Connected GPS Pace and Distance is Inaccurate

[DanielMena9]

Went on a run today with my Charge 2 on one wrist and Charge HR on my other wrist. Also had RunKeeper to measure my distance. I started my run with about the same number of steps on both FIT devices. 

After the run, my Charge HR had almost 2K more steps than my Charge 2. In addition, my GPS map on FitBit matched my Runkeeper map which is about a 3.5 mile run BUT FitBit pegged the same route as 1.73 miles >.> 

Why doesn't this device work as advertised? I really like the design and feel of Charge 2 but if it can't do its job accurately, all is for not and I will be shorting FIT as it appears to be a widespread issue (I have maps and photos if someone from FIT wants the data).

Moderator Edit: Edited thread title.

[kellydomara]

My running is off too (when I use the connected GPS) and so is the biking. I have other bike and run computers and Garmins and I know my pace, so I know the Charge is massively underestimating the distance I'm running and/or biking, by a factor of 50% sometimes. 

I'd also like to know how to adjust or fix this? It's really annoying for it to be so inaccurate.

[kellydomara]

I was under the impression that if I ran with the connected GPS it would adjust the stride length and LEARN from the GPS it's supposed to be using. If it's just going to make up a stride length and be wrong, then how am I supposed to fix that?

[DanielMena9]

This 100%

The good news for us in the forumn is that The Verge reviewed the Charge 2 and listed similar issues to what we have experience, and hopefully this expedites Fitbit in grabbing GPS data for distance and auto calculate my stride!!!!!

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/28/13078652/fitbit-charge-2-fitness-tracker-review

[DerrickS]

Hi everybody,

Our team has performed and continues to perform internal studies to extensively test the accuracy of our products.

We recently uncovered two software bugs that affect specific uses of Charge 2: one related to using connected GPS while in a few different modes like walk, hike, or interval modes, and the other related to using multisport tracking for run and treadmill activities. These software errors cause the tracker to occasionally calculate stats like pace and distance with less precision than we expect from our products. We have identified these issues and are working to fix them through a free software upgrade coming soon to all Charge 2 users.

[GKrun]

Do we have an estimate on how long it is going to be before the software bug is fixed?  

Looks like there are a few other discussions where people are having the same or similar issues with GPS inaccuracy as well as inaccurate step counts.  May be a good idea to point those discussions to this one so they know you have identified the issues and are working on a fix via software update.  

I want to upgrade my wife from the Alta to Charge 2 but only if / when these issues are resolved.

Cheers

[Polkadot67]

I've been out for 2 bike rides and the fitbit has not collated the full miles travelled, it has crashed out. Fortunately had my phone to log the distance. What am I doing wrong? Thanks

[USAF-Larry]

I sounds like your tracker is losing the GPS connection part way through the ride, @Polkadot67. Make sure your phone does not have battery optimization enabled for the Fitbit app - this is a feature that was added to the Android Marshmallow 6.0 OS, and it shuts down everything to save the battery life after a "period of inactivity".  Google has not indicated what that period of inactivity is, but unless the screen is touched for the app periodically, the OS will shut it down and the connection will be lost.

[airjay75]

Just got my Charge 2 and have taken several walks using the connected GPS. The distance is wrong.  I have done this walk hundreds of times and I have logged the distance with multiple GPS apps and even a dedicated GPS watch.  The actual distance is roughly 3.6 miles, but the Charge 2 says it is only about 2.5 miles.  That is similar to the distance my Charge HR always gave me without the connected GPS using approximation for the steps.  The connected GPS is logging the map correctly, but the distance is just wrong.  Is the Charge 2 supposed to work like this?  Is it using my steps to calculate the distance as oppose to the actual GPS data?  What is the point of connected GPS if it doesn't give you a more accurate distance than steps alone would?  I don't get it.  I see that the app says taking the Charge 2 using connected GPS on a run will adjust my stride length (why not adjust stride length using the walk data too?).  Planning to do my first run outside today with the Charge 2 so I guess I'll see if that helps things at all, but I really don't understand why it isn't using the GPS data to calculate distance on a walk. 

