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Carrier Face ID>Touch ID for runners

M

mantan

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 2, 2009
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I had my first run with the iPhone X today. Face ID was MUCH more convenient than Touch ID. It was a lot easier to look at my phone to unlock it to switch apps/music stations, etc. Plus Touch ID would become unreliable when your hands got sweaty. It'll also be nice as the weather gets cooler. (I'm in Texas, so it's still in the 70s). Running with gloves pretty much meant that you couldn't do anything with your phone unless you took them off.

I was skeptical of Face ID when it was announced. But like it more and more each day.
 
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Do people really carry a phone while running? The weight of a phone is just too heavy to keep in the pocket while running.
 
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I carry my phone but I don’t look at it on most runs. I stuff it in a ziplock bag and then in my minimalist running belt. I have my Garmin watch connected to my iPhone to get notifications and control music. Combined with my AirPods it works well as I can also control my phone with Siri.

On my really long trail runs, though, I do take my phone out to check the map, take photos and reply to texts. Touch ID is basically useless with sweaty hands or when wearing gloves and Face ID seems like a much better solution.
 
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whohasaquestion said:
Do people really carry a phone while running? The weight of a phone is just too heavy to keep in the pocket while running.
Click to expand...
Yes
Good safety device, or tool for tracking distance, or source for music.

Not for everyone, but on the cheap its a serviceable all in one.
 
whohasaquestion said:
Do people really carry a phone while running? The weight of a phone is just too heavy to keep in the pocket while running.
Click to expand...

I've always carried it in my hand when I run. I usually use it to check my run time/distance/pace on Endomondo and to listen to music on Pandora. I'll open it during a run to change stations, switch to podcasts or to the Music app.
 
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whohasaquestion said:
Wait, you do that many things while running? Okay...
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On long trail runs of 20 to 40km that take 3 hours or more I use my iPhone for lots of things. I’m not doing this while actually running, but when I stop to check I’m on the right trail, take a photo of the mountains, or reply to any texts/calls I missed.
 
I like putting my phone into ziploc bags when doing long runs (mainly because of sweat) and always used to get frustrated because TouchID and the fake home button of my old iPhone 7 never worked well through the bag. FaceID works much better through a bag...

whohasaquestion said:
Do people really carry a phone while running? The weight of a phone is just too heavy to keep in the pocket while running.
Click to expand...

Yes my phone is always with me when I run. Mainly for music via streaming services. But there have been a few occasions where I've been stranded somewhere because of heavy rain and a phone has been nice to have so that I can pass the time while waiting for the rain to let up (and if rain doesn't let up, call a cab)...

And there are various good ways to carry a phone while running including running skirts, running belts, armbands...
 
I myself am an amateur runner. I run 5k a day 3-4 times a week so I know what it's like to carry something while running. To me, it's just not comfortable to carry anything of weight. I've tried listening to music while running and found it distracting. Simply don't want to fiddle with electronics while doing something active. I gave that up a long while ago.
 
whohasaquestion said:
I myself am an amateur runner. I run 5k a day 3-4 times a week so I know what it's like to carry something while running. To me, it's just not comfortable to carry anything of weight. I've tried listening to music while running and found it distracting. Simply don't want to fiddle with electronics while doing something active. I gave that up a long while ago.
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I agree it's not comfortable. But for me, the biggest reason I run with it is for safety. If something happens when I am 10km away from home/the office it's a lot safer to have my phone with me than to not have anything. Especially when trail running in the mountains. I also need music for short runs and books/podcasts for the really long runs.

JPack said:
I thought they made the Watch for runners.
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I'm sure now that it has GPS the Apple Watch is a great device, but I've always felt it's smart watch first, fitness watch second, instead of the other way around. I've never used the Apple Watch as I've always used dedicated running watches from Garmin or Suunto.
 
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Applejuiced said:
Good thing we're not all runners trying to use the iPhone at the time we're running with sweaty hands :D
How many hours per day do you run compared to hours per day you're using your phone while you are not running?
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Right, but if you already have the iPhone X and FaceID works awesome for you all day? It becomes great also when running. :D
 
Acronyc said:
I agree it's not comfortable. But for me, the biggest reason I run with it is for safety. If something happens when I am 10km away from home/the office it's a lot safer to have my phone with me than to not have anything. Especially when trail running in the mountains. I also need music for short runs and books/podcasts for the really long runs.



I'm sure now that it has GPS the Apple Watch is a great device, but I've always felt it's smart watch first, fitness watch second, instead of the other way around. I've never used the Apple Watch as I've always used dedicated running watches from Garmin or Suunto.
Click to expand...

Yup. I’d rather carry a small light pack (with phone and water, and some energy cubes/gels for long runs) than go without my phone - especially for long runs. I know my husband also feels more comfortable knowing I have it.

If I was just running around my local neighborhood, in broad daylight, for half an hour or so I might not worry about it, but I am usually out before dawn, and often on trails, or in areas away from much civilization, or in areas I have never been (traveling, vacation). Having my phone is handy for route mapping, music, and safety. I have actually had to use my phone more than once while on a run for extenuating circumstances - once for the police when I was approached by someone in a remote park (turns out he was someone with a history) and another time when I tripped over a tree root and twisted my ankle and was 8-9 miles away from home; called my spouse to come get me :)

I don’t know, I don’t even really think about it, but I used to do a lot more adventure racing and so on where carrying stuff is just the norm. You get used to it. They make some nice running packs (or phone armbands, etc) these days that really still feel comfortable.
 
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DiveKitty said:
Yup. I’d rather carry a small light pack (with phone and water, and some energy cubes/gels for long runs) than go without my phone - especially for long runs. I know my husband also feels more comfortable knowing I have it.

If I was just running around my local neighborhood, in broad daylight, for half an hour or so I might not worry about it, but I am usually out before dawn, and often on trails, or in areas away from much civilization, or in areas I have never been (traveling, vacation). Having my phone is handy for route mapping, music, and safety. I have actually had to use my phone more than once while on a run for extenuating circumstances - once for the police when I was approached by someone in a remote park (turns out he was someone with a history) and another time when I tripped over a tree root and twisted my ankle and was 8-9 miles away from home; called my spouse to come get me :)

I don’t know, I don’t even really think about it, but I used to do a lot more adventure racing and so on where carrying stuff is just the norm. You get used to it. They make some nice running packs (or phone armbands, etc) these days that really still feel comfortable.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you and have had similar experiences. I have a small collection of packs for varying run distances. Having been trail running for a long time, on the really long races/runs you can’t really go without some type of pack to hold stuff like gels, water, headlamps, cash/card/ID, and even an emergency blanket (weather changes fast in the mountains and in winter).

I moved from a huge city to a much more remote area recently and am always running on back roads at 5am or in mountains where you don’t see anyone that the phone is a necessity. I also turn on the find friends app so my wife knows where I am if something happens. With so much time on the trails and dark roads, sometimes things happen, like when I twisted my ankle really bad and couldn’t walk or came down with the flu on the top of a mountain 8km to the nearest road. The phone is better to have than not to have!

Even got short runs around town i take my phone and the bare essentials. I’m so used to running with a pack that running with a lightweight belt for short distances is no big deal.

Happy running!
 
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