Google Pixel Watch 2 GPS data missing

[DrWatson]

Just took my Pixel Watch 2 LTE for its first parkrun today and recorded on it on Fitbit exercise. I don't have data on the watch but it was connected to my phone by Bluetooth. It only tracked just over the first KM of the run before the GPS cuts out. Final distance is correct (estimating from stride length?) but there is no map tracking beyond that point. Any solutions?

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity.

[Yaffle]

Mine has recorded GPS on exactly half of the last 8 exercises. Absolute rubbish.

[DmitrijD]

I've got similar issues on Pixel Watch (1st) version with a Fitbit premium features. 

Had a few runs recently and decided to use pixel watch with fit it's running:

- it track the heart rate correctly, but GPS lucks after 1st mile. I run without the phone. Sometimes it actually recorded the data correctly. So, if it luck with the GPS, then all other data like tempo and distance are questionable... Hence I can rely on this smartwatch. Was thinking that the issue is with my smartwatch only. Has anyone tried to return the watch via warranty and claim the refund? To me it is definitely a hardware/built-in software issue. 

[rexxfan]

I had been having better luck keeping the GPS locked by turning off WiFi and Cellular but ever since I applied the April update to the watch that streak of luck ended and I'm regularly losing GPS lock again. Oh well, I thought I might have been onto something but no joy.

I did experiment a bit with the watch in its failure mode. I had previously noted that once it failed and put up the "GPS connecting" message in the exercise app you could sit there forever and it would never reconnect until you restarted the watch (after which it always instantaneously connected without issue). The most recent time rather than restarting the watch right away I tried exiting the exercise app back to the watch home screen and then re-opened the exercise app and started another walk. To my surprise, the GPS connected right away. That's the good news. The bad news is that the GPS invariably dropped again within minutes of starting a new exercise. I did that 4 or 5 times and each time, exiting to the home screen and then restarting the exercise resulted in the GPS connecting, but then dropping again after a few minutes. The only thing that fixed it was a full restart of the watch.

Whatever causes it to drop the first time leaves the watch in a state in which it cannot reliably make (or keep) a connection until a full restart. I don't know anything about the internals of this, but it's like some thread is crashing and leaving crap lying around that's preventing a reconnect. The full restart cleans up said crap and voila, it works again. 

I suspect that it's probably normal to lose the GPS signal now and again and that there's likely code in there that is trying (and failing) to clean up and reconnect. Someone needs to figure out why so that the watch can reconnect to the GPS on its own without requiring a restart.

[Soulwounder]

Hey all, just curious has anyone tried the GPS with a different alternative application? I.E. Google Fit, Strava or Nike Running and see if the GPS records the runs tracked with the GPS Location? I did constantly use the FItbit Exercise app to record my runs and tracking and it did not record the map routes either but i did try Google Fit and it tracked my routes without any issue. So i'm curious to see if maybe its not hardware issue but more of a Software Issue that might the issue of the tracks not being recorded. I did also try Strava and Nike and both of them recorded my tracks too without any issue. 

[MiniSumo]

I'm glad that worked for you, searching Strava issues with Pixel Watch I find others are having the problem:

https://communityhub.strava.com/t5/devices-and-connections/known-issue-google-pixel-2-watch-losing-g...

If this is impacting both pieces of software, this would imply there's a hardware issue or something that is common in the OS. I've not search hard but note this is a recent post.

reading futher, strava syncs to fitbit, it does not replace it....

[rexxfan]

MiniSumo, I just switched over to the Google Fit app on my Pixel Watch 2 to track my walks and went out for a 5 mile walk. The Fit app dropped the GPS signal after 4.5 miles and did not reconnect. So per your reasoning the problem is either the OS or the hardware (or both, I suppose).

Here's the bottom line. If GPS tracking of your exercises is important to you, do not buy thie Pixel Watch 2. It just doesn't work.

If and when the problem is fixed, I'll happily amend that conclusion. I'm just glad I got the watch as a pre-order perk and didn't actually shell out $349 for it. 

[MiniSumo]

it's a great bottom line, it's just a shame that these glitches aren't obvious pre-purchase and don't feature in the 3rd party review 😞

[nportelli]

Mine is the first pixel. I had no issues like this until the pixel 2 came out. Then I started seeing it. 

