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Any watchos 2 running apps
- Thread starter DarthT
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I would not get your hopes up on iSmoothrun solving our watch running app problems. I had a conversation with the developer a few weeks ago and this was the response to iSmoothrun running native on Watch OS2:
"I am still not sure what the best use of apple watch will be. It's tricky to work with it.
I am porting the app to watch 2 add HRM support and more interface stuff, but I ain't gonna port more core functionality to the watch for the moment."
Quite frankly, if Apple were to allow a smart bluetooth foot pod to sync to the watch - similar to what Garmin has with their running watches - then a runner would be able to go out running with only the watch and have decent distance and pace information and, when paired with a set of bluetooth headphones, music as well. All without needing to take an iPhone along for the run. This would also solve the problems of running on treadmills or running on indoor tracks. Adidas makes a smart bluetooth foot pod that already syncs to the iPhone running apps so this should be a no brainer. None of the running watches - Garmin, Polar, Tom Tom or the Apple Watch - do a good job by just using the accelerometer. Even iSmoothrun using the accelerometer on an iPhone is off by at least 10% in terms of distance.
"I am still not sure what the best use of apple watch will be. It's tricky to work with it.
I am porting the app to watch 2 add HRM support and more interface stuff, but I ain't gonna port more core functionality to the watch for the moment."
Quite frankly, if Apple were to allow a smart bluetooth foot pod to sync to the watch - similar to what Garmin has with their running watches - then a runner would be able to go out running with only the watch and have decent distance and pace information and, when paired with a set of bluetooth headphones, music as well. All without needing to take an iPhone along for the run. This would also solve the problems of running on treadmills or running on indoor tracks. Adidas makes a smart bluetooth foot pod that already syncs to the iPhone running apps so this should be a no brainer. None of the running watches - Garmin, Polar, Tom Tom or the Apple Watch - do a good job by just using the accelerometer. Even iSmoothrun using the accelerometer on an iPhone is off by at least 10% in terms of distance.
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Yep .. I am starting to lose hope that the Apple Watch will be any sort of proper training tool for running or cycling. It had promise, but it seems the way the developers have to use it is very complex. I thought WatchOS2 would have allowed them to basically just take the HR readings the watch was capturing, the GPS data the phone was capturing, and use that data to basically create a data file on the watch which would then be synced to the phone. It seems like (and I don't know this for a fact) that the Apple Health app on the phone is the source for the near-real time HR data and not the value directly from the watch ... again I am speculating.
I just tried another Watch OS 2 app called "Trails" that was supposed to record your HR while walking, running, hiking, but it just seemed the HR value froze on one value for a long time and never changed.
All in all .. the HR monitor seems buggy in WatchOS 2 as I routinely see odd spikes and completely inaccurate readings I didn't get in 1.0.1.
Overall, I am very discouraged about Watch OS 2 ... at least from a fitness/workout perspective which was supposed to be one of its big advantages.
I saw runtastic... waiting for runkeeper.
I'm using both running in watch os and runkeeper on my iPhone right now when I run
I'm using both running in watch os and runkeeper on my iPhone right now when I run
I'll be happy when iSmoothRun goes native for 2 reasons, one for the HRM support, of course, and two so it is more "live" on the watch. I love iSmoothRun and on the pebble, I'd look down and see my splits, my average, whatever, and the buzz would go off every mile, it was perfect. The reason I left pebble was the lack of interaction with the phone (hampered on iOS) and no HRM.
On the Apple Watch, the info doesn't seem live. I'd flip my wrist up, it would take a sec to freshen to the most recent data from the phone, and I'd see where I'm at. Also, it either doesn't buzz at the mile marks or I just didn't feel it (possible). Or maybe I'm doing something wrong (also possible).
Anyways... here's to an update soon!!!
Side question:
Once these apps do get updated and have HRM support... will I still need to run the Apple Workout App to get my Activity circle credit? Or will it pull that info from the Health Data and update itself?
Anyone know?
Once these apps do get updated and have HRM support... will I still need to run the Apple Workout App to get my Activity circle credit? Or will it pull that info from the Health Data and update itself?
Anyone know?
If they are optimized for WatchOS2 your activity credits will get the info from the app.
Yes, but they only included HRM and still require you to take a phone with you to start running
Plus it is a complete mess and doesn't work at all. It freezes, updates sporadically, and you can't stop the run from watch which is required to save the heart rate data.
It's odd that it is the only one available that is a native app, and it seems like it was released without being properly tested.