I just switched from an Apple Watch Series 4 to a Series 7. I use my Apple Watch mostly for running. The main reason for switching was that the series 7 is supposed to have a better GPS accuracy, and also the always active display, witch is useful when running and checking the Watch. Today I did my first run, I use NRC (Nike Run Club) app, and I got HORRIBLE GPS readings. Not accurate at all. Let me share two pics, a previous run using my Series 4, and todays run using the Series 7. Just compare how horrible the Series 7 was. Is there something to be done? Is there a way to calibrate. The park where I run is an open space, and today was mostly sunny with scattered clouds.
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Apple Watch Series 7 HORRIBLE GPS reading accuracy
- Thread starter jcandrada
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I have an Apple Watch 7 cellular and my GPS tracks are excellent. I had terrible tracks like yours on my AW5 when I had cellular activated. Tried that with the AW7 now and the tracks are very good now.
Calibration is described here. Would do it with Apple training app. Not sure if calibration is done with 3rd party apps:
support.apple.com
Two questions:
1) did you have your iPhone with you? This can cause crazy tracks as GPS is taken from iPhone not Watch
2) GPS only Watch or cellular? And if latter, cellular activated?
Calibration is described here. Would do it with Apple training app. Not sure if calibration is done with 3rd party apps:
Calibrate your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy – Apple Support (UK)
You can calibrate your Apple Watch to improve the accuracy of your distance, pace and calorie measurements. Calibrating your watch can also help it to learn your fitness level and stride, which improves accuracy when GPS is limited or unavailable.
Two questions:
1) did you have your iPhone with you? This can cause crazy tracks as GPS is taken from iPhone not Watch
2) GPS only Watch or cellular? And if latter, cellular activated?
I will try the calibration. I used NRC App, I will try running with the Apple training app to see if that works better and helps calibration.I have an Apple Watch 7 cellular and my GPS tracks are excellent. I had terrible tracks like yours on my AW5 when I had cellular activated. Tried that with the AW7 now and the tracks are very good now.
Calibration is described here. Would do it with Apple training app. Not sure if calibration is done with 3rd party apps:
Calibrate your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy – Apple Support (UK)
You can calibrate your Apple Watch to improve the accuracy of your distance, pace and calorie measurements. Calibrating your watch can also help it to learn your fitness level and stride, which improves accuracy when GPS is limited or unavailable.
Two questions:
1) did you have your iPhone with you? This can cause crazy tracks as GPS is taken from iPhone not Watch
2) GPS only Watch or cellular? And if latter, cellular activated?
Regarding your questions, I did have my iPhone with me, but I was using the App on the Apple Watch. My Series 7 is GPS only.
Didn't know that! Thank you, I will try calibrating, and then running without the phone, and see how it goes.
And do the calibration without taking your iPhone with you.
Still not sure if this calibration procedure really has an effect or not. But it will do no harm.
Unfortunately there is no solution for taking iPhone and AW on a run and not risking a bad GPS track. Except for cutting their communication eg via Bluetooth off.
Still not sure if this calibration procedure really has an effect or not. But it will do no harm.
Unfortunately there is no solution for taking iPhone and AW on a run and not risking a bad GPS track. Except for cutting their communication eg via Bluetooth off.
Did you have your phone with you on the run. If you did then the watch was using your phones GPS unless your phone was switched off or in aeroplane mode.
How far are you running? I've been thinking about upgrading from AW4 to AW7 because my AW4 battery is getting bad and it dies now after 3 hours while listening to music and tracking my run & with Cell service on but everything else on the watch disabled. I use to get 4 hours but it's getting old.
I need about 4 hours out of the AW7 while streaming, tracking my run, and cell service. Anyone else doing marathons with AW7 can comment too.
thanks
I need about 4 hours out of the AW7 while streaming, tracking my run, and cell service. Anyone else doing marathons with AW7 can comment too.
thanks
I have my AW7 cellular now for a week. I run every day (10-25km).
Did some tests:
Cellular disabled: about 10-12% battery per hour.
Cellular enabled (but not streaming): about 15-17% per hour.
Watch in Always-On mode, high brightness. Bluetooth headset, Polar OH1 HR Monitor, Stryd Footpod and using Overcast for local replay of podcasts.
You can also replace the battery on your 4 for under $100 if you are still happy with the Series 4.
this is very helpful, so in theory, you should be able to get 4-5 hours. I'm still going to think about the upgrade a little more before I do it. I appreciate the info and the test you do. I ran with my iphone 13 pro max for the first time on Saturday and I definitely felt the weight.
