Why do the Fitbit Inspire HR, iOS app and the Mac app not agree after exercising?

[flashman]

Just started using a Fitbit Inspire HR along with the iOS app and the Mac program.  If I start my Inspire HR and the iOS app at virtually the same time before exercising, when I am done (in this case, walking), the results are different from the Inspire to the iOS app.  Then, after opening the Fitbit program on my computer, the results seem to start off as one thing, then change to another in the log.

The Inspire HR can differ from the iOS app by over 100 steps on a 1200 step walk.  Taking the same route repeatedly (on a sidewalk, so there is no real deviation in distance) has yielded a difference in distance of up to almost a tenth of a mile over a .5 mile walk.  These results are too far apart to be considered reliable.

Why do the numbers change after completing a walk?  Why are the results of the same walk so different on the Inspire and the iOS app?  What is going on, and why?  I would appreciate some explanation of this situation.  

[thenameless1 · Accepted solution]

I use a fitbit blaze, but i imagine there has to be some overlap with the inspire.

I'm not exactly sure why you are starting the exercise on both the tracker and on the phone.  Do you have mobile track enabled on your phone because that might be part of the issue.  On the blaze i can start the exercise from either the phone or the app and it will connect to the tracker or phone depending on where its started.

If mobile track is turned on AND you're using your tracker at the same time fitbit thinks you are using 2 trackers at once and will try and merge data from both "trackers" to give you the complete dataset.  One device is giving priority and i would think it would be the inspire since its also tracking your hear rate.  However if for some reason the inspire isn't registering steps it will pull in data from the phone  and kind of fill in the blanks which is why that end result could be different from both the phone and app.  Eventually it will all sync up after a few minutes.

Why you are seeing different step counts would depend on how you are walking with your phone. Unless you are just holding in the same hand as the tracker, where it's following the same arm movement pattern, different step counts are to be expected.

1. Do you text/talk on the phone/browse the internet while walking?  If so your phone isn't really isn't following that same wrist movement as your tracker. You are either holding the phone to your ear or trying to keep it steady/level when you are texting.  Similar issues arise when you are pushing a shopping cart/stroller as the arm really isn't swinging back and forth.

2 Similar issue if you keep your phone in one of those armbands when walking.

3. The further you walk the more pronounced the trend is going to be.

4 Do you wear the fitbit on your dominant hand or non dominant hand?  Have you adjusted the setting in the app to reflect the accurate hand? Doing so adjust the sensitivity of the tracker so that you hopefully aren't getting credit for false steps throughout the course of the day for things like brushing your teeth and eating.

I'm not exactly sure of how the priority is assigned and I imagine that its a lot more involved than I explained since there are settings in the app to adjust stride length and when connected to the phone  you have the gps so i'm sure that distance actually walked is factored in as well.

I hope this helps  Good Luck!

[SunsetRunner]

Hello and welcome @flashman and @thenameless1 

Your response was well written and fully explained @thenameless1 . 😉 

@flashman I hope the explanation given provides you with the answer you were seeking. If you feel the explanation did indeed answer your question please consider tapping “choose as best answer” under @thenameless1’s post. It really helps others who come to this community looking for answers to questions similar to your own.

I hope you both have a wonderful Thanksgiving. 😃

[LZeeW]

Hello @flashman and welcome to the forums.  I want to start by clarifying a few terms.  If you are starting a walk in the app by tapping on your exercise tile > tapping on the stopwatch > set the toggle to track, you are using a feature Fitbit calls MobileRun.  The feature where you use your phone to track your steps is MobileTrack.  In order to use MobileTrack, you have to go through steps to set up your phone as a device and, from what you say, you didn't do that.

MobileRun is Fitbit's first feature that does GPS tracking.  Its main use is with trackers that don't have a GPS connected Exercise app.  When you start an exercise on your Inspire HR and your phone app, you are using competing and, sometimes, conflicting software.  By what you said, you seem to be getting a mish-mash of data.  Many users who do what you are doing get duplicate logs.

Use one or the other.  Don't use both at the same time.  The software doesn't work well that way.

[flashman]

Thanks to thenameless1, MegaBite & LZeeW for your responses.  There are possibilities throughout, but I have decided to do the same route a few times with the Fitbit and with the iPhone separately, then compare the results.  I believe the two devices should not be used at the same time because I got ridiculous results today while using them together.  The results will be compared to see if the same device has unrealistic variations and if there is a difference between the results of both devices.

Thanks for the assistance.  I am more knowledgable because of your responses.