Fundamental shift! Ultra/S8/SE2 all use watch internal GPS *EVEN* if you bring your connected iPhone!

[xDKP]

Man reading this thread explains why so often the AW gets accused of having bad GPS. I thought it was common knowledge that it doesn’t even use the watch’s hardware if the phone was nearby and that this would dramatically reduce GPS accuracy to comical levels. I do 99.9% of my runs without the phone (I’ve got a LTE watch) but on rare ocations I’ll push one of the kids in a stroller and on those runs I’ll often bring a BT speaker and my phone. Typically I’ll turn off BT on the watch but sometimes I forget until I see my data after the run and it shows me running down the middle of houses and cutting every corner and the distance at the end will be way off. I also run with my watch arm free (not holding the stroller) so the distance/pace isn’t off because it’s unable to track my cadence. It’s all because of the terrible phone GPS. I don’t even see a massive difference in battery savings when it uses the phone GPS. Apple should have stopped this practice a long time ago. They need to make this an option on ALL watches, not just the new ones. All it does is confuse people and create a bad impression of the watch’s GPS accuracy.

Agree !! The worst part might be the non-label part of it

 

[xDKP]

The software improvements of the last 2 yrs means my GPS (watch only) runs are really impressive over my regular run (medium testing gps conditions) I am flabbergasted at the accuracy really, if the weather is really bad on an odd day it can be out a bit but by no means more than 50m over 7km, other than that it is bang on pretty much.

I have had Apple Watches sinde S0 and S2, S4 and S7 now and still have some issues with the first kilometer being off once in a while - Would LOVE a GPS signal meter or something like it, for me to wait a minute for strong signal before setting off

 

[noel18]

I have had Apple Watches sinde S0 and S2, S4 and S7 now and still have some issues with the first kilometer being off once in a while - Would LOVE a GPS signal meter or something like it, for me to wait a minute for strong signal before setting off

This is because you’re using the Workout app for your runs which dumps you right into the run without getting a lock first. This is something else that Apple seems to not care about. Apple doesn’t even give developers the ability to see a signal meter. Apple does provide an API that will get be you the GPS accuracy in meters and that is what the WorkOutDoors app uses for it’s simulated GPS meter. The WorkOutDoors app has a meter at the top of the screen so you simply launch the app, wait until the meter shows full bars (about 5 secs) and then start your run. With WOD the start of the run will not get all messed up like the Workouts app does at times.

 

[xDKP]

This is because you’re using the Workout app for your runs which dumps you right into the run without getting a lock first. This is something else that Apple seems to not care about. Apple doesn’t even give developers the ability to see a signal meter. Apple does provide an API that will get be you the GPS accuracy in meters and that is what the WorkOutDoors app uses for it’s simulated GPS meter. The WorkOutDoors app has a meter at the top of the screen so you simply launch the app, wait until the meter shows full bars (about 5 secs) and then start your run. With WOD the start of the run will not get all messed up like the Workouts app does at times.

Since early days with Nike crashing etc. I just haven't thought 3rd party apps were good enough compared to the build in. Just feels smoother and more reliable. But yeah the start sucks sometimes. Seems like they think about a change with the Ultra and the instant start button etc.

WOD worth a go? Run 150 km a month so have been looking forward to all the nice features of WatchOS 9 and the pacer etc.

 

[noel18]

Since early days with Nike crashing etc. I just haven't thought 3rd party apps were good enough compared to the build in. Just feels smoother and more reliable. But yeah the start sucks sometimes. Seems like they think about a change with the Ultra and the instant start button etc.

WOD worth a go? Run 150 km a month so have been looking forward to all the nice features of WatchOS 9 and the pacer etc.

Yeah WOD is the only way the AW is worth using for serious running. The built in Workout app is a joke. All the new watchOS 9 metrics are in the latest WOD update which came out this week. I got my first AW two years ago because the WOD app existed. I've been running 160 - 250km per month for these two years and the app hasn't crashed a single time. watchOS 7 and beyond has become a lot more stable which is the reason 3rd party apps are also more stable. WOD has a lot more configurability than the built in Workout app. You can configure exactly what metrics you want and where the metrics are positioned. You can also setup structured workouts and part of the workout is the screen layout, voice prompts, target paces, target HR, ect ect. You can also start a run by pressing a big green button. The run starts when the button is RELEASED. So on race day you start the app, it gets a GPS lock. Then when it's almost gun time you place your finger on the big green button and start making your way to the timing pads. When you cross the pads you release your finger and the run begins. When you cross the finish line you simply press the crown and side button at the same time to pause the run. Move out of the way and then you can end/save/sync to Strava over LTE.

