Tracking exercise with Fitbit app

[SunriseRun56432]

Every now and again, I will try a run with my fitbit Charge HR, and see if they have gotten around to fixing any of the pile of problems that make it less than ideal as a fitness tracker, and I was surprised to see its still on the decline! 
I just wanted to see if anyone else can confirm:
If I wanted to track GPS and heart rate, I would need to start the run on the app, AND my watch. At least that way, the watch would track my heart rate (more or less) and I would get a GPS route attached. I would have 2 runs logged, one without HR, and much different time and distance, but at least I got one semi-usable record of my run. Now, however, even starting on both, I get 2 runs logged, one with HR and one with GPS, both with differing distance and time, neither even close to accurate. 

Is there anyway to use this product to get consistent, accurate records of my exercise? 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[FirstMelon3]

There was no mention of removing this feature in the release notes with the latest update and you can find more information about it.

[SunriseRun56432]

So it wasn't intentionally removed, its more broken functionality? 

[Giampi71]

Yes, a perfectly working features that has been removed by fitbit since a couple of years ago with no explanation.

[SunriseRun56432]

Just tested it again, and yes, no doubt, the work around to get both GPS and heart rate on my Charge HR has been removed! Now I have 2 runs logged at a time, both with incorrect time and distance. Does anyone from the company care to chime in and explain why this is ok?

[BraulioFitbit]

Hi @SunriseRun56432, @Giampi71 and @FirstMelon3. It's great to have you here.

Thanks for the detailed information provided. Please note that the exercise tracking feature on the Fitbit app is intended to register your activity when you're not wearing your Charge HR as you can see here. So if you compare the activity tracked by both devices, you'll notice a slight difference between the results. If your device is not tracking distance accurately, I recommend you to check and adjust your stride length as instructed on this help article.

Hope this helps

[Giampi71]

@BraulioFitbit You didn't provide any explanation why the feature, that was perfectly working, has been removed.

Some example why you might want to track your session with your phone and use your Fitbit devices for HR monitoring

1) Because you like to have audiocues and despite the many requests Fitbit has so far failed to implent the feature in the its smartwatches (of course, you might want it because the tracker doesn't support it)

2) Because you want to be able to see the trace of your run/hike/biking in real time (Fitbit smartwatches can't) 

3) Because the tracker can't start a session (this is nowadays limited to Alta HR)

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[Giampi71]

@FirstMelon3 The feature has been removed maybe 2 years ago and, no, it is not a bug but indeed an intentional regression as they even updated the documentation as linked by @BraulioFitbit .

Of course do not trust the changelogs as they are always "bug fixes and perfomances improvements".

Again, the feature was perfectly working so really I would like to have an explanation about this regression.

[SunriseRun56432]

Giampi71 is correct, these features worked just fine in the past. About 2 years ago, tracking heart rate while exercising worked without problems. Then, it stopped working, but as a work around you could get HR and GPS while running by starting tracking on the watch and on the app. Now even that functionality has been removed, so now I am 100% unable to get accurate tracking of heart rate, GPS, distance, and time. So the question still remains; why was functionality removed? Why, after 2 years of many, many users asking, has this not been addressed?