GPS Accuracy issues

[arunma]

How are people's experiences with the GPS? I have been out jogging for three days now with the GW5 Pro (LTE), and Samsung Health claims that my 6 mile run is 6.60 miles. The map is also off. Instead of showing straight lines along the path, it thinks I'm zig-zagging through people's houses, in the woods, etc. Never had these issues with my Watch3 or Watch4.

Trying to figure out if this is a software bug that will hopefully be fixed, or if I need to do a warranty replacement.

 

[strikeIII]

How are people's experiences with the GPS? I have been out jogging for three days now with the GW5 Pro (LTE), and Samsung Health claims that my 6 mile run is 6.60 miles. The map is also off. Instead of showing straight lines along the path, it thinks I'm zig-zagging through people's houses, in the woods, etc. Never had these issues with my Watch3 or Watch4.

Trying to figure out if this is a software bug that will hopefully be fixed, or if I need to do a warranty replacement.

My Bluetooth only version of the GW5Pro has been good on my bike rides. No issues. Did you see there was an update for the LTE models? Maybe that update will help improve things.

 

[o4liberty]

My map on both my phone and watch are way off.

 

[arunma]

My Bluetooth only version of the GW5Pro has been good on my bike rides. No issues. Did you see there was an update for the LTE models? Maybe that update will help improve things.

Yup I installed the update yesterday, and still having issues. Glad yours is fine though.

I tried going on a walk over lunch, and brought my phone too. So this time the watch was (presumably) using my phone's GPS. Still had the same issue. So it looks like this is likely just a software issue.

 

[strikeIII]

Yup I installed the update yesterday, and still having issues. Glad yours is fine though.

I tried going on a walk over lunch, and brought my phone too. So this time the watch was (presumably) using my phone's GPS. Still had the same issue. So it looks like this is likely just a software issue.

Yeah only thing I think of is try doing a factory reset. Especially if you setup your watch from a restore. I had funky issues because of the restore everything is good now after starting from scratch.

 

[TimmyB]

How are people's experiences with the GPS? I have been out jogging for three days now with the GW5 Pro (LTE), and Samsung Health claims that my 6 mile run is 6.60 miles. The map is also off. Instead of showing straight lines along the path, it thinks I'm zig-zagging through people's houses, in the woods, etc. Never had these issues with my Watch3 or Watch4.

Trying to figure out if this is a software bug that will hopefully be fixed, or if I need to do a warranty replacement.

I just picked up my GW5,44mm this morning. I am a runner and cyclist and I know that this watch won't be as good as fitness-specific devices from Garmin, Polar, etc. However, I am wanting to have a little more peace-of-mind when out alone, far from help, so I picked up the LTE version of this Samsung.

On a couple of test walks today, the location was quite poor, disappointingly so. Compared to what my 7-year-old TomTom running watch was showing me, it was horrid. However, I found that the location accuracy was not set to the highest level in the watch settings. It was only using GPS, not cell towers, etc. I turned this on and went out for another walk. While not perfect, it was significantly better.

I also discovered that TomTom must be using some type of software "smoothing" because the workout that was recorded on it also gets automatically passed to TrainingPeaks. Even though it's the exact same workout file being sent there, the map on TrainingPeaks was MUCH more choppy than that of the TomTom site!

As for mileage, it was exactly what I expected it to be. I've always known that for whatever reason, my TomTom watch would be about .01 of a mile short on the first quarter mile, meaning it would tell me that I'd reached .25 when I'd only reached about .24 or .235, somewhere in that range. When I compared the mileage, they were about .01 off, with the TomTom at .48 and the SGW at .47, so I'm thinking pretty spot on.

Hopefully, both of us will see improved accuracy as we go on.

 

[arunma]

I just picked up my GW5,44mm this morning. I am a runner and cyclist and I know that this watch won't be as good as fitness-specific devices from Garmin, Polar, etc. However, I am wanting to have a little more peace-of-mind when out alone, far from help, so I picked up the LTE version of this Samsung.

On a couple of test walks today, the location was quite poor, disappointingly so. Compared to what my 7-year-old TomTom running watch was showing me, it was horrid. However, I found that the location accuracy was not set to the highest level in the watch settings. It was only using GPS, not cell towers, etc. I turned this on and went out for another walk. While not perfect, it was significantly better.

I also discovered that TomTom must be using some type of software "smoothing" because the workout that was recorded on it also gets automatically passed to TrainingPeaks. Even though it's the exact same workout file being sent there, the map on TrainingPeaks was MUCH more choppy than that of the TomTom site!

