Theory: the only app we have so far (Pear) forces the user to choose if they are using the watch for GPS, or the iphone. It should be a simple matter to get the watch to start using it's own GPS if the phone isn't available, but that's not what happens, at least with the 3rd party app. I'm wondering if Watch OS 3 has a bug or something which forces this behaviour. And that is what the other providers (Runkeeper, Strava) are waiting for, the Watch OS 3.1 update which will fix this issue so that the the user doesn't need to decide if they are using the watch or the watch with phone.
Personally .. I would prefer the way it is handled in the Pear app. It prevents the watch from switching to the phones GPS if it happens to get close enough to your phone during a run. Think running laps at a park where you pass by your car and the watch briefly connects to the phone. This happens with the native workout app and it leaves you with inaccurate pace results since the phone is stationary sitting in your car.
Runkeeper have said 'we're working on it as we speak - stay tuned for this'
RunKeepers blog post from Sept. 13 reads:
"And keep an eye out for even better (GPS-powered!) Runkeeper Apple Watch app over the next couple weeks….we’re already hard at work!"
We are well beyond "a couple of weeks".
Just played with the Nike Apple Watch at the Nike employee store in Portland. Pretty basic app, but it looks like it records all the functions that you need including elevation, probably based on GPS. The good news, is that you can upload it and it should sync to Strava.
I didn't see any upload options, as those are usually in the application itself. I only played with the watch. Knowing that it will upload to the Nike plus side, that opens up the opportunity. My assumption is that there are third-party tools at least that can allow you to sync to Strava.
YES! Just tried it with RunGap and everything exported including maps!
Now let all hope this is the week we start seeing some goodies. Who feels confident?
Nike released their app today!!!!!!
I think it's FROM Garmin, not TO.