I'm not sure about the real time but I find that my step count is way off compared to other apps I use on my phone. I'm a little confused. I got a little obsessed with it for a while so I compared two physical pedometers, the Apple Watch/Phone Activity App, and an app I use called STEPS on my iPhone 5s. I walked 100 steps precisely. Both pedometers read 100. The STEPS app read 105 I think. Not bad. The Apple Watch/Phone Activity App read like 60. Um. What? This was early on. I have had it for two weeks so in theory it should be learning as I go to be more accurate.
Let's check it again. Hmm.. this is not improving. I walked 100 steps around inside my building. My STEPS program says I took 137 - that's way to high - and the Activity App says I took zero steps. Well that's disappointing. It must only do the calculation periodically and not constantly to save battery. However if the STEPS app is using the HealthKit (which I believe it does since the STEPS program gave me historical data when I first installed it for the first time and my friend who doesn't have the HealthKit on her 5c doesn't have historical data) and the Activity app is using the HealthKit you would think the results would be the same. Well poo. I should have kept one of the pedometers apparently. I was hoping to just use my Watch/Phone for this so I can stop having multiple devices in my pocket.
I do realize that phones find it difficult to track, I know I'm asking for a lot.
Ha. So 5 or so minutes later the phone Activity App has updated and now looks like it is showing my steps. And it shows pretty close to what I walked. I can't verify it 100% because I walked 100 steps away from my desk and not in a straight line and then checked. I'm not sure how many steps I took back, but it was less than 100. My Activity App is showing 192 which is probably pretty close to what I walked. That is so weird. I wonder if I walked on a treadmill if it would pick it up at all since the GPS wouldn't move.
So it looks like the Activity App (on the phone or the watch) are pretty accurate for me, however it doesn't update right away. There is definitely a delay. Please note, I am simply walking around. I'm not telling the workout app I am doing an Outside Walk or Outside Run, so it's not up and active while I walk. This was just tracking in the background.
So I am giving the Watch and Phone a plus for being more accurate. I have told the workout app I'm doing an Outside Walk a couple of times and it seems to work pretty nicely.
I would suggest starting the Outside Walk or Run fitness app built into the Watch and see if that gives you more accurate results. I still think for battery savings it might not be 100% real-time but I still think it's pretty accurate.
