to tighten them as much as you can.
Once you're finished, put the back cover back on and try out your GPS again. You should be able to get a lock on more satellites along with faster navigation and less signal dropping.
If you start to notice issues again, just retighten the screws, just like you would for that wobbly dining room table that always needs retightened.
It may be annoying, but it's free and a lot quicker than getting a new phone. And this should be your first DIY fix tried before resigning to installing new ROMs, flashing back to stock, trying aGPS patches, editing your gps.conf file, uninstalling/reinstalling Maps, etc.
Did this trick work for you? Let us know in the comments below.
Got wonky working Wi-Fi on your GS3? Try out this trick for getting a better signal.
Original photo by Chipworks/iFixit
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