I am starting out with PPL and have begun looking for a tablet to purchase (new or used, IOS/Android/MS as required) and I find the forums confusing regarding
A) Which tablet will run GPS without a cellular connection
B) Which operating system is supported and updated by skydemon to maintain the most current updates to maintain pilot awareness and safety
Many people recommend Apple devices for skydemon as they (apple supporters) usually maintain this platform is more stable and the hardware copes with cabin heat issues better.
One detraction from that is I have heard anecdotally that Apple devices always require cellular connection to maintain GPS functionality.
Many people stand by devices running the Android operating system for very similar reasons as apple but they often feel freer by not being in the Apple ecosystem.
A detraction from this is that people say devices running Android do not have as good overheating protection as Apple devices and increase likelihood of future hardware failure.
A positive is that many people state that devices running Android do not require a cellular connection to maintain GPS functionality.
In both cases many people are undecided as to whether their devices are supported as they age and operating systems are upgraded.
Could anyone clarify if
- Apple devices require cellular connection to maintain GPS functionality (this may impact my choice as I don't want to pay for a mobile data plan just to navigate safely)
- There are hardware differences in thermal protection to prevent devices being damaged (may impact choice as no-one wants to buy an expensive tablet that fails in cockpit heat)
- which operating systems (and their update age) are supported by skydemon.
Many thanks