Versa 2: have your phone with you constantly?

[MerlijnJanssen]

I probably want to buy a Fitbit Versa 2, but I have an important question before. I know that the Versa 2 doesn’t have a GPS in the watch but uses the GPS of your mobile phone. Does this mean that you have to bring your phone with you every step you take? Also in your house or when you take a short walk? Because it otherwise doesn’t track your steps/kilometres? Or does your watch measure these steps too, though you don’t have your phone in your pocket, maybe a bit les precisive? At the moment I have a Fitbit charge without gps, but it does say how many steps and kilometres I have walked that day. Does your Versa 2 steps over to this other way of measuring (with information about you’re length and weight) if you don’t have your phone nearby or doesn’t tracks it your movements at all if you don’t have you’re phone with you?

And how far can your mobile phone be to share the gps function with your watch? 1 metre, 5 or 10?

Can please someone help me to answer my question? I would be very happy 😊 Thank you!!

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

Hello @MerlijnJanssen and welcome to the Help forums.  You only need to have your phone with you when you are using the Exercise app with a GPS connected activity like run, walk, bike, etc.  All of the other basic data like steps and distance are tracked just like your other Fitbit.  You say you have a Charge, not a Charge HR.  If you do have a Charge, you will notice a difference in your data.  The Versa 2, like all heart rate trackers, has heart rate based algorithms for estimating calorie burn.

When you are doing a GPS tracked exercise, you want to have your phone with you, like in an armband, pocket, or a running belt.   

[MerlijnJanssen]

Thank you very much for you quick and clear response! That’s the answer I hoped for so after reading your message I have directly ordered the Fitbit Versa 2 😁😁

[ssteinman2]

Does your phone need to be running the Fitbit app at all times to maintain GPS connection? I have location settings turned on to "Always" but it seems like I lose connection on my watch if my phone is not running. Concerned about phone data and would love my GPS on my versa to work without having to run my phone. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[MerlijnJanssen]

I don’t think that you phone has to be running all the time. When I go running or biking I start the exercise on my watch when I’m still home. Then I wait until it is connected (takes mostly 1 minute). After that I leave home, then I have no WiFi anymore and no 4G on, but does my phone track the activity, without WiFi-connection. So when your have your GPS location always on, you don’t have to be connected or keep the Fitbit app open.

I hope that answer your question 🙂

[ssteinman2]

It definitely helps but doesn't seem to be working. I went for a walk this afternoon and every time I closed out my fitbit app on my phone, my watch went back to "Connecting..." As soon as I opened the fit bit app again, it went back to "Connected" on my watch. 🤔