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AW5 LTE GPS accuracy problem
- Thread starter rbart
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Right, I thought it is different with LTE version of Watch
My guess that it is the same piece of buggy code on AW and iPhone that is causing these nasty glitches.
Hi chaps,
I recently bought another AW S5 with cellular. My experience using it for running has been great thanks to Stryd and their AW app.
GPS accuracy, however, has been even worse than that of my Fenix 6X Pro Solar.
I did a small test today: knowing that WorkOutdoors has an actual GPS fix indicator, I decided to get a good fix by waiting for a few minutes with the app open.
I then minimised it, opened Stryd and hit start (while streaming Apple Music); The result? An actually reasonable GPS track recorded by my watch:
https://strava.app.link/xqBCWKJAG5
Let me know your thoughts!
I recently bought another AW S5 with cellular. My experience using it for running has been great thanks to Stryd and their AW app.
GPS accuracy, however, has been even worse than that of my Fenix 6X Pro Solar.
I did a small test today: knowing that WorkOutdoors has an actual GPS fix indicator, I decided to get a good fix by waiting for a few minutes with the app open.
I then minimised it, opened Stryd and hit start (while streaming Apple Music); The result? An actually reasonable GPS track recorded by my watch:
https://strava.app.link/xqBCWKJAG5
Let me know your thoughts!
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I did a lot of tests and always waited for proper GPS fix with WOD but in the end, the glitches appeared anyhow. Not always though and not really repeatable. The glitches are typically not close to the start so the watch should have had good GPS reception in the meantime.
Upping this thread so that it is clear that the problem is not fixed. AT ALL.
Am currently providing information Apple about the problem, maybe it will be fixed. Found several other folks with the same issue (mostly German Facebook group). Also, same problem is reported for iPhone 11.
Just to show what the current status is, did today a run with LTE/cellular enabled. Blue is run from yesterday (no LTE), yellow today (with LTE). Disgusting.
Am currently providing information Apple about the problem, maybe it will be fixed. Found several other folks with the same issue (mostly German Facebook group). Also, same problem is reported for iPhone 11.
Just to show what the current status is, did today a run with LTE/cellular enabled. Blue is run from yesterday (no LTE), yellow today (with LTE). Disgusting.
The problem is far from fixed. GPS performance is only acceptable once I ensure that I have a good lock by using Workoutdoors and its signal strength indicator first and only using the Stryd app once done.
However, I find that the GPS does an OK job once a sufficiently stable GPS lock is achieved. At any rate, use the AWS5 as a safety and streaming device only.
However, I find that the GPS does an OK job once a sufficiently stable GPS lock is achieved. At any rate, use the AWS5 as a safety and streaming device only.
Never tried running with LTE switched off. Works pretty well, provided that you make sure you have a good lock via Workoutdoors.
I was rereading this thread and saw this. I’m going to try this. All of the times I’ve reset my calibration settings and then did the next activity, it’s been on my treadmill in the basement of my house. Curious to see if it affects it. I run a lot of the same routes so I’ll be able to compare.
If you calibrate it on treadmill, it can't be accurate.
That's probably why your watch is so inaccurate.
The watch needs a normal outdoor run to calibrate with GPS and pedometer
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Most of distance calculation are done by pedometer, so maybe this ugly tracking is not a very big issue ...
If you check the distance with the 2 tracks, do you have similar values ?
99% of my GPS maps are good with LTE ON, I only have some problems in very difficult area (bad GPS and/or LTE reception).
Do you have some news from Apple ?
That's probably why your watch is so inaccurate.
The watch needs a normal outdoor run to calibrate with GPS and pedometer
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It's really a very bad track, but I am not sure it has an impact on the distance measured by the watch.
Most of distance calculation are done by pedometer, so maybe this ugly tracking is not a very big issue ...
If you check the distance with the 2 tracks, do you have similar values ?
99% of my GPS maps are good with LTE ON, I only have some problems in very difficult area (bad GPS and/or LTE reception).
Do you have some news from Apple ?
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I’m having this very issue
even after setting up as a new watch
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makes no difference
ive recalibrated twice and even setup as a new watch.
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I find the gps route to be accurate but the splits wrong
i have cellular aw5 my wife has non cellular. we will start off accurate together, hitting 1k at the same time, then apparently I drift further ahead. Even managing to walk 1k apparently in 8:45
todays 10k run has these splits, which is incorrect, as I can’t run 1k in 3:19
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It’s difficult to be sure about a solution.
95% of my runs are perfectly fine with LTE on.
5% show some glitches in « difficult « areas.
My Watch has been replaced in september without improvements
Maybe they have fixed something on last devices.
