pixel watch says I hit my hourly step goal, then app does not, then watch says I did not

[DRCRD]

I have had a Google Pixel Watch for about 2 years and have had Fitbit the entire time.  This is a problem I have had from the beginning.  If I complete my hourly steps at approximately 55 or more minutes past the hour, my watch will tell me I made my hourly steps goal.  Then, after everything syncs, *both* the app and watch say I did not make my hourly steps goal.  Just this morning I walked about 300 steps, my watch said I made my steps goal, and then after synching, both the watch and the app say I did *not* make my hourly steps goal.  Please fix this problem.  Yes, I have up-to-date OS on both phone and watch, and yes my app is updated on both phone and watch, and yes I have restarted both.  No, I will not uninstall and reinstall the app again because this is a long-standing built-in problem that needs to be fixed by Google.

Has anybody else found a way to fix this problem?

[JerryHam]

I've seen this problem a few times myself. Not consistently, not reproducibly, but it happens with an annoying frequency. I've also seen it do this: take watch off and note that it says say 1,541 steps. Plug it into power while I shower, etc. Put watch back on and it says 1,312 steps. Over 200 steps just disappeared. Normally it is around 150 and it does that A LOT and not just when plugging in - other times it is while wearing it. I imagine most people don't notice it as they don't watch the steps as closely as I do. I think the two problems are really one and the same - it is just that sometimes the steps going backward are enough to cause it to say you missed an hours activity and other times it isn't enough.

[Goosse1962]

I have seen it to a lesser degree on 'Fitbit' devices for calories burned. It appeared to be a difference between estimated calories and calculated based on actual device data. After switching to a PW3 late last year, I found the same hourly step count issue you report. Then I found it with daily step count. Most recently I found calories burned 'readjusting' as well.

The sensing device on our wrist has less computing power than the Fitbit cloud does. I suspected that was the issue with calories on my Fitbit devices. With the PW3, I am wondering if it is a 'recalculation' using a different formula in the cloud versus the collection device. I remember when devices used to get false reading for steps. One of the solutions was to not count steps until at least 6 or 10 occurred depending on the manufacturer.

Some of the health-related formulas have changed or been replaced in recent years as more data is collected and research done. I suspect that Fitbit and Google used different formulas for some items and have not yet properly synced their processes.

So far for me, the discrepancies have been small enough for me to ignore. They appear to be consistent 'loses' day to day. I am more interested in my trends than specific data. However, I am watching to see if there is a setting that will improve accuracy, or something to indicate that the final result is the accurate one.

Have a Terrific day!

[RiekoC]

Hello @JerryHam , @DRCRD , @Goosse1962 

I've also experienced this issue with my Pixel Watch 2 & 3. It's annoying when it happens.

FWIW, the March update for Pixel Watches is supposed to improve step tracking. My Pixel Watch 3 is LTE and the update for LTE watches is supposed to be released in the next couple of weeks. I'm hoping that once we get the March update, we'll see better step tracking. This would include the hourly step goal tracking and reducing the lags in step tracking overall.

[RadioMark]

I have seen this lately too. Drives me only slightly insane...  I don't have any great ideas and it's not my highest priority to complain about but I'm definitely noticing it.

[xlevix10]

I've had this issue for quite some time and unfortunately have never found a fix. It's frustrating because my watch (OG Pixel Watch) will buzz and tell me I hit my goal, then I'll look at my app and it shows I didn't, then go back to my watch and what do you know, I didn't actually hit my goal. Frustrating!

[DRCRD]

It just happened again today.  And today my watch told me I hit my steps goal around 0:45 after the hour.  

[RiekoC]

Hello @DRCRD , @xlevix10 , @RadioMark , @Goosse1962 , @JerryHam 

Although I'm not sure that this is the same issue that we've been experiencing, a Moderator posted on this thread (<-- click link) acknowledging the step tracking issue. She said that the team has been informed and are working on fixing the problem.

So, either the Pixel Watch March update will fix this bug or an app update fixes the problem.

[DRCRD]

I have seen this a lot with Google Fit.  And I have noticed that lately the step totals between Google Fit and Fitbit are very different, in the thousands.

[RiekoC]

Hello @DRCRD 

If you are willing, please monitor your step count tracking and report back after you get the Pixel Watch March update.