Apple Watch Not Good Enough for Runing (Yet?)

[Bob190]

That's for Garmin to write, not Apple.

Disagree. The rest of the world uses a common standard for GPS tracked workout files (GPX, TCX, FIT), Apple should at least produce a exportable file in that standard too from data gathered by the Workout app and then allow you to import it to the site of your choice.. It would take one of their developers an afternoon to make it happen.

Just about everyone who is serious about their training uses sites like Strava, Garmin Connect, RunKeeper, Training Peaks, etc. and all of those sites use the standard formats. The Workout app on iOS is pitiful and looks like an afterthought.

This works for runs .. unfortunately it appears the developer has abandoned it. It allows you to export runs as a TCX file using iTunes. No GPS coordinates unfortunately though.

http://spectarun.com/

 

[exxxviii]

I guess I can try workout but I'm sure Apple hasn't taken the time to integrate it with things like Garmin connect or the ability to export to runkeeper.

The problem is, there is nothing worth exporting at this point. To add to Bob190's point, the fitness world has standardized on GPX, TCX, FIT, etc. file formats for information exchange. The Workout app only has time and distance metrics, and maybe HR data (that depends on how it all goes up to Health). The export would be so basic, there probably is not a standard file format of any use.

 

[BarracksSi]

Are GPX, TCX, FIT, etc., all compatible with each other, then? Are there devices and services that read and export every format?

 

[exxxviii]

Are GPX, TCX, FIT, etc., all compatible with each other, then? Are there devices and services that read and export every format?

I do not know. All of the tools I am familiar with use GPX and TCX files equally well. I do not recall doing anything with a FIT file first-hand. It is probably reasonably safe to say that the major players (FitBit, Garmin, Stava, Nike+, MapMyRun, etc.) probably all have available first- and second-party tools available for data movement using the standard formats.

 

[stoomc]

Yes but then you have to tap the screen every time you want to see any info instead of just looking at the watch.

Are you sure?
I thought that even with wrist detection off, wrist raise still works (even though it states it won't work when turning off wrist detection)
Can someone confirm this for me please, I don't have an Apple Watch at the moment?

 

[MBHockey]

Are you sure?
I thought that even with wrist detection off, wrist raise still works (even though it states it won't work when turning off wrist detection)
Can someone confirm this for me please, I don't have an Apple Watch at the moment?

Why would wrist raise still work if you turned it off?

 

[stoomc]

Why would wrist raise still work if you turned it off?

I wasn't speaking about wrist raise being off. Yillbs was speaking about wrist detection...

"You can disable the wrist detection, and on runs that long you should, it's going to get sweaty and your likely not going to have a good detection. This is by design, and now really a flaw, however I totally feel your pain!

Then you replied...

"Yes but then you have to tap the screen every time you want to see any info instead of just looking at the watch."

 

[alFR]

Force press screen, tap Lock (see here).

Quick update on this: the same force press menu has buttons for pausing and ending the workout, but neither seems to work for me. I can tap them, but the workout keeps going afterwards. I used the screen lock for the first time today, perhaps coincidentally the watch completely froze up about halfway through my run (I didn't notice until the end when I went to stop the workout) and wouldn't respond to any key presses, screen taps/force press. All it would do was show the time like it does in power reserve mode, but without the red power reserve symbol. I had to hard reset it to get it to respond again, of course it didn't save the workout. I've submitted a bug report, maybe there will be something in the diagnostics that get sent to Apple after crashes that will help as well. Clearly still some work to be done...

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Arrrggghh!!!

Further to my earlier post, since updating to OS2.0.1, the Apple Watch Outdoor Run 'distance' calculation is again horribly wrong. They have broken what they had fixed!

My iphone confirms I ran 9.11 miles. My AW thinks it was only 8.71, making all pace data WRONG!

Infuriating.