Distance on GPS map doesn't match with exercise summary

[Andyn1970]

Hi all

Firstly love the Fitbit Versa does everything I need also the app is great.

BUT over the last couple of weeks the distance recorded by the app is way off. 

I use it connected to my Samsung Galaxy S9+ and its always been very accurate to a tenth of a mile or less. 

But on my last few runs of about 3.4 miles it can be a whole mile out, but just the distance the route it records is spot on but the mile points are in the wrong place for example it recorded 2.44 miles in 30.29.

My wife who also has a Versa connected to an IPhone recorded 3.43 miles in 30.30 this is correct and matches our pace of about 9.30/m

Prior to the last weeks it has always been almost exactly the same as my wife as we run together. 

I have Re started the Versa and the phone, I have cleared the data in the Fitbit app and I have also uninstalled the fitbit app. 

Same result its not always out the same, a couple of runs back it got to 2.89m on the same route. Then on Tuesday it was spot on. 

Any ideas it seems like a small thing but not having an accurate record of your work turns out to be extremely frustrating.

Anyone else had this? 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Emmatee]

Just got a Versa 2 and have tracked a couple of walks on it. The distance it tracks is way out! My S10 measures the same distance as google maps. Two different walks as follows

Walk 1
Fitbit - 1.36 miles 
Samsung and google - 1.76 miles 

Walk 2
Fitbit - 4.08 miles 
Samsung and google - 6.5 miles 

Can't believe a watch that costs £200 is so incredibly useless! 

[Snowb0arder]

Wow, so glad I found this thread, even though it’s from 7 months ago! I am having this same issue. I’ve been running the same 2.5 mile run for years. I have had 4 different fitbits during that time. My Versa died last month, so i just upgraded to Versa 2. This is when my issues with distance and pace being incorrect started! I am using an iPhone X. All my software is up to date. When i run, it seems the distance is close, but when I walk, my usual 2.5 miles become  1.4 miles, and my pace is showing up at 0 mph on my watch. It says i am connected to the GPS at the beginning of my tracking, and the tracing in the map looks correct as well, with every twist and turn recorded. WHY is this happening?! The GPS signal is fine here, I have been using this exact route and other Fitbit devices on it for YEARS. Please help!

[Stooksed]

I think the answer is clear from everything on this thread.  It's wrong because it's a fitbit.   The fitbit distance algorithm is clearly wrong. I suspect its to do with their implementation - maybe it's rounding important data during the calculations, or implementing the wrong formula, or simply basing too much on stride length.  Who knows?  It's just wrong, that's the long and the short. 

[Jackos]

@Stooksed Good summary, you just forgot to mention that Fitbit have been aware of the problem for at least six months, and that users on this forum spent weeks/months trying to debug it  together with Fitbit support and posting information about those efforts and the replies from support  on the forum.  It was clear from the support they received that Fitbit are in no hurry to fit the problem.

Therefore it was really disappointing to see the release of the Charge 4, when a lot of their customers are stuck with  expensive Charge 3 's that are still unfit for purpose. I got less than 6 months of use from mine, a couple of those spent waiting for a fix after this fault appeared.  My wife now uses that fitbit as an expensive pedometer and I have invested in a Forerunner 645 to track my runs. 

[Stooksed]

Thanks @Jackos.   I think the problem must lie in the app, or even on the server, rather than the devices themselves as so many different ones are affected: I would not hold out any hope that the charge 4's algorithm will be any different. - if it's calculating on the watch it could even be worse!

I've had my blaze for about 3 years now and I think this has been a problem during all that time.  I was reading about different methods of calculating distances between two points latitude and longitude.  There's a cosine method (http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/51711.html) and the Haversine formula (http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/51879.html).  I wonder if they are using the former, which is not good over short distances, but is less processor intensive.  Either way, I can't see them fixing it.  Ever.

[Konsta_]

>I think the problem must lie in the app

I'd like to share some positive experience. After the latest app update ver. 3.20 dd. 5/5/2020, I can clearly see some remarkable improvements. Five recent walks have been measured quite close to the Google Maps distance measurements. 

 

[DawnH1]

The new update has fixed nothing for me, infact I think it is worse. I have tried everything to get this watch to accurately track my distance during running. Walking oddly enough is over and running is under. I thought oh it must be stride length. So I calculated my stride length from the actual distance given by strava and the steps given by the versa. I also multiplied the steps given by the versa and the stride length I had set to see if it was using the set stride length.  This did not match up with the distance it gave me. So changing the stride lenghth makes absolutely no difference and it was still 1/2 mile out. I've also tried turning off wifi, making sure it is connected to gps before setting off. I  am going to give it one more chance and track my run with GPS off. If it is still carbage I am out and getting a garmin. Unbelievable shoddy care for customers considering that this has been going on for years. My little £20 delfire was more accurate!

[MikeyTaxi]

I'm also having this issue. I'm having to manually upload to Strava in order to get accurate GPS data as my Fitbit Versa 2 grossly underestimates the distance I've run. Please fix this Fitbit, you already have the correct data stored within the activity, it's not rocket science! 

[Markmoll]

It must be rocket science, since they haven't fixed it yet. My Garmin fenix 5x plus is working great and I know the Fitbit Ionic tracks correctly, but these devices have there own gps, on board.Fitbit programmers, where are you!!!! The correct data is there!!