[airjay75]

Went for my first outdoor run using the connected GPS. It's a run I've done many times with other GPS devices, and the distance shown by my Charge 2 was in line with other GPS devices.  Hopefully, this will update my stride lengths to make the distance on my walks more accurate.  It's obvious to me that the connected GPS on walks is simply calculating distance using your estimated stride length and not from the GPS data while when you run, it is using the connected GPS data to calculate your distance.  I really don't know why it doesn't use the connected GPS data when you walk, although it also doesn't matter to me all that much since I'm more interested in precise distances when I run.  Still, it would be nice if it did.  Maybe a future update can change this.

[Bonxy]

There is problems with the GPS tracking on the Charge 2 at the moment - http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/28/13078652/fitbit-charge-2-fitness-tracker-review

[Goldblum57]

Any further news on an update?  The crickets are chirping.

[DerrickS]

@Bonxy @airjay75 Just a heads up, I've merged your posts into this thread where Community users are talking about the same thing. You can also find more information about this issue in my post above.

@GKrun @Goldblum57 I don't have a time frame of when the fix will go out, but our team is working diligently to make sure that it goes out as soon as possible. I'll be sure to keep this thread updated with information as it comes in.

[RyanJ5o]

The Charge 2 and your phone's Connected GPS results in a pretty accurate "Map Drawer".

There is no other benficial result of the Charge 2 Device being connected to your phone GPS. None. 

Was the Charge 2 rolled out before the programing best use the GPS data? Or was this something that Fitbit just completely overlooked?

[kellydomara]

Mine ran a software update -- not sure if it was the specific one related to this issue -- but since then the GPS has been much more accurate. Not completely exact, but it'll say 8.5 miles while my Garmin says 8.3. Which is much much better than when it was 25-50% off.

[rafsanchez]

Just to confirm that this issue also happens when cycling and using Connected GPS...it's not consistent though because sometimes my distance is recorded accurately and sometimes not:

HERE IS MY REGULAR 5 MILE COMMUTE RECORDED INCORRECTLY

AND HERE IT IS RECORDED ACCURATELY

[Bonxy]

That is crazy. Exactly the same route. 

[USAF-Larry]

Something happened that the GPS disconnected on that top one, @rafsanchez.  Do you have the Battery Saver or Battery Optimizer disabled on the Fitbit app?

[USAF-Larry]

Today I took a walk on a marked 5.25 mile bike trail loop, and I used the Charge 2 Walk Exercise Mode with Connected GPS to my HTC One M9 phone.  The tracker clocked the walk at 5.26 miles, and the GPS Map showed it at 5.25 miles.

[rafsanchez]

Larry

Thanks for your response.

I don't think the GPS "disconnected" because you can see the entire track has been recorded correctly (also heart-rate and elevation were recorded correctly throughout the ride).

I don't see a "Battery Saver" or "Battery Optimizer" setting on my FitBit app (iOS 2.27.1 (590))....perhaps this is from a previous version of the app (or the Android app)?

Raf

[USAF-Larry]

@rafsanchez  The Battery Optimizer or Battery Saver is a function of the Android OS - it was added with Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. 

I found out on mine when Battery Optimization was enabled for the Fitbit app that it may not have mapped the entire route as it appeared. The GPS tracking is no a continuous event, but it computes distance between two points. When mine was being put in standby by the phone, it measured the first 20 minutes of the walk and then stopped recording until I got a phone call and it woke up the phone. So, it recorded another distance and went back to standby. Near the end of the walk, I used the phoen to take a picture and it woke up the GPS again. So, even though there was a map showing the walk, the distance the GPS calculated was less than 3 miles out of an over 6 mile walk.