I receive a poor GPS alert when using MobileRun

[gemmasherman88]

Hi,

I uset to always track my runs via the Fitbit app on my iPhone. Suddenly i started getting an warning message “poor gps alert - continue with tracking could result in irregular gps data for this activity”. I completed a 4K run and the app thinks I ran over 6k. 

I dont think the issue is my phone as I can track my runs properly on track my runs app. Can anyone help me with how I can resolve this?

thank you 😊

Moderator Edit: Clarified Subject.

[DustyAT2000]

Same!  It just started this week. 

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @gemmasherman88, thanks for joining the Fitbit Community, it's great to have you on board. It's nice to see you around @DustyAT2000, I hope you're doing well. 

I appreciate you have brought this to my attention. Tell me, have you updated the Fitbit app recently? Have you updated the OS on your phone recently as well? If so, I would like to suggest you to restart your phone, then try to use MobileRun and let me know if you're still seeing this message.

Thanks for your patience and understanding, if there's anything else I can do for you, please feel free to reply as well. 

Happy stepping! 

[gemmasherman88]

Hi Marco,

Ive updated both recently. I’ve restarted my phone and it still hasn’t fixed the problem at all?

thanks 

Gemma

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @gemmasherman88, I hope you're doing well, thanks for taking the time to reply. 

I appreciate you have come back after having tried the troubleshooting steps I've provided earlier. At this moment I would like to check the Fitbit app is allowed to run in the background on your phone before trying to start a new Activity through MobileRun:. To check this go to Settings > Fitbit and make sure Cellular Data and App Background Refresh are enabled. If they are, disable them, restart your phone and enable them back. 

I hope this can be helpful, give it a try and keep me posted in case you need anything else. 

[RescueDontShop]

I'm having the same problem.  It's totally frustrating.  I've had the problem for at least one month.  When starting the "Track Exercise" from my phone, 8 out of 10 times the tacker will incorrectly state how far I've run, it will also show some insanely crazy squiggle lines on the map of my run which will add distance that I did not actually run.  So in the end, it will distort my distance and calories.  It properly tracks minutes of exercise but that's it. I think it properly tracks steps but that's only because of my FitBit watch.  I have updated my OS, logged in and out of my phone, and 15 minuets ago tried turning of the cellular data as you suggested above.  The problem still exists and says "Poor GPS Alert - Continuing with tracking could result in irregular GPS data for this activity"  I'm assuming that is what is causing the incorrect tracking but I'm not at all sure.

[EazyCheeze1978]

---

@RescueDontShop wrote:

I'm having the same problem.  It's totally frustrating.  I've had the problem for at least one month.  When starting the "Track Exercise" from my phone, 8 out of 10 times the tacker will incorrectly state how far I've run, it will also show some insanely crazy squiggle lines on the map of my run which will add distance that I did not actually run.  So in the end, it will distort my distance and calories.  It properly tracks minutes of exercise but that's it. I think it properly tracks steps but that's only because of my FitBit watch.  I have updated my OS, logged in and out of my phone, and 15 minuets ago tried turning of the cellular data as you suggested above.  The problem still exists and says "Poor GPS Alert - Continuing with tracking could result in irregular GPS data for this activity"  I'm assuming that is what is causing the incorrect tracking but I'm not at all sure.

---

Have to say that I am experiencing this issue as well on iPhone 7 Plus, but I just turned on Google Maps and it was not able to find precisely where I am in the ~10 seconds I had it open, so it may actually be an issue with iOS 11.4's GPS acquisition, which is the latest version of the OS.

Note this actually seem to solve itself (though only sometimes), if I walk 200 or so feet from my house and then select to begin the exercise log (the screen before the real-time updated data, the map screen and GPS connectivity indicator). But that's 200 feet I would like to have logged, soooo...

I'm led to believe this is not FitBit's doing, so perhaps we should wait for yet another update from Apple on this.

BTW, long time FitBit app user, first time forum poster; check out my short biography! I LOVE FITBIT! Wish I could log exercise reliably like I used to be able to (about the time frame you have said). But it still does log steps and distance accurately (and thus burned calories as a result) without exercise logging, so there's that.

Take care, FitBitters!

[JustAGirlyGeek]

I’m having the same issues and it started just this week. It worked without issues for about a week and about 2-3 days ago the GPS issue started and my walk distances are WAY off. I have an iPhone 6s with the latest iOS. Very frustrating. I’ve reset network settings, uninstalled/reinstalled the app and nothing is working.

[RescueDontShop]

I have the iPhone 6s+.  I ran today about 2.25 miles but my phone app counted it as 3.48 miles. So of course it must have registered too many calories burned.  I'm so frustrated.  I no longer get any accurate reads unless I just hit the run button on my watch but by doing that, I can't map the run.  So lame!