[Soulwounder]

Curiously has anyone checked their permissions in the Fitbit app on the watch? I had issues with sensors so I turned that on to always and haven't had any issues. Had a couple drop outs due to tunnels GPS loss but they then reconnected pretty much straight away after being back in the open sky 

[rexxfan]

Yes, I gave the FitBit watch app permission to use location all the time per the knowledge base suggestion. While it may make it marginally more stable, it does not solve the underlying issue. Nor do any of the other kb suggestions, all of which I have tried. Following them may work for a while, but it always fails in the end. 

[TheGingerDev]

I've had my brand new Pixel Watch 2 for nearly two weeks now.  Twice I've been out for a walk and both times the GPS has cut out in the same way as everyone else has described.

I've had the watch stop tracking mid-way though a swim as well (for reasons....), as well as the always-on display decide it would rather not be on (again, for reasons...) but this has only happened the once.

Plus, despite saying on the website that it has connected GPS (i.e. can use the phone's GPS), it clearly doesn't and on another forum a Google rep has confirmed this, basically making it useless for when I go hiking as the battery won't last.

I've also got an open ticket with Google as it is a nightmare to get the watch to start charging, sometimes taking up to 10 minutes of fiddling around seating and unseating the watch on the charger.  Initially I put this down to a faulty cable, but given the all the other bugs that have come to light, I'm now not so sure.

I can honestly say I have never encounted such a bug-ridden piece of consumer tech.  How Google has the cheek to sell this a flagship product beggars belief.  I am seriously regretting buying it now.

Rant over, let's hope we get a real fix soon.  Although given how long this thread has been running, I'm sceptical.

[MiniSumo]

The charging lead is one of the few things I've not had a problem with, it just snaps into place and stays there robustly - as long as the wire is aligned to the crown wheel.

[MiniSumo]

The locations where the GPS has dropped and stayed dropped have been open sky.

For me Fitbit and Health Service have Sensors always on, similarly for Physical Activity and Location.

I've a system update appeared tonight... hopefully something is fixed!

[nportelli]

Well that's where the 1 is better.  Wireless.  Might charge slower though.

[Chris_uk35]

Also have the charging issues, sometimes i can drop it on charger and away it goes, other times for some reason it charges really slowly. (pixel watch 2)

[TheGingerDev]

Applied latest software update today.  Went for a walk and GPS cut out again.  Always seems to happen at about the same time/distance.

Got another email from Google support yesterday:  just more stalling tactics asking for the same information over and over again.  So they'll be getting a strongly -worded reply tomorrow.

Has anyone here had any kind of successful resolution from them at all?  Either a replacement device or a refund?

The Pixel watch is clearly not a production-ready device. 

[MiniSumo]

I'm on my second watch, the crown wheel fell off the first a few months in - replacement was smooth but I couldn't transfer the backup from the old watch to the new one.

I didn't have these GPS issues with the first one

[TheGingerDev]

With the charging, it snaps on to the charger OK.  It either just refuses to start charging or starts charging only to stop a second later.  It can take several attempts to get it to acknowledge the charger and charge properly.

[rexxfan]

Nope. Pixel support sends me to Fitbit support. Fitbit support sends me to the knowledge base. I try all the things there and they never help in the long run. I complain to Fitbit support and they send me to Pixel support who invariably send me back to Fitbit support. It's a terrible customer experience. I just wish they would acknowledge that some, perhaps not all, of these watches have broken GPS and give one contact to get in touch with to verify the problem and issue a replacement. 

Even though I got the watch free I did buy the preferred care. I've considered having an "accident" and using preferred care to get a replacement but I don't have a warm feeling that a replacement would necessarily work any better. 

I do seem to have fewer problems if I turn off WiFi and cellular before starting an exercise. I get fewer drops but it's not a panacea. It still drops, just not as often. Maybe it's an overheating thing. I dunno. 

I'm waffling back and forth considering giving up and getting a charge 6. At least it will do Google wallet and track my exercises more reliably. I looked at Garmin but they're hella expensive. 

[ShawnPHX]

I had issues with GPS never successfully tracking an entire workout where it would suddenly cut off. I tried every possible solution and was given the run around with pixel and Fitbit until I was finally able to convince Google to replace it and I haven't had a single issue with the new one. I think there are / were some software issues people were having that was confusing the issue but I am convinced there are watches with hardware defects that require replacement to address. It's absolutely ridiculous how difficult they make it to replace a defective product under warranty and while I like pixel/fibit I feel like they continue to treat their customers like garbage.