Analysis of Apple Watch running data
applewatchrunner.substack.com
Analysis of Apple Watch running data
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Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#2>Because the watch performed better on earlier versions of watchOS, and even my iPhone 4S was better at tracking, I think the issue is software.
>The measurement errors are so bad, that they overshadow performance differences between runs, and during runs. At the same time Apple keeps adding more and more incorrect stats and graphs, building on top of a shaky foundation. The kilometer splits measured in seconds imply more accuracy than is delivered.
This.
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#3This sounds like it could all be due to a GPS issue.
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#4I've clocked thousands of ~20km runs across all Watch generations and have never seen a significant discrepancy when measured against something like Google Maps. Urban area without skyscrapers or the like.
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#5I’m part of a running group with a mix of Garmin and Apple Watches and the Apple Watches always have pretty different distant readings according to Strava, maybe 2%-5%. The Garmin devices are generally much closer together.
I wonder if the dual-band GPS on the Apple Watch Ultra is an attempt to fix these problems? I would guess that it’s software, with the author, if for no other reason than I’d be surprised if Garmin were all that much better at putting GPS in a tiny housing than Apple.
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#6I’m part of a running group with a mix of Garmin and Apple Watches and the Apple Watches always have pretty different distant readings according to Strava, maybe 2%-5%. The Garmin devices are generally much closer together. I wonder if the dual-band GPS on the Apple Watch Ultra is an attempt to fix these problems? I would guess that it’s software, with the author, if for no other reason than I’d be surprised if Garmi…
> I would guess that it’s software, with the author, if for no other reason than I’d be surprised if Garmin were all that much better at putting GPS in a tiny housing than Apple.
After "you're holding it wrong", anything seems possible. But yeah that does seem more likely to be software, it's a surprisingly difficult and fuzzily-defined problem.
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#7I’m part of a running group with a mix of Garmin and Apple Watches and the Apple Watches always have pretty different distant readings according to Strava, maybe 2%-5%. The Garmin devices are generally much closer together. I wonder if the dual-band GPS on the Apple Watch Ultra is an attempt to fix these problems? I would guess that it’s software, with the author, if for no other reason than I’d be surprised if Garmi…
Dual band GPS on my Garmin is certainly amazing. It is mind blowing seeing accuracy down to which side of the street I was on during a run.
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#8Only way to get accurate real time data when running is to use a good foot pod like Stryd. GPS just isn't as accurate as people think, no matter if you use Apple Watch or Garmin.
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#9I’m part of a running group with a mix of Garmin and Apple Watches and the Apple Watches always have pretty different distant readings according to Strava, maybe 2%-5%. The Garmin devices are generally much closer together. I wonder if the dual-band GPS on the Apple Watch Ultra is an attempt to fix these problems? I would guess that it’s software, with the author, if for no other reason than I’d be surprised if Garmi…
> I’d be surprised if Garmin were all that much better at putting GPS in a tiny housing than Apple.
Given Garmin’s long, long history as a manufacturer of (often very small) GPS devices, I personally wouldn’t be.
(I also know for a fact they do mapping better. This summer I was in the South of Italy and only Garmin accurately distinguished between small public roads and long private driveways while both Google and Apple royally messed this up.)
Re: Analysis of Apple Watch running data
#10I’m part of a running group with a mix of Garmin and Apple Watches and the Apple Watches always have pretty different distant readings according to Strava, maybe 2%-5%. The Garmin devices are generally much closer together. I wonder if the dual-band GPS on the Apple Watch Ultra is an attempt to fix these problems? I would guess that it’s software, with the author, if for no other reason than I’d be surprised if Garmi…
> I would guess that it’s software, with the author, if for no other reason than I’d be surprised if Garmin were all that much better at putting GPS in a tiny housing than Apple. After "you're holding it wrong", anything seems possible. But yeah that does seem more likely to be software, it's a surprisingly difficult and fuzzily-defined problem.
My Apple Watch seems to get things wrong differently depending on the shape of my route. I often train on a track that I exactly know the lap distance for, and if I do a 10 mile run the watch will usually tell me that I’ve run about 9.5 miles. Which I kinda presume is due to the location sampling rate cutting distance off the oval shaped track. But every marathon I’ve run with the watch, it puts the full distance about .5 to .25 miles before the finish line.