Apple has a long way to go (with software) before they can compete with Garmin. Until then we have WOD.

 

[xDKP]

Yeah WOD is the only way the AW is worth using for serious running. The built in Workout app is a joke. All the new watchOS 9 metrics are in the latest WOD update which came out this week. I got my first AW two years ago because the WOD app existed. I've been running 160 - 250km per month for these two years and the app hasn't crashed a single time. watchOS 7 and beyond has become a lot more stable which is the reason 3rd party apps are also more stable. WOD has a lot more configurability than the built in Workout app. You can configure exactly what metrics you want and where the metrics are positioned. You can also setup structured workouts and part of the workout is the screen layout, voice prompts, target paces, target HR, ect ect. You can also start a run by pressing a big green button. The run starts when the button is RELEASED. So on race day you start the app, it gets a GPS lock. Then when it's almost gun time you place your finger on the big green button and start making your way to the timing pads. When you cross the pads you release your finger and the run begins. When you cross the finish line you simply press the crown and side button at the same time to pause the run. Move out of the way and then you can end/save/sync to Strava over LTE.

Apple has a long way to go (with software) before they can compete with Garmin. Until then we have WOD.

Sounds like it’s worth a try! Thanks my man. Love the fellow runners on this forum.

Yeah Apple has some way to go, but I think WatchOS 9 showed us, that they finally start taking it more serious

 

[matrix07]

I have had Apple Watches sinde S0 and S2, S4 and S7 now and still have some issues with the first kilometer being off once in a while - Would LOVE a GPS signal meter or something like it, for me to wait a minute for strong signal before setting off

Doesn’t customization of workout fix the issue? Says, you’ll go on the run. Set the warm up time to 2 mins for GPS to establish a connection?

(I always ran without my phone & haven’t experienced the 1st kilometer issue much since my S3 days that had cellular)

 

[skyhawkmatthew]

I wish there was an option to choose which device's GPS gets used. I have a 12 mini, whose battery life is marginal at the best of times, and when I go for a hike the GPS constantly being used in combination with playing podcasts and occasional maps and photo taking drains the battery super fast - way faster than the watch. I'd love to be able to offload the GPS task to the watch so as to reduce the load on the phone's battery.

 

[xDKP]

Doesn’t customization of workout fix the issue? Says, you’ll go on the run. Set the warm up time to 2 mins for GPS to establish a connection?

(I always ran without my phone & haven’t experienced the 1st kilometer issue much since my S3 days that had cellular)

So ... Warm up standing still? Didn't know that was an option actually?

I have recently downloaded a GPX Tracker for a weekend hike I'm going on, to be able to see a GPX map file on my iPhone. I can see it also installed on my Apple Watch and actually has a pretty nifty GPS Signal meter. Might be a great app to open while warming up a couple of minutes before a run (Should be better to warm up anyway!!)

 

[noel18]

Doesn’t customization of workout fix the issue? Says, you’ll go on the run. Set the warm up time to 2 mins for GPS to establish a connection?

(I always ran without my phone & haven’t experienced the 1st kilometer issue much since my S3 days that had cellular)

I could also see this happening if you leave your phone in your car for example and then start your run close to the car. The run would start off using the phone GPS which isn't even moving.. as you get out of BT range it would then switch to the watch GPS and get a lock.. all while the run is already tracking. This tethering nonsense needs to be fixed. The Ultra, S8 and SE2 no longer tether for GPS. They need to apply this change to older watches too.

 

[noel18]

So ... Warm up standing still? Didn't know that was an option actually?

I have recently downloaded a GPX Tracker for a weekend hike I'm going on, to be able to see a GPX map file on my iPhone. I can see it also installed on my Apple Watch and actually has a pretty nifty GPS Signal meter. Might be a great app to open while warming up a couple of minutes before a run (Should be better to warm up anyway!!)

FYI, WorkOutDoors will let you upload a GPX map for hiking. It can also download the full map data for that route for offline use.

 

[pcunite]

I really need this to be an option. I use a Garmin GLO 2 for hiking accuracy. Better than the phone or the watch because I have it set high up in my backpack. So, I would prefer an option on the AW to set an external bluetooth GPS receiver or to use the phone. You know, options.