Connected GPS Run Inaccurate Distance (Screenshots)

[mynameisnick4]

I have done two runs with the Versa so far using the connected GPS to my phone and both runs have been extremely inaccurate. The first run was a 4 mile run, fitbit had it as a 3. The second run was another 4 mile run and at the half way point it had it at 1.4 miles instead of two.

I am coming from a Blaze and while it didn't match Google Fit 100% (normally off by .1 of a mile or so) it was never off by this much. Here are screenshots below showing it:

Completed run in Google Fit:

Complete run with Versa connected GPS:

The same run but with the Blaze and connected GPS:

And here today different location at the two mile mark in Google fit:

Versa connected GPS:

This is completely unacceptable. If this can't be permanently resolved (and I DO NOT considered constantly rebooting the device/my phone, pairing re-paring, etc a fix) then it will be going back. Add this to it deciding to give me an extra 3k steps while I was sitting on my computer doing nothing last night I am not that happy so far.

EDIT: Just noticed on today's run that the GPS line doesn't start until half way down the run but it was tracking from the start. Where it has the first mile marked isn't even a mile from the point the line starts. Just add it to the list I guess.

[Ian7]

Thanks for your input.  I just downloaded the Fitbit app yesterday so it should be the latest version.  I’ll try try that same route tomorrow and see what happens I guess.  

Its funny, there are so many differing experiences with this thing.  For example, I find the heart rate monitor extremely accurate yet some folks say it’s terrible.  But if I can find any consensus it’s gotta be the problems with distance accuracy.  

[Ian7]

I FIGURED IT OUT - at least for my Fitbit Versa. 

Short answer:  I had to connect with the Fitbit APP before starting the bike route.  Worked perfectly.  

Long answer:  I started my bike route again, starting up mapmyride  and the Versa “bike workout” as I left.  Kept checking the Versa and it was always saying “connecting” and not starting the distance tracking.  Frustrated, I checked the phone Bluetooth and said the Versa was connected.  This went on for about 4 miles until I tried starting the Fitbit app on the iPhone.  Boom, everything “connected”, even though it was already connected to by phone supposedly.  

Sorry if if this is obvious info for anyone out there.  I’m a noob, having just got the Versa a day ago.  Anyway, when I got home I tested it again with a quick 2 mile bike ride.  This time I set up the workout on the Versa while also starting the Fitbit app right away.  Worked like a charm, and the data lined up with mapmyride very nicely.  Only one tenth of a mile different on a two mile route.  

[pixbuf]

In principle, you shouldn't have to start the Fitbit app manually. But if it says "connecting..." for a long time, it may mean you need to restart the Versa (hold down bottom and back button until the Fitbit logo appears) and/or restart your phone. Actually, I hate it that you have to do this, but sometimes it's necessary.

[PRT940]

I've used connected GPS to track my bike rides 4 times -- 3 times while playing music via Bluetooth earbuds, and once with no music.  The only time the Versa got the distance/route completely correct was when I was not playing music.  My phone is a 2017 Moto Z2 Play with 6GB of RAM, so it should be able to handle GPS/Bluetooth at the same time. 

[Ian7]

Okay, first issue resolved.  Now I’m noticing that the Versa is giving me credit for tons of steps while I am doing a bike exercise.  I believe it’s double crediting me for exercise.  So the steps and calories burned are not accurate?  

[Runnerforlife]

Wish at this point I had sent mine back. Ordered through best buy. Have
tried all the recommended fixs and nothing has worked. Very frustrated.

[Courtenay_06]

I also bought mine through Best Buy, not realizing they only have a 15 day
return policy. I ended up selling my Versa and upgrading to a Garmin
Vivoactive 3, which I adore. You could always try to sell it. 😕 It's not
ideal, I know.

[Ian7]

I’ve actually become quite attached to my Versa.  Once I restarted the watch everything runs smoothly.  I can live with it counting my bike ride as steps, since it doesn’t calculate calories from that anyway.  I really like this thing.  Best gift my wife ever got me  : )

[mikecyprus]

Hi guys. If you have any power saving modes on  your phones for location try to disable it and then try again. Also try disable Qualcomm Izat on your location settings if you have this and see if you have better luck. 