[CraigRWS]

I've started taking running more seriously since my usual sporting activities are currently unavailable and have encountered this issue as well. It's been shown that Fitbit is incorrectly interpreting the underlying GPS data, and that has been the case for some time. I don't understand why it's not been fixed.

One of the Versa 2's selling points is "Real-Time Pace and Distance: Keep an eye on your speed and mileage by connecting to your phone's GPS." For a significant number of users this feature just does not work. Being given incorrect live distance and pace data is worse than useless.

Sure, you can import the run data in to Strava afterwards and correct the GPS data. But again, what's the point of that? You're supposed to be able to get live data as you run.

I've taken to running the Strava app through my phone with voice updates rather than using my Fitbit. That's a free app to do what a £200 fitness tracker is supposed to. It makes me wonder what else Fitbit isn't recording correctly.

[LuisaBethan]

Hello, I have posted on this forum earlier in the thread. I have a Fitbit Blaze rather than a Versa but the pebble was relatively new, and I have a Samsung 10. I have spent nearly 2 months going through absolutely every option with the Fitbit support community. In Daniela's own words, 'we don't know why it's not working, it does seem to be software linked. we are willing to offer you a discount on another device, your current device is out of warranty and therefore we don't have to replace it. But we do recognise that it is highly likely that a new device won't work properly with your phone either so we understand that you might leave the Fitbit family'. I thought I'd share it so that you can understand where Fitbit is at in terms of the solving the software issue. I have now purchased a Garmin Vivoactive 4s and it is superb. Love it. Accurate and just so much nicer to wear as well. I hope you all find your own way through this very poor customer service. 

[krissimor]

I haven't written in this thread earlier, but I've followed it for a while. I'm a runner, and immediately noticed the inaccurate GPS when I upgraded from Charge 2 to Versa 2 in October last year. I tried every troubleshooting, nothing worked, and contacted support. I got a replacement, but the replacement had the same problem. I contacted support again, and they recognize it's a problem, but refuses to give me a refund. They keep saying they're sorry for the inconvenience, the support is working to resolve the issue, but don't know when I can expect a fix. "Thank you for your patience". I'm totally fed up with Fitbit!

In my luck, a college of mine was looking to buy the same device, so I sold her mine, as she didn't care for the GPS. I bought a Garmin device,  and couldn't be more happy. Never again Fitbit. My advice: If GPS is important, get rid of the Fitbit and use your energy on something else!

[Emmatee]

I received a rubbish response from fitbit support as below

To answer your question about the difference of the information on the Versa 2 and your Samsung Health app, please know that Fitbit devices use either built-in GPS or the GPS sensors on your nearby phone to track your distance, pace, and route. When you track an activity through the Fitbit app, the app also uses the GPS sensors on your phone to calculate these stats. For more information, see https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1874 

Useless. I have since posted mine back, as I had it less than two weeks, but the live chat guidance from the company I purchased from was that if I believe it is faulty I can return and they will look into it.  The whole system is faulty not that device so they better refund me!

I actually can't fault my Samsung watch at all except for the battery life, which was the main reason I was tempted by the versa. Such a let down Fitbit!

[RunHolmanRun]

@krissimor which did you go for?.

Seriously folks you are best leaving fitbit if you are serious about running. They aren't going to fix. After I found the problem I stuck with it for about 3 months but it made me hate running. Very happy now 

[krissimor]

@RunHolmanRun The Vivoactive 4s. Looks nice and the stats are great. I wanted a touchscreen, so that's why I picked this one.

[RunHolmanRun]

@krissimor cool. I went for the forerunner 45. Don't miss the touchscreen. Great device and real time pace info

[Sjnoelie]

Their approach is really disappointing. I wish I was aware of this huge flaw before I purchased my Versa 2.

I set a new personal discrepancy record yesterday. Runkeeper on my Galaxy S10 recorded 5.15km and Fitbit only 4.2km. That's an incredible 18.5% deviation. I have not found a pattern yet. Speed and pace consistency don't seem to be linked to the magnitude of the distance discrepancy.

[Davie1888]

I feel for everyone on here, best thnig I ever did was jump ship, mods seem to leaving this feed alone, usually I've had my comments cleansed for daring to mention Garmin. Best thnig I ever did was more over, the accuracy on my 735XT is incredible. Cant run just now as I'm recovering from torn ankle ligaments but its given me a chance to use the swimming and cycling functions and they're great as well.

[TheJBird]

I'm seriously thinking of jumping ship and going to Garmin, as the tracking is useless.  

What Garmin does everyone recommend?

I have the Versa 1 special edition.  Used to have the Fitbit One, but upgraded to the Versa in order to benefit from GPS tracking... Otherwise I'd have stuck with my One...!

[Jackos]

It depends a lot on how much you want to spend @TheJBird , when I was faced with the same dilemma a few months  ago the best advice I received was buy an older model because there is not a massive difference in the newer models, and a lot of the new features are rather gimmicky.  It's not really as simple as that because, I believe, I am definitely no expert, the sensors for tracking  sleep and heart rate have improved a lot over the last couple of years.  

Decide which features you want, just running, go for one of the Forerunner series.  A triathlons someone else will have to make a suggestion.  I am really happy with the Forerunner 645 Music I went with, never use the Music Feature, but I picked it up for half price on black Friday and the "Music" version was cheaper than the regular one.   I am sure the 245 is perfect for most runners.