Issue with GPS Tracking on Fitbit iOS App

[user456w]

I wanted to bring up an issue I've been experiencing with the Fitbit iOS app recently, and I'm hoping someone here might have some insight or solutions.

It seems that the app is not marking all GPS points accurately during my activities, and at times, it's even skipping waypoints altogether (drawing lines over none pathways etc). This has made it impossible for me to trace and record my data accurately, which is incredibly frustrating as I rely on this information to track my progress and performance. mi pretty stable in my routes so I know what the data output should be.

I'm not sure if this is a widespread issue or if it's just affecting a few users like myself, but if anyone else has encountered similar problems or has any suggestions on how to fix it, I would greatly appreciate your input.

I've tried restarting my phone and reinstalling the app, disable/enable the location permission but unfortunately, the issue persists. If there are any troubleshooting steps I haven't tried yet, please let me know.

[BWM57]

Maybe they should create a “Working on” category so it doesn’t appear that the question has been solved. 

[nidlena]

I approached help desk people and they told me delete/reinstall/readd Fitbit. It started tracking a little better but not at the level that was before. I used Strava and Fitbit at the same time for my routine 4 mile walk and the difference was 1.2 miles between two applications. I am researching other options/trackers at this moment.

[pmcraig67]

Mine has been doing the same thing. Some walks I have no issue but others are not tracking my pace or map properly and it’s so frustrating 

[stuhuck]

Just an FYI: In addition to Fitbit, I have Samsung Health to track my
exercise. After entering "walk" or "bike", it tracks my progress and shows
it on a GPS map, as well as total miles, time, speed, elevation, splits,
calories burned, max speed, pace, ascent, descent, total elevation gain and
weather.
So all that works on an app on my iPhone.

[pmcraig67]

I’m more concerned about why the gps on the Fitbit app isn’t tracking my walks and maps. I also use another app but Fitbit was always so reliable and accurate 

[JeanmarieCenten]

Is this ever going to get fixed??? I’m researching other activity apps because this one is no longer meeting my needs. GPS tracking is not doing the job anymore!!

[RBennie]

I’m doing the same. This has been going on for a long while now and I feel like Fitbit is not feeling any urgency to resolve the issue. It’s a shame. I really love my Fitbit.
Sent from my iPhone

[mhouse]

It seems like the 'bug fix' updates (most recently V4.15 updated 4/16) continue to degrade the app experience and fail to resolve actual issues.  I've been using the GPS on my Sense but it isn't very reliable - smokes the battery, and consistently records less distance than AllTrails when I'm hiking.

I've been using Fitbit forever and hate to start over with another wearable but it may be time to move on.

[MadtownMike]

Same problem here. Tech support indicated that map capability was now limited as things transition to google but I could not get specifics. If not resolved in next few days I will unfortunately soon be a former Fitbit user. 

[nidlena]

Same with me. I hoped this issue was resolved with the current update. It tracks a little bit better but my phone has to be always up. Comparing to Strava for the same distance Fitbit shows about 15 percent less mileage. Considering garmin or even Apple Watch would be better alternative 

[stuhuck]

New issue.
Fitbit changed the way sleep tracking looks. In doing so, they changed the
graphics for sleep stages. While tracking the time in each stage is still
there, the benchmark - "the typical range for people like you" is missing.
There is a little icon showing what the benchmark should be, but the
information is not there.

As for the GPS tracking, I am getting a GPS map that accurately shows my
walks and bike trips, but the time and distance are laughably off. My time
shows 2 hours. My speed shows 2.5 mph. My distance shows 2.9 miles.
Again the Samsung Health app on my iPhone tracks everything accurately.

[Orange1983]

Hi @JuanFitbit are you able to provide an update on this issue? See attached - Two screen shots of the same run in last few days. Both showing different distances, not tracking routes (showing as running over roundabouts and through houses). It’s been over a month now and getting so frustrating I think I will switch over to Garmin or Apple. 

Chris

 

[Orange1983]

Also both show as walks even though run option was selected 😩

[mikey_pdx]

@JuanFitbit you all ought to consider a different flag for issues that are being investigated, then. "Working on it" isn't really "answered" in the way most folks would expect (that being a resolution). "We're aware" or "Working on it" aren't answers that deserve to be marked with a green check. 

[sil74]

Exactly, it's just like saying we'll reply ASAP 🙂 Not an answer. And for whomever is working in customer care a sentence that shall be avoided 🙂
The GPS of our iPhones is not communicating properly with the APP, shall we buy and Apple watch because of *conflicts* of interest between Google and Apple or we can expect a solution in a few days?

I'm upset that they are not hurrying up to fix this bug. For an APP focused on motivating people to improve themselves getting approximately distances is the worst. I do a 7 km circuit often, last week the APP was signaling 4.8km due this problem. Because the clock is still working the average pace went banana.

@JuanFitbit can we have a clear answer about the timing of this bug fixing?

[BWM57]

I too walk through buildings and over water!!

 

[Runrepeatrepeat]

Hello @JuanFitbit 

any updates on this? The GPS issue together with the much documented IOS crashes when accessing the exercise tile makes my brand new Charge 6 pretty much useless. I cant use it without phone (because of the inexact/non-locking GPS) and cannot use it WITH phone (because then I cant access the training session in the app without it freezing).

I really thinks this warrants more than a “we are working on it” response. In essence your product and service is not working.

[GeorgeScott]

I'm getting decent tracking by starting a walk on both my iPhone and my Charge 5 at the same time, GPS set to Dynamic.  It's not 100% reliable; I'd say 60 to 70 percent so far, but when it tracks it appears normal.  Several times when I only started the walk from my phone, proper tracking kicked in after I started a walk from my watch, so now I just start them both at the same time.  At least once this caused two separate exercises to be logged (you can delete one), but most of the time it resolves to a single exercise.

It's been far too long for this nonsense to have gone on, though.  I've bought a Charge every couple of years; I won't be buying another one if this goes on for much longer. 

[barbeegee]

I ditched the Fitbit. I’ve been a Fitbit user since 2013. I’m wearing an
Apple Watch now, which I didn’t want to do.
Tech support told me I was walking slower. What does speed have to do with
distance ? I told them I don’t know what universe they are using for
distance but on Earth a mile is still 5,280 feet.

[KAustad]

When can we expect this issue to be resolved? This GPS issue along with the new sleep chart are 2 of my largest issues. Why did you mess with a good thing? Bring back the old sleep chart and the GPS…leave it to Google to mess up a good thing !