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Apple Watch Activity Detection Accuracy (Particularly Standing)

MarximusMG

MarximusMG

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 21, 2009
699
4
Denver
First let me say I am absolutely LOVING my Apple Watch. Very few complaints about the device overall, most of which will likely be fine tuned in future software updates.

One thing I have noticed, however, is that it seems to not consistently notice when I'm standing. Maybe I'm going crazy, but there will be moments where I stand up naturally, walk around for a few minutes, sit down at my desk and as I'm sitting down it gives me a notification to stand up for the hour. :confused:

Because I'm fixated (at least for now!) on filling the activity rings each day, each time it reminds me to stand I do, but I've now resorted to walking around in a bit of an unnatural manner during these times with regards to making sure my Watch is registering the movement.

Anyone else have a similar experience?
 
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MarximusMG said:
First let me say I am absolutely LOVING my Apple Watch. Very few complaints about the device overall, most of which will likely be fine tuned in future software updates.

One thing I have noticed, however, is that it seems to not consistently notice when I'm standing. Maybe I'm going crazy, but there will be moments where I stand up naturally, walk around for a few minutes, sit down at my desk and as I'm sitting down it gives me a notification to stand up for the hour. :confused:

Because I'm fixated (at least for now!) on filling the activity rings each day, each time it reminds me to stand I do, but I've now resorted to walking around in a bit of an unnatural manner during these times with regards to making sure my Watch is registering the movement.

Anyone else have a similar experience?
Click to expand...

I read somewhere on iMore that it's not actually detecting if you're sitting or standing. It just alerts you if it's not seeing enough movement in an hour.
 
Armen said:
I read somewhere on iMore that it's not actually detecting if you're sitting or standing. It just alerts you if it's not seeing enough movement in an hour.
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This. I heard a woman on a podcast the other night (and I think she may have been from iMore) who said she was able to trick the standing request by waving her arm around. :rolleyes:
 
Subdiv said:
This. I heard a woman on a podcast the other night (and I think she may have been from iMore) who said she was able to trick the standing request by waving her arm around. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Ha! Nice. Really hoping these types of things are going to be fixed in the coming months, as they're truly the biggest issues I have with the performance of the device.
 
It's more about movement. If I am at my standing desk and don't move for the 50 minutes, I'll get the notification to move.
 
ya.... the first couple of the days i was getting notified EVERY hour at 10 til the hour.... so i would go walk and then get the notice i'd gotten move credit for the hour.

now, i've taken to getting up on my own so the watch doesn't have to remind me! :) i check the number and then walk til it rolls over! i just completed my 12 hours for the day! WOOT!

i love that the watch is "making me" get up and move from my desk... even if only for a minute an hour!
 
iamasmith said:
Read the prompt fully, it asks you to stand and move about for about one minute.
Click to expand...

I understand that, it's not the duration that I'm concerned about, it's that many times I've only just sat down after having walked around for several minutes and I get the notification. Maybe it's because I sat down right before it clocked over into the next hour?
 
MarximusMG said:
I've now resorted to walking around in a bit of an unnatural manner during these times with regards to making sure my Watch is registering the movement.
Click to expand...
Sorry...I suddenly pictured this. :D
lJiFI.gif
 
My watch has stopped detecting that I have stood up and it has also stopped reminding me.. I don't know what's going on. I didn't change any settings. Not happy about that. It was working fine for the first couple of days and now nothing, the stand ring does not move. It also seems like my heart rate doesn't get taken unless I open it up in glances or workout. Hoping this issue can be fixed soon with an update!
 
The use of the word "stand" in this case is not accurate. It is looking for movement. Personally, I use it as a reminder to stretch. I sit at a desk all day and if don't take breaks to stretch, I tend to pay for it with a stiff neck or back. That being said, it is annoying when I stand up to get a drink of water and it doesn't register. I also wish there was a way to change when it reminds you, 10 minutes before the hour is sometimes too late if I'm in the middle of something.
 
My standing is COMPLETLY inaccurate. Several times I have gotten a congratulations on "Good start to your stand goal" when I wasn't even standing. One day I had only been up for 1.25 hours and I got a congratulatory "You've been standing for 2 hours" when it was on the charger on my night stand for .75 of those 2 hours.
 