[Runnerforlife]

Thank you. At this point I will try anything.

[AndyCyclist]

Well, after a couple of months, I decided to give recording from the watch another try. I got hopeful when the first two 9 mile, 45-minute rides looked really good. But, my next ride, at 21 miles and 1:40, had a single major "jump.

The dropout occurred about 14.5 miles / 1:10 into the ride, and missed about a mile of distance. It actually appears to pick up when I stopped at my friend's house and paused the ride on the Versa, then resumed it.

Back to recording only from the Strava app on my phone. It sure would be nice if I could get the advantage of the heart rate monitor and tracker I paid for.

[frostybecks]

Hi 

I’m still having a problem with versa inaccurate distance and pace. I follow all the instructions I ran using map my run and connected Versa today and it was 0.5km short on my map my run, it uses the same phone and gps. It’s crap! 

[NIGP]

Just happened me this week.

A walk I do regularly and it is 7.9 kilometres. My Versa has always recorded it as such until this week when it decided it was 5k.

Looking at the map there are no gaps, the route is correct but it is measuring each kilometre as 620 metres and is doing so consistently. 

I don't see how this could be related to trying to connect to WiFi or GPS. It seems much more like a software problem about misinterpreting the GPS data surely?

Frustrating and annoying?

Any signs of an actual explanation and fix from Fitbit?

[danwms]

This thread has been going months with no comments from the moderators. 

[Mangogh]

Same thing happening to me at every run, last time yesterday: a 10km walk/run has been recorded as only 6.7km by Fitbit!

I opened the Fitbit app on my phone, started the workout from the Versa and waited for GPS to connect before beginning my run. After a couple of minutes I checked my phone and it was showing a notification saying something like "shared GPS is running", and it has been this way all the time, but the Versa was  "Connecting" again and it only managed to reconnect two more times in more than one hour of workout!

I thought this wouldn't be a problem since the GPS data was being collected from the phone, but I was wrong, I didn't know that whenever the Versa is on "Connecting" it counts distance based on step count only.

I even stopped several times during the run and opened the Fitbit app to try to manually sync phone and watch, but it just kept "Syncing" and never went through.

Now I understand Fitbit is terribly slow at fixing problems, they apparently don't care about integrating with third-party apps which actually work, and whenever they find the time to reply on the forums it's always a copy-paste answer of no use; so the only "fix" we might get is probably to find a workaround.

Is there any way to use the Versa to only track heart rate, time and calories while another app tracks the GPS route and later imports the rest of the data from Fitbit?

I tried Strava but if the workout is started from Strava it won't have any HR data, and if it's started from Fitbit, the distance will be completely off. I would like to find a way to get partial data from both and put it together. Does anybody know how?

[danwms]

I have suffered with this issue for a few weeks now and I don't want to speak too soon but I think I may have resolved it. 

Im going to do a couple of more checks as I dont want to raise peoples hopes and it turns out to not be the case. 

It looks like it is an issue with fitbit but there may be a workaround. 

[Mangogh]

It would be great if you found a workaround.

I will be looking forward to any updates you might have!

[Mangogh]

I can't find your last post which included the link to your solution anymore. Anyways I applied it and went out for several workouts and GPS never lost connection. 

Viewing the route on Google maps it does not match the road but always goes next to it. The resulting distance is correct though, and that's what I needed!

Thank you @danwms!

[SunsetRunner]

Same issue and it's really pissing me off.. I should've gone for the garmin instead... The whole point of having a tracker is to have accurate distance reports... Is there any word on how fitbit plans to fix this as it is seriously unacceptable 

[geejaytee]

One possible workaround is to start/stop the exercise in the Fitbit app itself (after disabling "Run detect" on the Versa). I tried this today, and the GPS trace returned is smooth and the heart-rate and calories for the exercise have been slotted in correctly using data from the Versa.

It doesn't track HR and cals whilst running/exercising, but I use a watch face that can report HR and has a stopwatch on its main page so I can get a rough idea.

This also allowed me to run audio through Bluetooth without any loss of GPS tracking.