Accuracy of GPS of Apple Watch Series 2

This explains it very well. Bottom line is for an important race in a big city don’t trust your iWatch gps as tall buildings seriously affect its accuracy. For open running not near any tall buildings it’s fine. Will be using my Garmin Forerunner from now on for serious races!

(OT) Runners, don’t trust your Apple Watch Series 2 GPS routes! | Ostetso Blog

NaPalm84 wrote:

Is there nothing else from apple in regards to this issue? ..

You would need to contact Apple to find out:

• Contact - Official Apple Support
• https://twitter.com/applesupport
• http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

You are not talking to Apple here - this is a user-based technical support community.

Exact thing happened to me on my iWatch 3 at the Los Angeles Rock n Roll half marathon! It was about 1.5 miles more than actual

My Apple Watch Series 2 actually shows a shorter distance (5-10%) than my Garmin FR235. I have worn both devices multiple times, and this happens consistently. I know the distance, and the Apple Watch is not correct.

The actual track is flawless on both devices, so it cannot be explained with poor GPS signals.

Same issue here. I made the mistake of running a race using my Apple Watch 2 for pacing and it was WRONG by over/under a minute for the entire race. Should have done more research into this aspect of the watch but I figured this was a simple feature that Garmin and other sport watch manufacturers have had dialed in for many years so how hard could it be? Extremely disappointed with this product and Apple.

Is there nothing else from apple in regards to this issue? I have calibrated and un-paired and re calibrated. I about to return this watch and it appears so are others. I want to like to keep it, I want to let apple keep my $350 but they are making it hard.

Hi

The following steps may help.

On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Privacy > Location Services:

• Check that Location Services (the main setting at the top) is turned on.
• In the list of apps beneath, check that Apple Watch Workout is set to While Using.
• If each setting is already enabled:
  • Try briefly turning off Location Services and then turning it back on again.
  • Try briefly changing the setting for Apple Watch Workout to Never and then back to While Using.

Calibrate your watch:

• For applicable outdoor workouts (eg Outdoor Run), when GPS information is not available, your watch relies on data from the built-in accelerometer to estimate results including pace and distance.

• Calibration improves the accuracy of estimations when GPS coverage is limited or unavailable by teaching your watch how your arm movements relate to your stride lengths at different speeds.
• Be sure to calibrate for at least 20 minutes at each of the speeds at which you typically walk, run or jog (this does not have to be done, for any given speed, in one go - it can be spread across multiple workouts).
• It may help to reset existing calibration data and start afresh (instructions are provided in the following support article).
• Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

If GPS data is unavailable, Apple Watch estimates distance based on your arm movements, so be sure to allow your arm to swing naturally during running workouts (as well as during calibration).

with all respect to apple, the gps accuracy is simply not acceptable. I have replaced my first watch and I'm going to return my second. My run on a known 10k open plan path shows 10.5k, 9.6k or 10.3k (tried 3 times). The map on the phone is actually correct, the distance is random though. its not a matter of signal, my garmin works without issues. And yes, I have tried everything to calibrate the watch (obviously series 2). Apple technicians, on the phone, while very nice, were not able to help in any way. One, in fact, told me its normal....

sorry to disappoint. Back to Garmin for running.

Im about ready to return mine and go back to TomTom....