HT204516: Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy

Learn about Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy
Sakic19

Q: Accuracy of distance & calories ....how to fix it

  1. Friday May 22nd ...i got my new iWatch !
  2. Saturday May 23rd .... i ran on treadmills with my iWatch 5.0KM exactly for 24:50min and iWatch provided me with 1.74KM for 24:50min and only 138 burned calories.
  3. Sunday May 24th ... after reading the calibration configuration posted on Apple Support i followed the instructions and ran outside with my iPhone in my hand for 5.0KM and 25:10min and my iWatch was recording it properly with the exception of the calories, with only 274Cal when it is normally a 375 to 425 Cal (using 4-5 other method/tools or research base on size etc..)
  4. Monday May 25th ....i ran on treadmills with my iWatch & my Nike App 5.0KM exactly for 24:50min and my iWatch provided me with 2.60KM for 25Min and only 194 Cal.   At the other end the Nike App provided me with 4.98KM for 25Min and 405 Cal.

 

What as to be done to improve accuracy of Distance and Calories burned ?

Thank you

Watch Sport 42mm, iOS 8.3

Posted on May 25, 2015 10:50 AM

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Q: Accuracy of distance & calories ....how to fix it

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  • Helpful answers

  • by swandy,Solvedanswer

    swandy swandy May 25, 2015 2:24 PM in response to Sakic19
    Level 4 (1,536 points)
    Apple Music
    May 25, 2015 2:24 PM in response to Sakic19

    (1) Distance accuracy from what I have seen and read requires a bit more than one instance to learn your habits/pacing/etc. Especially when trying to get an accurate read on a treadmill (or indoor bike) where you are not actually moving. Perhaps give it more of a chance.

    (2) Calories....well if you read the threads there have been many complaints about the number of calories the Watch thinks we used/burned. And it seems like the problems have gotten worse since the recent software update of the Watch as the way it reads and records Heart Rate seems to have been thrown off since the update.

    Suggest you either (1) try a few more calibrating walks/runs or (2) try searching some of the other threads here and in the Using Apple Watch forum for some possible solutions/resolutions (if there are any).

  • by Sakic19,

    Sakic19 Sakic19 May 25, 2015 2:32 PM in response to swandy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2015 2:32 PM in response to swandy

    Thank you so much.   I will keep calibrating it with 2 or 3 others instances.   That being said is there a way to edit the data ?  Thanks.

  • by swandy,

    swandy swandy May 25, 2015 8:52 PM in response to Sakic19
    Level 4 (1,536 points)
    Apple Music
    May 25, 2015 8:52 PM in response to Sakic19

    Not at this time. Though several people have suggested that it would be nice to either edit existing data or being able to import data from other sources.

    Apple feedback: www.apple.com/feedback does read suggestions and comments/complaints from users/customers.

  • by Sakic19,

    Sakic19 Sakic19 May 30, 2015 3:58 PM in response to swandy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 30, 2015 3:58 PM in response to swandy

    Update....

    Since this propose response above 5 days ago on May 25th to solve the issue i have done the following :

    - i have updated the OS of my Apple Watch to the 1.0.1 within 2 hours that it was launched.

    - i have done to more outside run for 25+ min at a pace of 5:20 per KM and both was of course accurate as they were using my GPS on my iPhone.  The Calories was still not accurate thought.

    - i have ran 3 times on a treadmills and none of them as been accurate.  From distance, pace, steps and calories stand point.   The latest one done today was the closest but still only 80% accurate.   See attached a picture of the treadmill results and the picture of the apple watch summary.   A GAP of 1KM overall and 180 calories !!!

     

    What as to be done then to get it accurate ?

    I have followed all the instructions, ran 3 times outside and follow all the various blog additional instructions and now with 8 days having my apple watch and 10 runs made in total, only the 3 outside are accurate !!!!

     

    Need help

    Thank you

    SergeTreadmills.jpgApple Watch.PNG

  • by PatrickG,

    PatrickG PatrickG May 31, 2015 12:27 AM in response to Sakic19
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 31, 2015 12:27 AM in response to Sakic19

    What to do? Maybe you should just chill? In the great schemes of things, how much does it or should it matter if your watch gets 'calories expended' 100 percent correct? And, if it does, will it be really correct? You won't really know for sure, will you? Comparing two software 'answers' doesn't mean either are right...

  • by ChangedtoGSIII,

    ChangedtoGSIII ChangedtoGSIII Jun 9, 2015 3:33 PM in response to Sakic19
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 9, 2015 3:33 PM in response to Sakic19

    This isn't a great workaround, but because the watch is still reporting inaccurate information, I take the time and average calories burned.  I then go to a website, like:  http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie- burn-calculator.aspx.  This has been the only way to capture correct calories burned, I'll do until Apple updates the algorithms that calculate the results.

     

    I like the watch overall and I'm confident that Apple will resolve, eventually. :-)

  • by ChangedtoGSIII,

    ChangedtoGSIII ChangedtoGSIII Jun 9, 2015 3:35 PM in response to PatrickG
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 9, 2015 3:35 PM in response to PatrickG

    It matters to a lot of us who want to correctly track our workouts and calories we burn during these workouts.  Some of us use this information to plan meals and other activities.

     

    What does it matter if emails are delivered a few hours late?  What does it matter if the alarm you set, wakes you up 20 minutes late?   This matters and is important.

     

    We hope that Apple will resolve so we can more accurately track this information

  • by tania alvarez,

    tania alvarez tania alvarez Jun 10, 2015 1:39 PM in response to PatrickG
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Jun 10, 2015 1:39 PM in response to PatrickG

    You're my hero.  LOL.  I think people are just plain forgetting this is a 1st generation gadget.  If accuracy in your workout is that important to you, get yourself a state of the art-made for that purpose-gadget!  LOL!  Poor watch.  Not even 2 months old and it's already carrying the weight of the world on its little 42mm shoulders!