d.giese

Q: my apple watch distance is way off

Hey,

 

using the Workout app on the Watch is just not practicable. Are any of you experiencing exact distances?

 

I havent once. Though using iPhone 6 while running and no other apps besides the workout app running. Apple needs to fix this asap. Especially cause they put so much emphasis on the training abilities of the watch.

 

Greets

Watch Sport 42mm

Posted on May 4, 2015 7:35 AM

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Q: my apple watch distance is way off

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  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill May 4, 2015 7:39 AM in response to d.giese
    Level 10 (103,708 points)
    Apple TV
    May 4, 2015 7:39 AM in response to d.giese

    What you are saying doesn't make sense. The watch uses the GPS on the phone to determine distance, so it should be the same whether you read it from the watch or the phone.

  • by d.giese,

    d.giese d.giese May 4, 2015 7:43 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 7:43 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    How doesn't it make sense?! Before  I had the Watch I ran with Runkeeper, which always showed me the exact path and distance. Now when I'm running the same distance with the Watch and the phone using the workout app, I get way less meters. My pace is also way off.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill May 4, 2015 7:48 AM in response to d.giese
    Level 10 (103,708 points)
    Apple TV
    May 4, 2015 7:48 AM in response to d.giese

    It's your phone that is measuring the distance not the watch, unless you are in an area where there is a problem with location services the phone should read the right distance regardless of what app you are using, your watch has nothing to do with it, it's just telling you what your phone has measured.

     

    If distances are wrong pace will be wrong too, that's how it is, it can't be changed.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill May 4, 2015 7:50 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 10 (103,708 points)
    Apple TV
    May 4, 2015 7:50 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    I use Strava, my distances are identical.

  • by d.giese,

    d.giese d.giese May 4, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    haha yeah obviously the pace is wrong when the distance is incorrect. I assume the watch has some problem getting gps then. But like I said the GPS works flawlessly with Runkeeper on the same track. Im running in an area with many trees but still runkeeper never had problems with gps connection.

  • by d.giese,

    d.giese d.giese May 4, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Winston Churchill
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    May 4, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    do you run through woods or in the city?

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill May 4, 2015 8:00 AM in response to d.giese
    Level 10 (103,708 points)
    Apple TV
    May 4, 2015 8:00 AM in response to d.giese

    I don't run, I cycle and walk, I don't live in a city. I often cycle down tree lined roads.

     

    But oddly enough I went for a walk the other day with my son and my wife. I heard the ping announcing the completion of the first mile from all 3 watches with no more than a second between them all.

     

    The watch doesn't get the GPS your phone does, are you sticking your phone somewhere you didn't before because you no longer think it's important.

  • by d.giese,

    d.giese d.giese May 4, 2015 8:02 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 8:02 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    Nope, I'm wearing it in a belt buckle. I guess it's just a software bug. Found a thread of people reporting the same problems.

     

    Workout app and MapMyRun Distances Are Inconsistent

     

    Thanks for trying to help though.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill May 4, 2015 8:09 AM in response to d.giese
    Level 10 (103,708 points)
    Apple TV
    May 4, 2015 8:09 AM in response to d.giese

    A software bug would affect everyone equally I suspect. Is the watch tight enough on your wrist, do you get the same inaccuracies is you walk.

  • by d.giese,

    d.giese d.giese May 4, 2015 8:12 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 8:12 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    well there are many people that get the same problems as I have while running. Yes I'm putting it tight to my wrist.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill May 4, 2015 8:14 AM in response to d.giese
    Level 10 (103,708 points)
    Apple TV
    May 4, 2015 8:14 AM in response to d.giese

    I've seen a few, but rumour has it they may have sold 2 million watches, if there was an inherent issue I'd expect more than the few who have reported this.

  • by 1957Goldtop,Helpful

    1957Goldtop 1957Goldtop May 4, 2015 9:06 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (39 points)
    iWork
    May 4, 2015 9:06 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    Look around, you'll find many reports of inconsistent distances... they all can't be user error.

     

    And I'm pretty sure out of the millions of watches they've sold, a very very insignificant few are here reporting problems.

  • by nick101,Helpful

    nick101 nick101 May 4, 2015 1:14 PM in response to 1957Goldtop
    Level 5 (5,103 points)
    May 4, 2015 1:14 PM in response to 1957Goldtop

    1. The Watch can only measure distance in one of two ways: it via GPS from the phone, or by estimating from your stride length and number of steps

    2. If it uses the GPS on the phone, the the phone and the watch have the same data

    3. It may be that the Workout app uses a different formal from (say) Runkeeper, and so comes up with different distances. In my case, the two apps are very close to each other but not identical

    4. If, for some reason, the watch has no GPS data to work with (your phone isn't with you; there is no GPS reception because of buildings or trees), the watch will attempt to calculate your distance from your stride length and number of steps. Your stride length may vary quite substantially for different reasons (changing gradient, changing terrain underfoot, fatigue, injury, time of day ...) and so the watch calculation my be quite wrong

    5. And, finally, the watch software is at version 1.0, and so may well need to be refined. Having said all that, mine seems pretty OK, but that might be luck

     

    Please report your concerns at the Apple feedback pages (link below) - the more of us that do, the more likely Apple is to respond.

     

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/

  • by d.giese,

    d.giese d.giese May 4, 2015 1:16 PM in response to nick101
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 1:16 PM in response to nick101

    Thanks for this very detailed answer! For me I guess I'll just wait for the first bugfix update.

     

    Have a great day!

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