I'm leaning toward waiting till next year for AW8 and a hopefully Apple puts in a better battery or just switch to something else. thanks again!
I have series 6 AW. I running without my phone. On watchOS 7 my watch adding little bit on distance. When I ran with my friend that have Garmin I had always more distance.
Currently with watchOS 8 distance is opposite - I always get less distance than my friend with Garmin.
On 4,6km run AW gives me 5:05 peace, but it was 5:00 in real (4,52 vs 4,6 km).
Currently with watchOS 8 distance is opposite - I always get less distance than my friend with Garmin.
On 4,6km run AW gives me 5:05 peace, but it was 5:00 in real (4,52 vs 4,6 km).
I find my 5 pretty consistent, I have been testing running the same route, start/finish at the same points.
I was interested to know the difference the added accelerometer data made so I use the workout app with it on and WorkOutDoors with it off. The distances last week were a bit more (on both apps) I put this down to the thick cloud and rain here in the UK at the time. In normal condition though, my 4mile indicator goes of within a couple of feet, very impressive.
I was interested to know the difference the added accelerometer data made so I use the workout app with it on and WorkOutDoors with it off. The distances last week were a bit more (on both apps) I put this down to the thick cloud and rain here in the UK at the time. In normal condition though, my 4mile indicator goes of within a couple of feet, very impressive.
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Mine is the same. Have a 10K route that I have been running for years and run every week with a buddy. After AW7/WatchOS 8 my distance for the route is now short every single time (AW7 without phone).
Yesterday I had to have my phone with me and the distance was even shorter.
Route: 10K
AW7 alone: 9.80-9.85 now
AW7 with iPhone 11 Pro: 9.71
Have been using an Apple Watch as running watch for years, but this is the worst state it has been in ever. It is unacceptable when you build race pace for upcoming races, that the numbers are all over the place
I also tried run with my phone (mainly because I lost way few times) and distance was the same. We will see in the future.
Before watchOS8 Watch without iPhone had longer distance than with iPhone. So GPS on iPhone almost not changed, may be just a little. But to be honest on watchOS7 my Watch always adding me extra distance. So I think Apple fixed this, but on opposite way.
I liked previous behavior because I had always better pace than my friend with Garmin
). But generally now it's better because difference is smaller only to other side .I have also another observation - this deviation is based on routes. When I tried run route that I don't run that often, distance was almost same like on watchOS 7.
Update: I ran a half marathon this Sunday and were pretty excited to see my watch being quite litteraly SPOT on with the kilometer signs! So that is good.
Normally I would open the workout app and leave it at the screen with options to choose if my run should be Open, Distance, Time or Calories. My thought was, that it started to lock on to the GPS signal here.
At the race on Sunday, I actually started the run as open and instantly pressed pause and left it there for a couple of minutes before race start - again to try to force lock-on of the GPS signal.
I know Apple wants to make this as simple and straight forward as possible, but I would love some sort of indicator of the signal before starting - or at least an easy option to see if it really is ready to go.
Normally I would open the workout app and leave it at the screen with options to choose if my run should be Open, Distance, Time or Calories. My thought was, that it started to lock on to the GPS signal here.
At the race on Sunday, I actually started the run as open and instantly pressed pause and left it there for a couple of minutes before race start - again to try to force lock-on of the GPS signal.
I know Apple wants to make this as simple and straight forward as possible, but I would love some sort of indicator of the signal before starting - or at least an easy option to see if it really is ready to go.
This has been my technique - open the “Outdoor Run,” use the side buttons (or touchscreen) to pause, and be ready to start it at the gun. Seems to work just fine for me.
How does the track look like? Such a big deviation should be noticeable with weird shortcuts and stuff.
My AW 7 is producing excellent tracks and distance is always spot on. Running multiple times on the same route and the distance deviates only by tens of meters. Slightly less than when I run with a Stryd footpod, but maybe the Stryd was calibrated a little bit too optimistic.
Definitely a big leap in GPS quality from my AW5.
Maybe running with your iPhone connected is the problem. Whenever I did this, the tracks were horrible as GPS is coming from iPhone and not AW.
That’s what I suspect as well. When I go running (phone always stays at home) the track is great with any of my watches. I‘m surely not overly picky, but I don’t see a lot of difference between S5, S6 or the S7 on my tracks.