system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 why Google Maps is bad at figuring out the direction the phone is pointing?

For years now, Google Maps has been and is still failing to point the position arrow in the right direction on pedestrian navigation. This is despite the fact that it detects in which direction I move and despite phone GPS being accurate enough to use in compass apps. So what is Google messing up here?
gpt
Because it's not Google doing that, it's your phone's compass. And you can easily guess how bundling an accurate compass inside the mess of wires and electromagnetic interference that is your phone isn't exactly the easiest thing.

All Google does is represent the magnetic bearing your phone says it's pointing at as a small arrow.

Still, your phone should give an accurate reading. Just make sure you lay it flat on your hand. That and do figure-8 motions to help the sensor calibrate itself.