Android app much worse than iOS!!

[SunriseRun56432]

I just switched from an iPhone SE to a Galaxy S9+, and I am shocked at how much worse the Android app is. For starters, the screen does not stay awake while using the run tracker. So after my run, to stop the clock, I need to take off my arm band, remove the phone, unlock the phone, then stop the clock. The tracker itself is garbage too. I've run the same route for years, across multiple iphones, and the GPS on the android app is off, by about 100 meters. Even with that, the **ahem** thing cannot accurately calculate time per km. It's ridiculous.. If I run one km, in my ear piece I will hear "1 km in 5:20, time per km 5:10", then at the end of my 3k run, the app will say something like Total time: 15:00 Time per km 5:20. And now on top of that, since fitbit fudged the heart rate monitoring, I have to start my run on the app and my watch to get heart rate and GPS data, so at the end I have 2 runs with different lengths and time ! This experience with fitbit has just gone from bad to worse. Get it together Fitbit. Or not, I'm done with this garbage. 

Moderator edit: word choice 

[tdog21]

Hi, just a couple of ideas for you:

re the screen not staying awake - do you mean on your phone or your Fitbit?  If it's your phone, you probably need to play with your phone settings so that it doesn't go into sleep mode - or let it show notifications on the lock screen so that you at least don't have to unlock the phone to stop the tracker.

The GPS accuracy is an Android problem as far as I know - I saw that on Garmin's website (they have the same issue!) and elsewhere - so not Fitbit's fault this time lol!  That may be why your timings are slightly out, I think Fitbit/Android tries to recalculate from the error and to be honest, I don't personally find it too bad most of the time.

Can't comment with any expertise on the heart rate thing as my device doesn't have that, I know there were problems with the latest app updates though 😞 Just one thought - have you still got your old iPhone? If you have, make sure you've removed your Fitbit from the app or better, remove the app alltogether as your Fitbit may apparently still try to pair with that.  Other than that, if you have the same run recorded twice, is it possible to delete the one you think was least accurate and keep all the data you need?  Hopefully others will be along with some more ideas for you to try.

[SunriseRun56432]

The screen staying awake is a fitbit issue. Other apps in fullscreen mode stay awake. For fitbit, I have to use a 3rd party app to keep the screen awake while running, which is a joke. 

The heart rate monitor, or lack thereof is a fitbit issue across the board since late july, and just exhibits more of the poor quality control from the company lately.

[LostEchoes]

@SunriseRun56432 

Make sure your Samsung phone is not on Power Saving mode, because on that mode, GPS / location is not working properly. The following settings can also help on Android (although they're probably not related to your issues)

On your phone, go into the "Optimise Battery Usage" settings and make sure that the following three are disabled (meaning: NOT optimised. Just make sure to turn the switch off )

- Fitbit app
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth Midi Service
- BluetoothTest

Furthermore, could you please elaborate on this ?

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@SunriseRun56432 wrote:

And now on top of that, since fitbit fudged the heart rate monitoring, I have to start my run on the app AND my watch to get heart rate and GPS data, so at the end I have 2 runs WITH DIFFERENT LENGTHS AND TIME! 

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Which Fitbit tracker do you have?
Which app are you referring to ? The Fitbit app, or a 3rd party ?

[SunriseRun56432]

I've tried different configurations with and without power saving mode. Unfortunately, it makes no difference. 

I use the Charge HR2, and since last July, the heart rate tracking during exercise through the app has been disabled. Now, the only work around is to start tracking via the watch, which will not capture GPS data. So to get both HR and GPS, I need to start tracking exercise on both the app and the watch. However, that yields 2 different logs, with differing data.

The only 3rd party app used in conjunction is one to keep my screen from sleeping during run tracking. 

[Rich_Laue]

You app can not track the Heart rate, so I'm not sure what is meant by Heart rate through the app is disabled. The heart rate is not measured by the app, but by the tracker on your arm and if it is disabled, there will be no heart rate displayed on the tracker. This has nothing to do with the app. Check your daily heart rate graph for this time. 

Now if your referring to the display of the heart rate graph in the exercise summary during a manually recorded activity. This was a bug that has been fixed in the latest version. 

[SunriseRun56432]

Just went for a run, left off 3rd party apps, and the fitbit app goes to sleep, and the bug was NOT fixed, so no heart rate data is taken from the charge HR. When the app sleeps during a run, the GPS is even worse, so my 3k run becomes 2.75k! 

Wonderful programming! Great app! Good job dev's! 👏👏👏👏

Garbage.

[SunriseRun56432]

Just went for a run, left off 3rd party apps, and the fitbit app goes to sleep, and the bug was NOT fixed, so no heart rate data is taken from the charge HR. When the app sleeps during a run, the GPS is even worse, so my 3k run becomes 2.75k! 

Wonderful programming! Great app! Good job dev's! 👏👏👏👏

Garbage.

[Rich_Laue]

The tracker records the heart rate all day with or without the phone. 

If your referring to the problem of HR not being displayed in the app with a manual recorded run. 

Please update the fitbit app. 

[SunriseRun56432 · Accepted solution]

Sorry Rich, this is a well documented problem, and updates have not fixed it.