Realized my steps are totally overblown as well.  

Moderator edit: Merged replies

[FerdinandFitbit]

Hi everyone!  Good to see you on this thread! 🙂

I wanted to jump in and provide some help. I read what @EazyCheeze1978 mentioned and based on this, it could be that this is a problem with the latest update on the OS directly and not specifically Fitbit. For instance... have you tried the same of opening Google maps or any other Fitness app that tracks distance with GPS for example and see if you're able to replicate the problem or have you made sure this is only happening with the Fitbit app?

I'd appreciate if you guys could check that and let me know how it goes!

[gemmasherman88]

I have moved to using map my run instead and the GpS works just fine. Think it is the Fitbit app!

[EazyCheeze1978]

---

@FerdinandFitbit wrote:

Hi everyone!  Good to see you on this thread! 🙂

I wanted to jump in and provide some help. I read what @EazyCheeze1978 mentioned and based on this, it could be that this is a problem with the latest update on the OS directly and not specifically Fitbit. For instance... have you tried the same of opening Google maps or any other Fitness app that tracks distance with GPS for example and see if you're able to replicate the problem or have you made sure this is only happening with the Fitbit app?

I'd appreciate if you guys could check that and let me know how it goes!

---

Over the past few days, I've tried opening the Exercise portion with the Map about a minute or so before I'm set to begin my walk, and that (or maybe a minute and a half) usually is enough time for the GPS to fully acquire, even if I lock the phone again when it's on this screen. It should be faster, technically (it took up to five seconds before... I'm guessing the latest iOS update), but I have no complaints about having to "prime" my phone for the walk unless there's a severe battery drain from the extra GPS usage, and there doesn't seem to be.

I'll check out how Google Maps works and if there is that delay, soon, but it seems that this would be a likely workaround for now, just put on the Exercise Map a little early before you're in position to start, and full GPS bars should be acquired within about a minute.

BTW Thank you Ferdinand! Good to see you. As I have said before, I love the FitBit app for everything it does! Take care, all!

[MikeyMcCo]

I've noticed this too. I found that if I first open Apple Maps and then open the Fitbit app then I get good GPS in the Fitbit app.

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello everyone, I hope you're doing well!  

I appreciate you have taken the time to share your experience. If you have already restarted your phone and opening Google or Apple Maps before opening the Fitbit app and MobileRun and you're still getting a "Poor GPS" alert, please reply to me with the following information so I can check this further:

• iPhone model you're currently using. 
• OS version running on your phone
• App version currently installed on your phone. 

Thanks for all your patience and understanding, if there's anything else I can do for you, please feel free to reply. 

[KBKeech]

I have been experiencing the same problem since July 4.

The specs for my phone and Fitbit app:

iPhone 6S

IOS 11.4

Fitbit Versa Version 32.10.15

Thank you!

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @KBKeech, I appreciate you have replied to me with the information required, it's a pleasure for me to welcome you to the Fitbit Community!

Tell me, have you tried to restart your phone and then started a new MobileRun activity? Have you also tried to open a GPS based app like Google Maps before opening the Fitbit app? If so, I would like to ask you to try the following:

• Go to your phone Settings > Fitbit and check that Location is set to Always or When using the app.
• If it is set to one of those, tap on it and select "Never"
• Restart your phone
• Go back to Settings > Fitbit and change "Location" to Alwyas or When using the app.
• Open the app and try to start a new MobileRun exercise.

I hope this can be helpful, give it a try and keep me posted in case you need anything else. 

[KBKeech]

Thank you MarcoG.  In addition to your suggestions, I reset my network settings.  The MobileRun is working better, but I find that logging exercise directly via the Fitbit Versa watch is more accurate.

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @KBKeech, I hope you're doing well, thanks for taking the time to reply. 

I appreciate you have taken the time to let me know MobileRun is working so much better. I understand logging the exercise through the Versa is easier and more accurate and I'll make sure to report this to our team. 

If there's anything else you might want to add or if there's anything else I can do for you, please feel free to reply, I'll be happy to help. 

[RescueDontShop]

All of the suggestions made to fix the problem do not solve it.  I have stopped using the "Track Exercise" option all together on my phone and only use my watch to track now.  This seems to help with accuracy but I have to say, it's totally bothersome that the phone app is inaccurate.

The specs for my phone and Fitbit app:

iPhone 6S+

IOS 11.4.1

Charge 2

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @RescueDontShop, I hope you're doing well, thanks for taking the time to reply. 

I appreciate you have voiced your opinion about this situation and I'm glad to hear your watch has been accurately tracking your exercise. I'll make sure to forward your information and once I have more information to share with you about this situation I'll make sure to update this thread to let you know. 

Thanks for your patience and understanding, if there's anything else you might want to add, please feel free to reply.