Believe it or not, there are times where I want to find the latitude and longitude values of the location I am currently at or at an other location. I spotted a Google Mobile Help thread that goes through the steps on how to obtain the latitude and longitude using Google Maps. I found it interesting and I thought I document the process.
Step 1: Open up the Maps application on your iPhone and find the location you want to get the latitude and longitude for. Either your current location or scroll through the map or enter in the location by name.
Step 2: Click on the right bottom most button and then hit "Drop Pin."
Step 3: Drag the pin to where you want to find the latitude and longitude:
I picked an area that is under extreme turmoil right now, the border of Gaza:
Step 4: Click on the blue, right arrow, above the pin. That will bring up this screen:
Step 5: Click on the "Share location" button, which will open an email containing a link to Google Maps, coded by the longitude and latitude:
There you go, here is the link, if you are interested. It is at 31.466114/34.484749, which seems to be off from the border by a few miles.
Forum discussion at Google Mobile Help.






Comments:
johan
01/19/2009 07:18 pm
Actually, it does not give you degrees, minutes and seconds, it gives you degrees and decimals of degrees.....
jimmy
02/01/2009 07:33 pm
The whole units of degrees will remain the same (i.e. in 121.135° longitude, start with 121°). Multiply the decimal by 60 (i.e. .135 * 60 = 8.1). The whole number becomes the minutes (8'). Take the remaining decimal and multiply by 60. (i.e. .1 * 60 = 6). The resulting number becomes the seconds (6"). Seconds can remain as a decimal. Take your three sets of numbers and put them together, using the symbols for degrees (°), minutes (‘), and seconds (") (i.e. 121°8'6" longitude)
Stephan
07/03/2009 02:24 pm
No longer works..google maps with os 3.0 now sends it as a hyperlink -.-
Jeff
09/10/2009 05:08 am
I made a free iPhone app that makes this process much easier and faster. Check it out. http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=326633046&mt=8
Adhip
10/07/2009 06:06 pm
Thanks Jeff. Very useful app.
azman
04/08/2010 02:27 pm
for os 3.0 above, you just send the email... afterthat in email application you just click on hyperlink and it will come to the maps again and you will notice in search bar... that's the location
mauriceandstacey
07/12/2010 04:35 pm
i have the actual latitude and longitude numbers but i need the location. how do i enter in the coordinates to get that information?
Tom Davies
09/16/2010 02:39 am
I have a question about going the other way -- when I enter a location into the iPhone 4 Maps app like this: S 33° 53.488 E 151° 08.988 It appears to constrain the actual location it shows a pin at to street addresses -- that is, a pin dropped near the location of the displayed pin shows a different pair of coordinates, and I don't think this is caused by resolution issues. Has anyone else seen this, and is there any workaround?
iSafa
02/24/2011 11:38 am
Thanks man now its much easer for me :)
Connor Power
03/22/2011 10:01 am
Hey guys, there's an app on the App Store which lets you do this just by touching points. It's very handy! http://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/lat-long/id425984240?mt=8
Ian
06/28/2011 08:33 am
How do I drag the pin?
Ben Barker
07/05/2011 07:05 pm
You could also try: http://bbarker.co.uk/mapUtils/ It will attempt to centre the map on your current location (if you allow it), and also gives Lat/Lng + ordnance survey eastings and northings in the bottom right harnd corner of the screen. The locations are bookmarkable, should you want to save them.
harry
08/06/2011 05:48 pm
If you only need long./lat. for your current location, there is a very simple way. Use the "Compass" app that comes with the iPhone in its "Utilities". In addition to the compass, at the bottom of the screen it shows your lat., long.
dizufroh
10/24/2011 12:37 am
It seems in the last 2 years Google Maps has changed enough that there is no longer a drop pin option. Rats.
dizufroh
10/24/2011 12:39 am
Not so. Mine just shows degrees from north. I have a G4