What Does Offline+ Mode Actually Disconnect?

When I hit the Offline+ switch on my Mudita Kompakt I figured it would disable any communication from the phone, but… the maps still picked up and updated my location accurately. Does it actually disconnect anything? This may be a misunderstanding of how mapping technology works.

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GPS is not disabled, but apparently that is a one way communication. If I’m understanding correctly, the phone itself will gather data and determine its position, while the satellites have no knowledge of it. The phone can however share that location data, which then becomes a privacy concern, but really only if you are using third party apps. Weather might be an issue, but the phone can’t ping anything when offline, so it probably doesn’t matter. The map of course is offline anyways.

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Okay, cool! I like that. Thank you for the reply.

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as long as GPS is on a separate chip (which it probably is), then it’s not a red flag.

Someone with more knowledge than me can confirm this from the FCC photos.

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This would indicate that the gsm module isn’t actually disconnected physically (if on the same chip)?

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that’s correct.

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At the same time, when they did RF emission tests according to @urszula, Offline+ resulted in emissions at the level of RF background noise. No Bluetooth, no Wi-Fi, no GSM.
Not sure how it’s solved exactly on Kompakt, is it circuitry physical disconnect or shutdown or cutting off of RF antennas, in the last case it would mean the GPS antenna is a separate antenna (might have to, GPS is on quite different bands than mobile/BT/WLAN.

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I would really like someone from Mutida to pitch in and explain.
Offline+ was the feature that made me look into and buy Kompakt. I really don’t want it to turn out to be a gimmick :confused:

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Remember that GPS on the phone is only passive. It only detects signal from satellites not emiting anything

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Somehow it disconnects the camera. I found that very strange. Who can explain that to me?

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This is a software feature,.

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Complete privacy accounts for modern concerns of cameras on your smartphones and laptop being always-on surveillance components.

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@justdanwithaplan You’re right, GPS is not disabled, but as @8765 has mentioned, it’s only a one way communication- it receives info, but does not transmit info, if that makes sense.

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GPS is likely a different module. GPS works by interpolating the signal of 3 or more GPS satellites, nothing more. That’s why it doesn’t work (well) inside of a building.
aGPS (assisted GPS) works by not only using GPS but also interpolating the signal of cellphone towers, Bluetooth beacons and WiFi hotspots. For this to work, the phone connects to a database of such points. Google and Apple provide such a database. This is a two-way communication, because the database is also updated as you go. Mudita does not use this privacy-invading service. That’s why it takes longer to get your position and indoors it may be impossible. I saw people here getting upset because the ‘gps doesn’t work’, and that’s because they got used to the aGPS of their former phone. Btw, Mozilla used to offer an privacy-friendly aGPS database but they pulled the plug last year.

While using Offline+, the FM radio also works, I just tested. FM radio is also passively receiving, just like GPS.

As for Bluetooth, WiFi, and mobile reception, I assume the module is physically disconnected, together with the microphone and camera. There is certainly also a software aspect to it, because you can also not use the microphone on your wired headset (at least not in the Mudita apps, didn’t try elsewhere).

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This makes sense, but I was more wondering how the actuall “kill switch” works? The GPS module is on another chip that is not affected, or the Offline+ circumvents the antennae for the GSM module as someone mentioned above, or…?
I might sound like a tinfoil conspiracy kind of guy, which I hope I am not, but I am actually fed up with my phone tracking, listening in the backgroud, sending my personal information to people that sell it to others, and so on…

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@astratev GPS module is not affected- However. the power supply of the GSM module is cut off (Hardware level)
All 3 microphones are disabled (Hardware level):

  1. Top mic
  2. Bottom mic
  3. Mic in the minijack port

Camera, WiFi, and Bluetooth are disabled on the software level.

Hopefully this helps.

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This breakdown is awesome. Thank you so much for replying with that!

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@justdanwithaplan, adding to the great explanation of what @nilss posted…

…here is the conversation that I had with Mudita six months ago in the Comments section of the Kickstarter campaign for the Kompakt:


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I love this. This device, on a hardware level, really is like nothing else. This Offline+ switch and the eInk display are the main reasons I chose to back the MK. I look forward to the software development catching up (the eInk optimization and aesthetic is very lovely); in the meantime, Fossify apps and Olauncher help this tool shine.
**Obligatory nudge towards setting MK OS as open source so those of us that are tech inclined can help carry the load and advance this project.
Gratitude.

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