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MobileTrack on iOS - Losing steps

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‎05-31-2016 06:22 - edited ‎05-31-2016 06:23

‎05-31-2016 06:22 - edited ‎05-31-2016 06:23

My first post in this forum !! Man Happy

 

I got PebbleTime after losing Fitbit and still hooked up with the fitbit dashboard and hoping to not lose my friends in Fitbit, I started using MobileTrack.

 

Since there is no direct sync option between Pebble Time and Fitbit, I stated using MobileTrack and see around 10% of difference in steps. Though my Apple Health shows 13000 steps, Fitbit apps shows 11600 steps. This is from the first day I started using MobileTrack.

 

Was MobileTrack designed to penalize 10% of steps for not using Fitbit device ?

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‎05-31-2016 08:15 - edited ‎05-31-2016 08:16

‎05-31-2016 08:15 - edited ‎05-31-2016 08:16

@dotnetsoul wrote:

My first post in this forum !! Man Happy

 ... 

Was MobileTrack designed to penalize 10% of steps for not using Fitbit device ?

Can't say for sure, but I doubt it.  MobileTrack is a free feature designed to give basic functionality for when you don't have your fitbit with you, or to encourage you to buy a fitbit to get additional features such as heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking (and of course to count steps while your phone is charging).

 

Just guessing, but I think that Apple Health and MobileTrack both START with the steps your iPhone's motion sensor records.  And that is probably where it ends for MobileTrack.  Apple Health, on the other hand, is probably linked with other third party exercise apps on your phone as well as with your new Pebble watch. The steps recorded on your Pebble, or perhaps other exercise apps you may have if they record steps for runs or whatever, may override steps Apple Health would report based only on the motion sensor.  

Scott | Baltimore MD

Charge 6; Inspire 3; Luxe; iPhone 13 Pro

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‎05-31-2016 12:56 - edited ‎05-31-2016 12:57

In response to Baltoscott

‎05-31-2016 12:56 - edited ‎05-31-2016 12:57

Thanks for the quick response, Baltoscott.

 

I understand MobileTrack is free feature and I'm depending on it to get only step count to match with friends.

 

MobileTrack syncs with Apple Health as I don't carry my iPhone with me all day. Regardless, the step count on MobileTrack when synced with Apple Health reduces almost 10% which makes me think that there is some algorithm on fitbit side to reduce the stepcount and buy a fitbit or some logical reason which makes it reduce by 10%.

 

Either way, it's frustrating everyday to see the step count missing. 

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‎05-31-2016 19:33

In response to dotnetsoul

‎05-31-2016 19:33

MobileTrack only counts the steps your phone records, so if you don't have the phone in your pocket you will miss those steps. It does not pull steps from the Apple Health app; it doesn't sync with the health app at all, (though there is a feature request for that). Here is an overview of how it works.

 

Apple's Health app, on the other hand, gets steps from your phone when you are carrying it, but it also integrates steps from other devices that you've linked to it (such as your Pebble watch).  I'm guessing that is why the Health app shows more steps than MobileTrack.

Scott | Baltimore MD

Charge 6; Inspire 3; Luxe; iPhone 13 Pro

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‎06-01-2016 06:07

In response to Baltoscott

‎06-01-2016 06:07

I'm more confused now as I don't keep my phone in my pocket most part of the day. It still shows only 10% less than the Health App. Even if I ignore Health App, I'm surprised how so many steps are recorded on MobileTrack.

 

Anyway, I now know it's just the steps from phone. I would love to have Apple Health integration with Mobiletrack.

 

Thanks Baltoscott.

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‎11-30-2016 08:48

In response to Baltoscott

‎11-30-2016 08:48

 

I just found out about MobileTrack and am having the same issue as the other guy originally posted. What you have said makes sense and was going to go along with that...but I went for a run this morning...I did not bring my Surge but I had my Apple Watch. I ran on a Treadmill and put my phone on the dashboard of the Treadmill so it was not recording my steps. My Apple Watch did count my steps...but what's weird is the phone under health app shows 7,236 steps and the MobileTrack shows 6,121.

 

So not really sure where the  MobileTrack is getting the step count. 

@Baltoscott wrote:

MobileTrack only counts the steps your phone records, so if you don't have the phone in your pocket you will miss those steps. It does not pull steps from the Apple Health app; it doesn't sync with the health app at all, (though there is a feature request for that). Here is an overview of how it works.

 

Apple's Health app, on the other hand, gets steps from your phone when you are carrying it, but it also integrates steps from other devices that you've linked to it (such as your Pebble watch).  I'm guessing that is why the Health app shows more steps than MobileTrack.

@Baltoscott wrote:

MobileTrack only counts the steps your phone records, so if you don't have the phone in your pocket you will miss those steps. It does not pull steps from the Apple Health app; it doesn't sync with the health app at all, (though there is a feature request for that). Here is an overview of how it works.

 

Apple's Health app, on the other hand, gets steps from your phone when you are carrying it, but it also integrates steps from other devices that you've linked to it (such as your Pebble watch).  I'm guessing that is why the Health app shows more steps than MobileTrack.



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