So a few weeks ago, my wife and I took our 4 year old to Yellowstone. We went out for a hike to a beaver pond, not sure how far we were going to go but the whole trail was a 5 mile long loop. So we set out and I said "oh, we should set a hiking workout!" So we both set a hiking workout at the exact same time.
Before I continue, the important specs. I (at the time) had an Apple Watch Series 4 and an iPhone 14 Pro. She had an Apple Watch Series 7 and an iPhone 11.
So we hiked a bit, doing well, not seeing any bears. And then we came across the beaver pond. My wife looked at her watch and said "well we're half way done with the loop. Might as well continue." I was giving my son some crackers and I didn't really pay attention to my watch.
So we hiked a bit more and my son started complaining and my wife said "we have one mile to go, so we're almost done!" I glanced at my watch and said "uh, it's a 5 mile loop. So we have 2 miles to go." She said "I know it's 5 miles. My watch says we've been 4." Sure enough, her watch said 4 miles my watch said 3. Around that point we saw people coming from the other direction so I asked them how far they had been so far. 2 miles.
After the hike (which involved a lot of carrying a 4 year old on tricky terrain) we looked at the data from our respective workouts. Exact same map shape. Just hers was 6 miles. Mine was 5.
What gives? I figured if one was going to be more accurate it would be the newer watch. Plus, we walk together all the time and have never had a discrepancy this big (usually the only differences is she forgets to set a workout at the same time.)
Before I continue, the important specs. I (at the time) had an Apple Watch Series 4 and an iPhone 14 Pro. She had an Apple Watch Series 7 and an iPhone 11.
So we hiked a bit, doing well, not seeing any bears. And then we came across the beaver pond. My wife looked at her watch and said "well we're half way done with the loop. Might as well continue." I was giving my son some crackers and I didn't really pay attention to my watch.
So we hiked a bit more and my son started complaining and my wife said "we have one mile to go, so we're almost done!" I glanced at my watch and said "uh, it's a 5 mile loop. So we have 2 miles to go." She said "I know it's 5 miles. My watch says we've been 4." Sure enough, her watch said 4 miles my watch said 3. Around that point we saw people coming from the other direction so I asked them how far they had been so far. 2 miles.
After the hike (which involved a lot of carrying a 4 year old on tricky terrain) we looked at the data from our respective workouts. Exact same map shape. Just hers was 6 miles. Mine was 5.
What gives? I figured if one was going to be more accurate it would be the newer watch. Plus, we walk together all the time and have never had a discrepancy this big (usually the only differences is she forgets to set a workout at the same time.)
