Can't run exercise app and Google Maps navigation at the same time.

[phatbitzr]

I was under the impression if I start navigation w/Google Maps on my phone and am riding at the same time, the navigation feature would work on my Sense 2.  But when I was in the midst of a ride with the bike app having started by "Bike Detect", then starting Google Maps for navigation.  I get the message on my Sense 2 saying something about if I start Google Maps, my exercise recording will be stopped.  I decided to skip using navigation on my watch and listened to the direction through my earbuds.

I was under the impression Google maps auto-start means it will also start recording my bike ride as an exercise (with GPS).

If auto-start Google maps is enabled when I start my ride, does SmartTrack also come into play and still record my exercise in the background (albeit without recording my GPS locations).

[LZeeW]

@phatbitzr   There is nothing in Fitbit's Help article about Google Maps turning on the Exercise app.  How do I use Google Maps on my Fitbit device?  Fitbit's Exercise app must run in the foreground, so there is no way to use Google Maps and your Exercise app at the same time.  If you want to use Google Maps on your Fitbit, you should deactivate Bike Detect in the settings in the Bike shortcut.  SmartTrack should track your ride.

[phatbitzr]

I guess all the variations of auto-start, especially when indicating for cycling and walking navigation, gets jumbled up with auto-start of recording of those activities, whether it is Bike Detect or SmartTrack.

So if auto-start of Google Maps navigation and I start riding the bike, will Bike Detect eventually start and try to force Google Maps to stop?  What about SmartTrack, would it somehow record by ride (w/o GPS)?

[Triletics · Accepted solution]

@phatbitzr Google Maps can't work together with any other app including exercise tracking. This is because when you start GM, it starts also tracking the exercise for you (Bike is one of options). The trade off is that you won't get GPS map from your ride. It's not the best implementation of navigation but probably better than nothing.