My standing is totally inaccurate. I am retired now and spend most of my day running around with our dogs, and while I'm in the middle of doing that, it will tell me to get up. It records most hours as being idle, when I'm hardly ever idle.
 
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I have never noticed that, but I have closed my rings every day :) I thought I could not fool the watch. For two days, I was sitting in the car (the trip was like 3 hours). I tried to move my arms around, but I could not fool it.
 
Yeah,you have to be up but also moving to get that goal. Just standing won't get you the stand points. Little goofy, but that's how it is for the moment.
 
I don't think it's even about movement: just whether your arm is out in front of you or down by your side. Walking around while carrying something or moving about the kitchen while working at the benchtop doesn't count. Dangling your arm by your side while seated does.
 
kmbaker1086 said:
My watch has stopped detecting that I have stood up and it has also stopped reminding me.. I don't know what's going on. I didn't change any settings. Not happy about that. It was working fine for the first couple of days and now nothing, the stand ring does not move. It also seems like my heart rate doesn't get taken unless I open it up in glances or workout. Hoping this issue can be fixed soon with an update!
Click to expand...

Similar for me: the first few days it detected standing as soon as I got up in the morning, but yesterday it didn't record me as having stood till about midday (which definitely wasn't true!) and also didn't record steps until I restarted it. Today it seems a bit slow off the mark with the standing too...
 
I stood up, walked around the house, did jumping jacks and moved my arms like crazy.

It marked it as an idle hour. :confused:
 
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rhyme said:
I don't think it's even about movement: just whether your arm is out in front of you or down by your side. Walking around while carrying something or moving about the kitchen while working at the benchtop doesn't count. Dangling your arm by your side while seated does.
Click to expand...

I witnessed this yesterday. I was in a meeting and was reminded to stand. Since that wasn't an option I decided to try dangling my arm by my side while seated. Sure enough, I received credit for standing in that hour.
 
I turned it off. I got annoyed when I sat down after running around doing stuff and a few minutes later it told me I needed to get up.
 
When I bought the watch I thought it would have this complex algorithm and sensors to actually detect when you are standing and when you are sitting. But it seems its all just a rudimentary detection of whether your arm is parallel to the floor (sitting) and perpendicular to the floor (standing). If you are standing but your arm is up (reading your phone, or carrying something, or actually *doing anything* besides standing idly with your arm dangling by your side) IT DOESN'T COUNT! For gods sake my WII-U has better detection than the damn watch!
 
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MarximusMG said:
First let me say I am absolutely LOVING my Apple Watch. Very few complaints about the device overall, most of which will likely be fine tuned in future software updates.

One thing I have noticed, however, is that it seems to not consistently notice when I'm standing. Maybe I'm going crazy, but there will be moments where I stand up naturally, walk around for a few minutes, sit down at my desk and as I'm sitting down it gives me a notification to stand up for the hour. :confused:

Because I'm fixated (at least for now!) on filling the activity rings each day, each time it reminds me to stand I do, but I've now resorted to walking around in a bit of an unnatural manner during these times with regards to making sure my Watch is registering the movement.

Anyone else have a similar experience?
Click to expand...
This really is ridiculous. I have it telling me to stand and move while I'm up walking around (and have been for minutes to hours) or it will tell me to stand and I do, walk around for 5 minutes and STILL can't get it to detect my motion! So incredibly frustrating.
 
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I must say, I'm having the exact same experiences. What's even weirder is that when I walk around for minute(S), it still won't always acknowledge I'm standing - but my calories and steps are being counted, and sometimes even the Exercise ring. Not a deal-breaker, since I am still benefitting from the movement, but I've missed filling out my Stand ring a few times - and THAT pisses me off.

Also, the "Standing" element was marketed in such a way to show business people working, getting a notification, and simply standing. I'm cool with moving a bit, but sometimes that's not as feasible (meetings, commander's calls, etc.)... and DEFINITELY not the one-arm jumping jacks I typically have to do to get this thing satisfied.
 
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