GPS draws its information from the constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth.
How Does Assisted GPS Improve Performance?
This is the period known as the Time to First Fix (TTFF).
It is easier to acquire a signal in wide-open areas than in a city with tall buildings.
When your machine uses Assisted GPS, the time-to-signal acquisition is faster.
Your phone pulls information about the location of satellites from the nearest cellular tower, which saves time.
Still, working together, the two cover all the bases.
All modern phones have an A-GPS chip in them, but not all phones use it.
This is the best configuration for users, although only some phones support it.
Some phones may offer only limited A-GPS.