Huge Distance Discrepancy - APP ONLY

[hjbuell]

How do I fix the problem described below?

1) I am only using the FitBit app.

2) I do not use or have an external tracker.

3) I have no other fitness apps installed.

4) This is an issue I can replicate at will.

5) I have removed Apple HealthKit from FitBit, restarted, and added again, with no change from the problems outlined below. Later today I will try to Track Exercise with an exercise type other than ‘hiking’.

If if I use the ‘track exercise’ option with the FitBit app, the distance traveled appears to be added to the overall distance data imported to FitBit from Apple HealthKit.

Example (see screen shots):

On May 17, 2019, I hiked approximately 9km over two hikes.

Apple HealthKit:

12.6 km distance 

19,309 steps

FitBit:

20.81 km distance

18,159 steps

a) iPhone XR 64GB iOS 12.2

b) All updates to iOS and Fitbit App current as of 2019-05-19

c) FitBit app open the entire time (thus the stride related discrepancies in data between FitBit and Apple HealthKit)

[SunsetRunner]

You’ve done an excellent job of describing the situation, @hjbuell - Thank you. I do have a couple questions, though.

1. Within the Fitbit app, where did you find “Track Exercise?” Which screen is it on. I cannot find it.
2. Also, where in the Fitbit app are you seeing the distance - which you are comparing to Apple HealthKit?  

Your description of the situation confuses me because it is my understanding that in order to count steps, track weight, set goals, etc. ... you either need a Fitbit device or you need to use Mobile Track. Perhaps that is where the problem lies. It sounds like you are not using Mobile Track, which works with the Fitbit app. 

If you can please answer my questions, we can hopefully get to the bottom of this. 

[hjbuell]

Hello Carol,

I can’t seem to post screen shots from mobile, so will log into the web app and try there shortly.

When you open the FitBit app, the too section of the screen shows details, and under it you can add up to 5 widgets. One of these is ‘track exercise’ - which shows a blue stick figure running.

Thank you for the positive feedback and quick response. 

[hjbuell]

So, there is ironically no way to share a screenshot from the app on an iPhone XR, and there is no way to share a screenshot from my Mac in Safari. I posted a screen shot of that problem in another thread using my website as a host for the image. And now I will post the images below for you to see as concerns this issue. Thank you for your help with this.

I have not done any troubleshooting yet, but I believe if there is a way for me to disable the GPS data on my hike (which would defeat the purpose of the app for me), then I assume it would not add that data on top of the iPhone HealthKit data.

FitBit App Data Set:

FitBit Track Exercise Option (GPS Tracking):

iPhone HealthKit Data Set:

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you for the screen shot, @hjbuell ! That helped a lot. The track exercise button you see is meant to allow you to manually track specific exercises that may not be automatically recognized by a Fitbit device. It is not meant to track all activity. If you want to track all activity but do not want to purchase a Fitbit device, then you need to install Mobile Track, which is the only official way to use the Fitbit app without a Fitbit device. Mobile Track will sync with Fitbit, giving you a complete picture of your activity. 

Please check into Mobile Track. I think you’ll like it. 

[hjbuell]

Thanks Carol. I have been using Mobile Track since the beginning, as I don't have any tracker other than my iPhone. The problem is, I need a tracker which also allows me to track a hike or walk in terms of distance traveled, inclusive of a graphic. Otherwise there is zero reason for me to have a third party app as Apple or Google both have built in apps that work fine for simple step counting.

The track exercise I am using allows me to specifically use GPS to track a hike, pathing the hike, as you can see from my screen shots. I have run more tests, and checked more data. The FitBit app simply doesn't work for me, which leads me to believe a wearable would also not work.

I'm looking into other apps now, and will keep FitBit on my phone in the hopes this issue is addressed in a future update. It seems odd to me that a GPS based self mapping auto tracker would be lumped in with an after the fact exercise tracker. One is real time data and impossible to replicate after the fact due to GPS, and the other is a static entry.

Thank you for your help. I will check back in the future to see if FitBit addresses this, and focus on learning another app in the meantime.