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Samsung promises update for Vibrant and Captivate GPS issue

The handset maker recognizes that select Galaxy S devices in the United States are not meeting performance expectations.

Scott Webster
Scott Webster has spent the better part of his adult life playing with cell phones and gadgets. When not looking for the latest Android news and rumors, he relaxes with his wife and son. Scott also is the senior editor for AndroidGuys. E-mail Scott.
Scott Webster
Samsung Vibrant CBS Interactive

Samsung has promised a fix for the GPS issue affecting its Vibrant and Captivate smartphones. When we'll see that fix, however, is another story.

"Samsung Mobile is aware that under certain conditions, the GPS on our launched U.S. Galaxy S devices may not be meeting performance expectations," Samsung spokesman Kim Titus told CNET. "We are diligently evaluating the situation and will provide an update as soon as possible."

As we told you last week, some Samsung Vibrant models are slow to lock on a GPS signal, while other handsets are completely unable to so so all.

Though GPS by itself might be something people can do without in the interim, many popular Android apps rely on a GPS signal. Apps like Google Search, Yelp, and even Twitter are enhanced by location awareness while other titles, such as Foursquare, SCVNGR, and Gowalla rely on the technology almost completely .

We're still waiting to see how serious the problem is, but it's worth noting that some widely reported issues with new phones can come from a vocal minority of users. We hope the Epic 4G and Fascinate don't encounter similar problems when they are released. Indeed, Samsung has a lot riding on the success of the Galaxy S series.