AW5 LTE GPS accuracy problem

[NME42]

Did a run today on my route from work. WOD last time struggled a little and had hiccups. Today: none. And I had LTE activated and received mails.
Repeat this on Friday.

 

[NME42]

Did a run today on my route from work. WOD last time struggled a little and had hiccups. Today: none. And I had LTE activated and received mails.
Repeat this on Friday.

Again: flawless.

 

[rbart]

I did a run with LTE on 2 days ago.
It was not too bad. The tracking is a bit more sluggish than without LTE, but it was globally right.
Maybe 6.1/ios 13.2 and an operator update has brought some improvement.

 

[NME42]

Could well be. If I count correctly, I did 8 runs now since watchOS 6.1 and only one had hiccups with LTE, this was the one I did with iSmoothrun.

 

[rbart]

I have tried again for a trail with LTE on.
the overall distance was good compared to my wife’s series 3 but the tracking was quite ugly in a lot of places
So nothing is fixed for me.
I have used WOD

 

[NME42]

I did a run through a long forest area. Two minor hiccups, nothing to worry.
Garmin length was 14.2, WOD 14.5km

 

[NME42]

Today coming out of a tunnel, bad reception (two red bars GPS) and voila: was doing a circle dance. Distance is ok, but could be coincidence.

 

[rbart]

I think there is a big localization issue in iOS13, not only in WatchOS 6 with LTE activated.
Some people have the same issue:

GPS accuracy iOS 13 and/or 11 Pro Max - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

I don't know if Apple is aware of that ...

 

[NME42]

Yes, looks like our case. And no, do not know, if Apple is aware. I wrote a feedback, but I suspect this is just going to the trashcan and nobody reads it.

Just look at my funny dance when I came out of the tunnel yesterday ;-)

 

[rbart]

My last run with LTE ON and workoutdoors.
I have followed the route highlighted in yellow.
At the end, the distance is OK (15km trail)

 

[rbart]

I have also sent another feedback to Apple, but I am 99% sure they don't care ...

 

[NME42]

Had a not so good track on my home course today. And our theory seems to fit: I had a hiccup exactly at the point where I replied to a WhatsApp.
[automerge]1573558731[/automerge]

 

[rbart]

I am sure that we can have the same hiccups running with AW + iPhone. In this case, we use LTE+GPS from the phone.

 

[rbart]

I have tried something that gave me positive results for my last run with LTE:
On the iPhone:
- reset network settings
- reset localization/privacy settings
- restart
On the watch
- unpair / pair as a new watch

After doing that, the tracking was perfect in 4 different situations:
- small walk with Apple workout and iPhone (usage of LTE and GPS on the phone)
- small walk with Apple workout and iPhone OFF (usage of LTE and GPS on the watch)
- running session with Apple workout and without iPhone (usage of LTE and GPS on the watch)
- running session with WOD and without iPhone (usage of LTE and GPS on the watch)

My guess is that localization problems are not limited to Apple watch, it's also an iPhone issue. Some people have solved the problem by doing these steps, some people have no problems.

Maybe the first hope for this issue ...

 

[NME42]

Great news!

As I am new AW user: any risk of data loss when pairing AW again?

 

[rbart]

No risk.
All the data is stored on the iphone.
Maybe it's also working if you restore the backup to the watch, but I wanted to be sure to avoid this kind of glitch.
I can't conclude it's the solution of the issue, I will need a lot more test to check if the improvement is permanent, maybe it will be ugly on the next time ...

 

[NME42]

Ok, I will wait one week if you have bad tracks and will reset if not.

 

[rbart]

You can always try to reset the network settings of your iPhone to see if it helps.
You lose nothing except some wifi passwords

 

[NME42]

So your tracks still ok?

Did today one with LTE off and it was a little bit better than the same run one week ago.

 

[rbart]

I have no new run with LTE ON.
Today, I have a race, but it will be with LTE off.
I always have very good accuracy like that

 

[NME42]

Good luck for the race!

 

[rbart]

Unfortunately, it si not fixed.
My last small run with LTE ON showed an hiccup at one place.
It was right, except this glitch ...

 

[NME42]

Ok, then I do not do the reset procedure.

With some of the glitches like yours, it looks like as if there are points missing and the track is interpolated. Could well be a performance problem in combination with less GPS accuracy.

 

[rbart]

I have tried to send a DM through twitter on "Apple Support"
Wait and see ...

 

[NME42]

I did my home track today with WOD and LTE off. No big glitches but track is looking wobbly.