Have you asked apple again ?
95% of my runs are perfectly fine with LTE on.
5% show some glitches in « difficult « areas.
My Watch has been replaced in september without improvements
Maybe they have fixed something on last devices.
Have you asked apple again ?
No, thought about replacing mine too, but see no reason at the moment as this would be some kind of hassle. If it would be possible to go in an Apple store and exchange directly, then maybe. Guess it is more difficult though.
My last three runs with LTE enabled were actually pretty good, only one glitch per run. But in the end, I do not care too much as all my runs are with Stryd and therefore pace and distance are perfect.
I am speculating that either watchOS7 or AW6 will fix the issue.
My last three runs with LTE enabled were actually pretty good, only one glitch per run. But in the end, I do not care too much as all my runs are with Stryd and therefore pace and distance are perfect.
I am speculating that either watchOS7 or AW6 will fix the issue.
Yikes! I did so much research on this prior to buying the watch - as to its appropriateness for running without an iPhone and tracking distance and this never came up. This discussion is highly valuable and the only place I've found online yet reporting this problem.
It is unreal how awful the GPS/location is with cellular on. This from an AW Series 5 Nike w/ Cellular and GPS (Verizon Wireless in the US if that is of any interest). I've tried the crown reversal, ensuring GPS lock before leaving, and shutting off wifi - none of it helpful. Sometimes the distance is fine, but just ran "6.13 mi" yesterday that in truth was < 6 miles. Pace off by 20-30 seconds/mile and the distance obviously was off. The "gold standard" distance is a combination of recording from a prior run on the same route as my iPhone (which in multiple races has been within <1%) and using gmaps-pedometer or some variation. So frustrating!
I have yet to try without cellular. I looked back at all of my old runs with my iPhone (Xr) and the maps from those runs - I could NOT find a single run where the GPS zig-zagged or looked strange. Honestly, it seemed to even accurately pick up when I could cross streets and show which sidewalk I was on. In contrast, the watch has me cutting corners when I turn and repeatedly crossing streets into houses. I think what is surprising to me is that even if the GPS/location tracking is so bad, how is there not an algorithm to correct the behavior that the watch thinks you have? It's not even possible to so quickly move between locations on foot.
It is unreal how awful the GPS/location is with cellular on. This from an AW Series 5 Nike w/ Cellular and GPS (Verizon Wireless in the US if that is of any interest). I've tried the crown reversal, ensuring GPS lock before leaving, and shutting off wifi - none of it helpful. Sometimes the distance is fine, but just ran "6.13 mi" yesterday that in truth was < 6 miles. Pace off by 20-30 seconds/mile and the distance obviously was off. The "gold standard" distance is a combination of recording from a prior run on the same route as my iPhone (which in multiple races has been within <1%) and using gmaps-pedometer or some variation. So frustrating!
I have yet to try without cellular. I looked back at all of my old runs with my iPhone (Xr) and the maps from those runs - I could NOT find a single run where the GPS zig-zagged or looked strange. Honestly, it seemed to even accurately pick up when I could cross streets and show which sidewalk I was on. In contrast, the watch has me cutting corners when I turn and repeatedly crossing streets into houses. I think what is surprising to me is that even if the GPS/location tracking is so bad, how is there not an algorithm to correct the behavior that the watch thinks you have? It's not even possible to so quickly move between locations on foot.
Yes, annoying. Did a run yesterday with LTE enabled as my favorite podcast was not available offline and I had to stream it.
Well, track was almost good except for one monster glitch where I first did a 360 degree dance and then was off the track for about 100m until it found back to my real running path about half a kilometer later.
Without a Stryd I would give the watch back as this is not acceptable for tracking.
Well, track was almost good except for one monster glitch where I first did a 360 degree dance and then was off the track for about 100m until it found back to my real running path about half a kilometer later.
Without a Stryd I would give the watch back as this is not acceptable for tracking.
You can also have the same glitches when running with your watch+iPhone .
In this case location services are done by the phone and you get the same problems.
I think GPS service is low priority vs LTE and apple boosts LTE signal when reception is bad and it has a negative influence on GPS (power management, electromagnic perturbaction ?...)
In this case location services are done by the phone and you get the same problems.
I think GPS service is low priority vs LTE and apple boosts LTE signal when reception is bad and it has a negative influence on GPS (power management, electromagnic perturbaction ?...)
Yes, iPhone only users are reporting the same issues. Some examples:
www.imore.com
discussions.apple.com
iPhone 11 GPS all wonky? You're not alone, it seems
It's rare for there to be an iPhone launch without some sort of problem rearing its head. This time, it appears to be GPS-related.
www.imore.com