Does Ionic Support Connected GPS (i.e. Phone GPS) for Running with Phone?

[unteer]

I have been using the ionic for a few months now. As a previous Surge user, I am a bit disappointed in the quality of the watch GPS for my runs, and therefore I have chosen to run with both my watch and my phone. However, based on my understanding, Fitbit makes it an either/or choice. Here's my understanding:

IF I run with only my Ionic:

1) I get Ionic-only GPS

2) I get Heart Rate

3) The run will later sync to my phone

IF I run with my Fitbit App:

1) I get Phone GPS

2) I do NOT get heart Rate

3) The run is already synced

Finally, IF I run with both my Fitbit App AND Ionic:

1) I get TWO runs logged

2) The Ionic Run has bad GPS data + heart rate data

3) The App Run has good GPS data but not Heart Rate Data

I don't understand why Fitbit does not allow me to "start" a run from my Ionic, let me choose which GPS source I want, but also benefit from the heart rate tracking...

Am I missing something?

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

Hello @unteer and a warm welcome.  I hope I can explain why this is an either/or choice.

When you start your run with the phone app, you are using a feature known as MobileRun.  It is Fitbit's first software for GPS tracking and it was introduced before any device had GPS connectivity.  It might have been released even before the Surge was released.  Tracking from the Ionic is just that, tracking from the Ionic.  It only has built in GPS, so you can run (and do all the other GPS options and) leave your phone behind.

From a "how this stuff works" perspective, think of these two methods as two methods that don't know how to "talk" to each other.  This is why you get a double count.  Simply stated, it's a software thing.

If you track from the app, your heart rate is recorded.  It is always recorded.  But when you use the Exercise app on your Ionic, your heart rate is recorded at one minute intervals.  If you are not using the Exercise app, it is recorded at five minute intervals.  MobileRun was released before any tracker had heart rate measurement.

Sadly, it is an either/or choice.  You didn't miss anything.

[unteer]

Thanks for confirming my thoughts.

Completely understand it may be a software thing. That being said, I was
just hoping considering some fitbit devices support a connected GPS feature
(like the Charge, I believe), I had hoped the most expensive of their
devices would also support such an ability. But maybe I misunderstand what
the Charge Connected GPS functionality is.

Regarding heart rate, again, it's just frustarting that a run that is
tracked using Mobile Run does not include a heartrate section. I undersatnd
5 minute heart rates might not be ideal but is there a way to show it
and/or increase the record frequency?

Regards.

[LZeeW]

@unteer   The Fitbit GPS tracking is built in or GPS connected, one or the other. The GPS connected devices are the

• Blaze
• Charge 2
• Charge 3
• Versa and Versa Lite
• Inspire HR

There is no way to get one minute heart rate unless you are using the device exercise app (charge 2 calls is the multi-sport mode.  Sorry.

Built in GPS vs connected GPS is a hardware thing.  Everything else is a software thing.