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.

[Vorsoth]

Even with the latest Charge 2 firmware, Fitbit continues to miss miles on my bike rides. I will start the cycling exercise manually on my tracker (which uses connected GPS), but it won't start tracking distance until I've already gone several miles.Time and heart rate are all correct, just not the distance (which in turn makes the MPH and other distance dependent stats incorrect). 

This has happened since I started biking about 6 weeks ago.

[zSteveH]

So can we trust any of the Charge 2 stats - i.e is the step count accurate? Does the daily figure for miles walked mean anything?

[hawkeye1952]

This has been a on going problem. I had my charge 2 for almost 1 year. After several updates. The connected GPS still does not work correctly

[hawkeye1952]

That is a good question. You have to wonder

---

@zSteveH wrote:

So can we trust any of the Charge 2 stats - i.e is the step count accurate? Does the daily figure for miles walked mean anything?

---

[Jaa0311]

Still having this issue consistently when recording cycling activities.

My Environment:

-Apple iPhone SE

-Cycling Activity configured to use GPS

Steps:

1) Start Fitbit app on phone.

2) Start the Cycling activity via the watch.

3) Record the activity.

4) View the activity in the Fitbit phone app

Expected result: The distance recorded is consistent with previous rides of the exact same route, and is accurate.

Actual result: The distance recorded is always short, but not always by the same amount. It could me a half mile short or 2 miles short on any given day. The map drawn by the GPS data tracking appears to be accurate.

Also:

Why is this issue marked as 'Solved' when it's clearly still a software bug that exists?

[hawkeye1952]

This I am sadly to report. Has been a on going problem. They did a update  a few months ago. Said that the problem was fix and then marked it solved. Yet everyone since then has told them the problem still there.

[solowoniuk]

It's not fixed, I run the same set of steps everyday, same number of reps, same amount of time around 32-35 mins, some days it tells me I run 2.2 miles, some days it tells me I run 3.3 miles even the elevation is off by 300-400 hundred feet. YES  I've reset my charge 2, updated firmware etc. I've given up and use it only as a heart rate monitor. 

[hawkeye1952]

The small map fitbit

Large 

endomondo

fitbit 1.6 miles vs 1.9 miles. this is not fix

[SunsetRunner]

Hi,

DerrickS a year later and it is still happening ?

I've just been informed by the support team they are still working to fix the problem.

[zSteveH]

I have now got rid of my Fitbit because of this issue and got a Samsung
instead. If the fitbit can't get this basic information correct, I can't
trust any of its stats.

[lysy]

this is reply to:

solowoniuk

Well, you maybe out of luck on this too. My heart rate does not work properly. I tested it vs Polar chest monitor and during low heart rate 70-115 bpm works well but at times it will spike to 150 bpm vs 120 on Polar chest sensor, so it cannot be trusted as well. What it means we can use it as average baseline but nothing more. I will get something different eventually. 

[hawkeye1952]

That what they say. Yet if you look what they said after the last fix. Problem solved. I had several different trackers. Fitbit is the worst to date

[Rollerskier]

Hi,

I think there is some good news regarding GPS accuracy.

I believe we finally have some good news!!!

I have recently installed the latest iOS 11.0.2 on both iphone6+ and iphone7.

Today I also installed the latest Firmware for Charge2 - 22.55.2

I measured simultaneously the distance walked with both phones from the Fitbit App.  During the walk (run mode) I received the feedback on distance on the speakers for both phones.  Surprisingly the feedback came almost at the same time for the 2 phones for the 1 km, 2 km, 3 km and 4 km cues.  When I finished the trip it measured 4,34 km on both phones ( so the deviation must be less than 10 m for this trip ).  Earlier the deviation has been 300-500 m between the 2 phones.

I also noticed the wobbling pattern of the track on iphone7 was gone. I will check this out on a track where I know the exact correct distance to see how it goes as the next step.  However, I have never experienced this with the Fitbit App previously.  Only with the Nike Run Club App.  Looks to me like Fitbit finally got this right(accurate GPS-distance).  Would appreciate to know if you also have noticed that the accuracy has improved a lot with Apple iOS 11.0.2 and Fitbit Charge2 Firmware 22.55.2.  Perhaps this is also the case for Android phones and new Firmware the last days?  And the Southern hemisphere problems too?  

[Rollerskier]

Documentation of the run for iPhone 6+ and iPhone 7

[SunsetRunner]

Hi there,

I noticed the same this week after installing the updates on iPhone iOS and Fitbit. The past few weeks I used the Fitbit gps with iPhone together with Runtastic. In the past I always noticed approx. 500 m distance difference but last time it was EXACTLY the same distance. I was very happy to see this. I will keep using Runtastic together with Fitbit the next few runs to check. But I hope for the best! Fingers crossed!

Greetings from Belgium! 

[CTT2615]

Hi - I think that I can confirm this, too. This morning I ran a 7km with both connected GPS and Strava operating, and ended up the with the same distance within 100m. Thats a first for me - very happy that this problem might finally be solved!

[Kobalto]

For me is not working. Same issue I've reported in past regarding misinterpretation of longitude coordinates in the southern hemisphere, resulting in longer distances and faster speeds that the real ones. The image shows the same run: above tracked with the IPhone (accurate) and below with the Fitbit using Connected GPS (innacurate). Firmware 22.55.2. I can't belive they have not worked this out yet. 

[hawkeye1952]

It is not working. In fact it is worst. I have a android phone LG. Did the update on the watch yesterday. This morning I took my morning walk. Here are the results. Endomondo  1.56 miles. Fitbit app.1.3 miles. Watch 1.41..   Endomondo gave me my mile half way down the street on the west side of the park. The watch gave to me on the north side of the park half way down. The app gave to me on the north side of the park. 

[Rollerskier]

Some mixed feedback...I will do some more test to see if the deviation between my 2 phones is constant over time.  

Todays test shows 2,38 km vs. 2,32 km - 60 m deviation(2,5%).  You can see the plot is not

100% the same. However, I was holding 1 phone in my hand and the other in my pocket so the GPS signal quality was probably not the same. So lets see how it will come out tomorrow before jumping to conclusion. 

[CTT2615]

Oh what a pity! I had thought that they might have worked this one out definitively.

So I am currently at latitude 1.3 degree N, and thats where it seems to be working to me. I am about to do a 5km run this morning. Plan is that I will be 22.4 N on Monday and get in an 8km run then, and then home at 35.3 S for a 7km run on Thurs. So I will keep running both connected GPS and Strava, and will report back the results.