Fall detection missed a big a fall

Apple Watch Feedback

<https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html>

They will not reply, but it does get read.

Provide as much detail as possible, so they have more data on what might be missing.

I have had many false positive Fall Detections, and one real fall on ice that did not trigger.

Since Fall detection is based on the accelerometer, my theory is that they are triggering on fast arm movement with a very sudden stop as you hit the ground/floor. If your arm makes a more graceful stop, it does not trigger. All my false triggers have been from things like clearing sidewalks of ice where the ice chopper comes down fast, and stops quickly while I'm holding on, or other similar activities involving my watch arm. In the real fall, I knew I was going down and was working hard to control my fall. I guess I succeeded, as it did not trigger the fall detection.

Again, give Apple feedback, as they cannot tailor the algorithms based on California weather and the unclutters test spaces they work in without feedback about the real world.

Thanks for the tip on giving feedback at <https://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html>. I've done that after a false positive fall detection when the watch was not on my wrist. It also alerted to the wrong location. Very disappointed.

julieda wrote:

This is what I read........ "I was wearing my iwatch when I fell "

Which is somewhat irrelevant, since Branta_uk was replying to a user that specifically states “...... when the watch was not on my wrist”.

This is what I read........ "I was wearing my iwatch when I fell "

I see what you mean. This really belongs on another thread.

To be fair to your watch, a fall detection while not being worn is most likely to be multiple false signals in at least (a) wrist detection, and (b) accelerometer. It sounds more like a single software glitch getting it wrong on several sensors. If the watch was not being worn it is also possible it would not have a current GPS fix so it would report as the location of the last good fix.

Could be software, I agree. But I question why the alert went to a location I'd been gone from for 6 hours. That day I'd passed many cell towers and my iphone retained an updated location (it was also in the bag with the watch). Can I rely on that if the watch stays on my wrist?

I probably wouldn't want to "rely" on the iWatch if Apple and its reviewers had mentioned upfront a caution as to its reliability.