Looking at the latest Apple iPhone OS 2.0 firmware it looks like Apple may be readying the iPhone handset for true GPS support, although it’s not clear as to whether GPS will come from dock connected GPS peripherals or GPS hardware.

Steffen Voigt, other than finding the location logging feature also found references to NMEA positional data; NMEA is a data format that is used by positioning devices to transfer positional data much like a GPS receiver. There were other references to strings about satellite status, GPS time, position accuracy, speed, latitude, type, variation, magnetic, and such, so it’s a fairly good sign for Apple iPhone users who are hoping for GPS integration.

When Apple announced they wouldn’t allow 3rd-party developers it has iPhone GPS add-on manufacturers rushing to come up with some form of wireless GPS solution for the handset. This new find could mean that GPS hardware may now be allowed to connect through the iPhone dock connecter.

So the question is…will Apple bring out support for GPS add-on hardware later this year with the major iPhone Mac OC refresh? Then again, will Apple construct a GPS receiver direct into the 3G iPhone handset? Whatever, it does look promising that the Apple iPhone is to gain GPS.

Source — iphoneatlas