Do you need connected GPS to properly use all features?

[knowsnofitness]

Hi

I've never owned a smartwatch or fitness tracker, and I've never used any fitness related apps on my phone.

I want to encourage my family to start moving more with the step counter on the watch, and the calories burned, and other things in the Versa I don't know about.

I don't want my family to have to carry their phone out all the time for connected GPS.

So with the Versa not having GPS without a phone, and me reading how some are complaining that it doesn't have GPS, how important is it? Do I lose out on so much functionality and data without GPS?

Do the step counters, calorie burned counter, and other monitoring data to encourage movement work without GPS?

Thank you very much.

Moderator edit: title for clarity

[taijitu]

this is also my first one but from what i understand generally your smartwatch is calibrated based on the connected gps (since fitbits differ running and walking - different step lengths) so that it can count properly, only if you really want to be running based and see exact details how you ran (like the accurate distance, the actual path on the map and so on), that's when you need a watch with gps built in, otherwise i'd say it doesn't really matter that much, just don't forget to take your phone the first few times to calibrate it, it will still track your calories, steps and everything without the gps

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

knowsnofitness, ALL the features of the tracker are fully available to you without GPS .  I most often use the Ionic which has GPS but I keep it turned off.  The ONLY thing you miss without GPS is a map of where you either walked or ran. And I don't know about you but I'm fully aware of where I walked or ran!  

And BTW, if the GPS is used, battery life is about 10 hours of continuous use.  It is a major use of power.

So, get the new Versa and enjoy.

[Lufalulz]

It's also important to know that the distance covered during exercise can vary quite a lot depending on the stride length that Fitbit may be using.

Therefore, whenever you use GPS (assuming you don't lose the signal in the middle of the activity) you're making the information for that specific activity a little bit more accurate.

That is, of course, unless you have an Ionic, which is known for giving you the wrong distance specifically when you use the GPS. I don't know if that was fixed already.

[SunsetRunner]

Lufalulz makes a very important point.  As I said earlier, I don't use GPS, but I spent considerable time making sure my stride length in Settings was as accurate as possible and verified distances measured by using known accurate markers. Do NOT rely on the assumed stride length that Fitbit uses.

[knowsnofitness]

Thank you very much for all your replies.

Even if I have never owned a Fitibit, I'm so glad to discover that the Forum is active and very helpful.

[AlessFitbit]

@knowsnofitness I also suggest reading more about how Connected GPS works, to see if its something valuable to you and your exercise regime. Check out this help article for more information! 

[knowsnofitness]

Thank you very much. I will indeed read about the connected GPS. I am still amazed how active the mods and members are in this forum. Amazing

[MarkMM]

What's stride length, how far you swing your arm? Haha.

Connected GPS is good for exercise modes. Biking, Hiking, running. You get  detailed results like distance, average speed, heart rate. Not JUST a map of your workout.

For everyday tracking of steps/activity, yes, connected GPS is not needed. But once you get hooked on the tracker, you'll likely want your phone handy for feedback anyway. 

[Lufalulz]

@MarkMM

Stride length is how much distance your feet cover in average with each step. It changes depending on whether you're walking or running.

You can actually get pretty much all of those stats with the exception of the map without having to use the connected GPS feature. It's just that most of them are a lot more accurate if you're using the GPS.

[MarkMM]

The Blaze likes arm motion. You can be sitting down and swing your arm and get steps. Does the Versa use arm motion like the Blaze does, or is it different technology?

I can go for a bike ride without connected GPS and get all the same stats without a map? Please explain. I'll try it today.

[Lufalulz]

I understood that you were being sarcastic, thing is even if you tie your Fitbit to your hair and you smash it through windows one after the other you'll still get some steps. The stride length is just used to get the distance based on the number of steps and it really doesn't care if you were getting them while reading Playboy or washing dishes 

A little bit more on-topic, whenever you use the exercise mode with previous devices, you will in fact get all the stats except for the map. Not sure if the bike mode will do the same thing, but it definitely should.

Nevertheless, if you have the chance to use connected GPS, you may as well just go for it because all the stats based on distance will be a more accurate.

[MarkMM]

So I tried this today. First mile on the bike with phone Bluetooth turned off and Blaze set to bike ride in exercise mode. O distance. O average speed. It counted time, calories and heart rate. Whereas with connected GPS, you get the map, distance, average speed as well as heart rate and time spent. 

[Lufalulz]

That's useful to know. Whenever I do it with the rest of the step-based exercises it will give me everything, but I guess it makes sense to not get those things when riding a bike since it's not really getting steps so it can't "calculate" a "distance."

I was hoping the accelerometer in this thing would be able to track speed and, well, acceleration, but I guess not.

[hels_bels]

I have a Versa....biked with it and left phone at home.  Put in "bike" for exercise...it tracked nothing....just spun saying connecting... so you say I dont need my phone...well it didn't track

[hels_bels]

My biking was not tracked at all.  Correct no map..

But not tracked either.  😕

[MarkMM]

I still use a Blaze, so I'm just assuming the Versa would work similar. After about a half minute or so of not being able to connect, the Blaze goes to the next screen, Shows a lets go button as well as a red not connected notification top left. If I click lets go, Heart rate, time, and calories will still be logged. Sounds like your Versa isn't getting past the connecting stage. Maybe the Versa works differently?

[hels_bels]

Yep....never got past "connecting"....which after a 15 mile bike ride I never knew calories burned....husband took his phone so that's fine...I knew distance but the biggest reason I wanted this watch was to log calories I burned with my data not his...



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[Dannyw1207]

Hello All,

I believe I have figured out how to avoid having to take your phone out with you on runs/rides yet still get your distance tracked etc. 

Before you start a run on exercise mode there is a cog wheel at the top left hand corner of the screen. If you click on this cog and scroll down to connected gps and turn it off then once you start your run your distance is tracked without phone needed

[callum09]

Thanks Danny!
That would make sense in the riding case. This should force the watch to use it's fallback information (without connected gps). I'm guessing when we leave the setting 'connected gps' on, it constantly searches for the gps, and doesn't ever use the fallback information. However I have ran with the setting on, without my phone, and it did fallback to using stride length to calculate distance and speed.
I too have gotten 0 dist when cycling with the setting on, so I will bike this afternoon with the setting off and we'll see if that works!