Synchronization & Timing
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      What is the Difference Between GPS and GNSS?

      Basically, GPS is a type of GNSS. USA's GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) system, or constellation, is one of the four major Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), along with Russia's GLONASS, Europe's Galileo, China's BeiDou, among others.

      USA's GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) system, or constellation, is just one of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), along with Russia's Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS), Europe's Galileo, China's BeiDou (BDS), among others.

      Besides global 3D positioning and navigation, these systems also provide accurate time and timing (1PPS), which is also referred as satellite-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT).

      However, GPS being available to the public for the longest time, people tend to use GPS as a generic term for GNSS (e.g., calling devices that can handle multiple GNSS systems "GPS Receivers" is quite common and sometimes confusing).

      Image of satellite reception status, showing the position and strength of four constellations: GPS, Glonass, Galileo and Beidou.

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