Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

usmaak

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 13, 2012
991
821
I am at a known elevation right now and my watch is showing about 30 feet off. Is there any way to adjust this so that it is correct?
 
I am at a known elevation right now and my watch is showing about 30 feet off. Is there any way to adjust this so that it is correct?
are you using the compass app?

I'm not sure what Apple says about accuracy, but no, afaik there is no way to "adjust"
 
  • Like
Reactions: Craiguyver
are you using the compass app?

I'm not sure what Apple says about accuracy, but no, afaik there is no way to "adjust"
Compass app and the watch complication. On my phone, the elevation is exact.
 
My Series 9 says I'm at 185' but my iPhone says 200'. No idea which one is correct.

Edit: It also says +/- 20 Ft.
Yeah, I saw that and I would have to say that what I'm seeing is within that +/-.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jz0309
Since I have not sent in my Ultra 1… Ultra 1 says 80ft, Ultra 2 says 69ft, 13PM is between 80 and 100ft LOL.
I am under cloud cover right now, should clear up within the next hour, and if I can squeeze it in will go to the beach in the afternoon, I do know the elevation there ;)
 
According to online Apple Maps, my current location is closer to 180' than 200'. So it looks like at least in this case, the watch is more accurate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jz0309 and Howard2k
Yea, but what does Google maps say?? :p:p
I tried that first but I couldn't find any elevation information which surprised me. Apple's map has it hidden under walking/cycling directions and it is displayed as a graph. Luckily one of the horizontal graph lines was at 200' and the start of the directions was below that line by quite a bit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jz0309
Since I have not sent in my Ultra 1… Ultra 1 says 80ft, Ultra 2 says 69ft, 13PM is between 80 and 100ft LOL.
I am under cloud cover right now, should clear up within the next hour, and if I can squeeze it in will go to the beach in the afternoon, I do know the elevation there ;)
So went to the beach this afternoon, pretty thick marine layer, drizzling, Ultra2 said 7ft +/-20ft interestingly, wonder if that had to do with no direct sight to the satellite.
I’ll have to check this out again when the sky is blue…
 
I am at a known elevation right now and my watch is showing about 30 feet off. Is there any way to adjust this so that it is correct?
Short answer: no. Longer answer: I suspect the Watch uses a combination of barometric altitude combined with GPS to measure the elevation. Thus it would be subject to non-standard atmospheric pressure.
 
In practice, even an error of 30’ is generally meaningless. Aircraft altimeters are within spec even if they’re off by ±20m (60’) — and triple that for airliners at cruising altitude.

I’d be hard pressed to think of a real-world setting where you need more precision. Even a self-guided aircraft of some sort is going to be fine with an altimeter off by that much because it’s going to be using something else to measure distance to obstacles. After all, even if the ground is at a certain elevation, there will be plenty of things like buildings and trees and telephone poles much taller than 30’. You might be shocked at how short a distance you would travel even at a very gentle slope to ascend 30’.

Similarly, any sort of high-precision scientific experiment … you’ll have some other reference than an altimeter if it really matters.

I really wouldn’t worry about it.

b&
 
I would assume the easiest elevation for the watch would be sea level. It’s telling me plus 30 when I’m right on the water.
 
I tried that first but I couldn't find any elevation information which surprised me. Apple's map has it hidden under walking/cycling directions and it is displayed as a graph. Luckily one of the horizontal graph lines was at 200' and the start of the directions was below that line by quite a bit.

This uses Google Maps for its GUI, but not sure the data source:
 
Me too, since the WatchOS 10 update, my "elevation" complications and the elevation in the compass application no longer correspond with the elevation given by the iPhone.

The strangest thing is that when I start a running exercise, the elevation works correctly again. Then 2 days later, she displays nonsense again.

WatchOS 10.0.1 did not resolve the issue.

Looks like it's related to the weather complication location issue.

Edit : i have an iPhone 12 (IOS 17.0.2) and a Apple Watch 7 (10.0.1)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: xodh
After installing 10.1 beta 1 my elevation was off by about -70ft. But over the day, after walking around, the elevation eventually returned to normal. I think it just needs time to calibrate.
 
I would assume the easiest elevation for the watch would be sea level. It’s telling me plus 30 when I’m right on the water.

Again, I know that this seems like a big number to be off by, but it really isn’t.

Most houses are at least 30’ in one dimension. You wouldn’t blink if your phone’s GPS put you at the front door when you’re really standing at the back door, right?

How many times have you taken (or not taken) an exit on the freeway different from your suggested route and the GPS didn’t figure it out until you were way past the intersecting road? That’s waaaaay more than 30’.

The only reason that a 30’ elevation difference seems big to you is because it’d be a freakin’ big deal for you to climb (or dig) that 30’. But it’d be just a few strides for you to cross that same distance on the ground.

And you also, guaranteed, don’t have a good intuitive feel for what makes a 30’ change in terrain elevation. Practically nobody does.

I just walked a mile from the car shop back home. According to WorkOutDoors, that was an elevation gain of 60’. Knowing the area as well as I do, I would have guessed closer to 30’. If I didn’t know the area at all, I couldn’t have told you if I gained or lost any elevation at all.

This is all in the span of a mile.

Your watch’s altimeter is pretty darned good by almost all standards. And it’s entirely reasonable for it to be off by 30’. Those statements are not at all contradictory.

b&
 
I have the same problem, sometimes the altimeter gives negative heights when my city is 10 m above sea level, support tells me, after a diagnosis, that the clock sensors work well. IMG_0045.jpeg
 
I have the same problem, sometimes the altimeter gives negative heights when my city is 10 m above sea level, support tells me, after a diagnosis, that the clock sensors work well.View attachment 2287032

What that’s actually telling you is that the skies will stay clear for at least the next day or three.

Might seem a smart-aleck remark, but I’m serious.

Standard pressure at sea level is 29.92 inches of mercury. Pressure at -30 meters is 30.00”. That’s a modest but completely unremarkable high pressure system.

b&
 
Interesting. So that indicated altitude has nothing to do with the one marked by the 10 m iPhone.?
That didn't happen on my previous Apple Watch.
 
My current location on the watch says 238 feet. My iPhone 15 Pro says 244 feet and my map on my property says 233 feet. Pretty accurate as far as I can tell
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.