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Why is Samsung Health mobile app so completely inaccurate?

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  • 05-06-2017 1:13am
    #1
    S.L.F.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 282 ✭✭


    I have Samsung Health app on my mobile and I always get a completely different reading on it compared to Map My Run app.

    How can a super established manufacturer like Samsung distribute such an inaccurate app?

    Or am I missing something, should I be calibrating it or something?

    I tried looking up info about it and yes there are forums that discuss its inaccuracy but I didn't find any solution to it.

    I supposed I could try reinstalling it or upgrading it.

    I'm still using the S6 model.

    Anyone know anything about it?

    It seems like such a useful little app as it records all of your steps etc even when not running and you can monitor your heart rate etc.


Comments

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    #2
    ger664
    Registered Users Posts: 2,400 ✭✭✭ger664


    Its a phone not a running watch


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    #3
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    What does the watch have that phone doesn't in terms of sensors?


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    #4
    ger664
    Registered Users Posts: 2,400 ✭✭✭ger664


    GPS accuracy


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    #5
    S.L.F.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 282 ✭✭S.L.F.


    ger664 wrote: »
    Its a phone not a running watch

    Funny enough the mapmyrun app is accurate so that blows your theory out the window.


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    #6
    ger664
    Registered Users Posts: 2,400 ✭✭✭ger664


    S.L.F. wrote: »
    Funny enough the mapmyrun app is accurate so that blows your theory out the window.

    then use that


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    #7
    28064212
    Registered Users Posts: 10,502 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    With MapMyRun, you turn on the app and say "Start tracking now". The app tells the phone to start reporting the GPS position every second, and stores it all. Samsung Health is "always-on". If it tracked as accurately as MapMyRun, it would eat through your battery in about 2 hours. It's not meant to be used as an accurate run-tracker, it's a best-guess approximation

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    #8
    ArtieFufkin
    Registered Users Posts: 178 ✭✭ArtieFufkin


    28064212 wrote: »
    With MapMyRun, you turn on the app and say "Start tracking now". The app tells the phone to start reporting the GPS position every second, and stores it all. Samsung Health is "always-on". If it tracked as accurately as MapMyRun, it would eat through your battery in about 2 hours. It's not meant to be used as an accurate run-tracker, it's a best-guess approximation

    Sounds like the Samsung app doesn't use GPS then and probably gets its info from wifi networks and phone cell data. That would explain the inaccuracy.


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    #9
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Apparently in the GPS in phones isn't as accurate as true GPS fitness watch. As was stated earlier. The one in phones is compromised to make it smaller.


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    #10
    28064212
    Registered Users Posts: 10,502 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    ArtieFufkin wrote: »
    Sounds like the Samsung app doesn't use GPS then and probably gets its info from wifi networks and phone cell data. That would explain the inaccuracy.
    More likely that it uses a combination of a number of sources, including WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and the internal accelerometer, but the readings are taken at much more infrequent intervals.
    beauf wrote: »
    Apparently in the GPS in phones isn't as accurate as true GPS fitness watch. As was stated earlier. The one in phones is compromised to make it smaller.
    Watches being noted for their massive size? GPS chips ain't that big, and the accurate ones aren't bigger than the inaccurate ones. Cost is by far the biggest factor. Fellrnr.com rates quite a few smartphone GPS systems ahead of GPS watches

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    #11
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Some watches are more expensive than the phones

    I know some phones are better than others with GPS. Must be the same with watches. No black and white answer it seems.


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