As for mileage, it was exactly what I expected it to be. I've always known that for whatever reason, my TomTom watch would be about .01 of a mile short on the first quarter mile, meaning it would tell me that I'd reached .25 when I'd only reached about .24 or .235, somewhere in that range. When I compared the mileage, they were about .01 off, with the TomTom at .48 and the SGW at .47, so I'm thinking pretty spot on.

Hopefully, both of us will see improved accuracy as we go on.

Yeah I also wonder if this is just a software issue. The other day when I went for a walk, I looked closely at Google Maps and my location was spot-on. So clearly the watch's hardware *can* locate me correctly.
@strikeIII I'll try a factory reset and see what happens!

 

[arunma]

@strikeIII I tried a factory reset. I'm still having distance issues, but they've reduced. My six mile run is now recorded as 6.3 miles instead of 6.6. I guess that's a bit of an improvement!

 

[TimmyB]

@strikeIII I tried a factory reset. I'm still having distance issues, but they've reduced. My six mile run is now recorded as 6.3 miles instead of 6.6. I guess that's a bit of an improvement!

A couple questions. First, are you using just your watch, not connected to your phone while walking? Second, you are using Samsung Health to record your walk/run; are you using it to view your data as well, or are you having it sent somewhere (e.g., Strava)?

I am getting closer to resolving most of the "issues" that I had with this watch, thanks to a couple of helpful people. Unfortunately, I'm dealing with a sinus infection and I can only take it out for about a .5 mile walk, not a 3 or 4 mile run to really test it out.

In doing all this searching, I came across a great thread on Reddit, in which a quite-knowledgeable person described why another person was seeing great differences in distance between Health and Strava. Quite educational. Just in case any of it applies to your issue.
https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatc...ll_so_annoyed_the_watch_and_strava_just_dont/

Hope it gets better for you.

 

[o4liberty]

The issue I am having is when my phone is using maps my watch should mirror my phone. The first time it did but that was it maps on my watch does not mirror my phone anymore.

 

[arunma]

A couple questions. First, are you using just your watch, not connected to your phone while walking? Second, you are using Samsung Health to record your walk/run; are you using it to view your data as well, or are you having it sent somewhere (e.g., Strava)?

I'm using my watch in LTE mode, not connected to a phone (except remotely via Google Cloud Sync). I'm using Samsung Health, NOT a third party app.

Hope you feel better soon!

 

[TimmyB]

I'm using my watch in LTE mode, not connected to a phone (except remotely via Google Cloud Sync). I'm using Samsung Health, NOT a third party app.

Hope you feel better soon!

Thanks!

I went out for a 1.75 mile walk yesterday. When I got done, I remeasured the walk using both the route-creator in Map My Run and the measure distance tool in Google Maps. Both of them verified that it was indeed exactly 1.75 miles. Just like you, LTE-watch only (no phone). I had the route sent to Strava automatically as a connected app. Strangely, Strava said that the route was 1.78 miles. I am aware that these companies manipulate and interpret data in their own way, so I truly don't know what the issue is that causes this but I'm confident that the watch did a reasonable job. I've also run this route dozens of times with my other running watch so I pretty much knew what to expect.

When you start your route, are you letting it get a GPS fix before beginning?

 

[bkeaver]

There was an update dealing with GPS that hit my watch today. Those with GPS issues has this hit your watch recently? Did it help?

 

[bkeaver]

There was an update dealing with GPS that hit my watch today. Those with GPS issues has this hit your watch recently? Did it help?

 

[TimmyB]

There was an update dealing with GPS that hit my watch today. Those with GPS issues has this hit your watch recently? Did it help?

I received no update, and I just checked to make sure I am on current software. TBH, the GPS tracking is god-awful. I mean, horrid. I run on a paved rail-trail, so you can't really get much more of a straight line than that, and my route looks like a drunken cat, sometimes 20 to 30 feet off the trail and almost never in a straight line. I'm keeping my watch simply because (a) it was cheap enough with the T-Mo discount and (b) it provides me with the security of LTE coverage when I'm out running far from help, but as a "sports-watch", the Watch5 is SO far under what else is available. I simply don't understand how two companies the size of Samsung and Apple cannot figure this out. What is Garmin doing that they can't?

 

[Rose4uKY]

I received no update, and I just checked to make sure I am on current software. TBH, the GPS tracking is god-awful. I mean, horrid. I run on a paved rail-trail, so you can't really get much more of a straight line than that, and my route looks like a drunken cat, sometimes 20 to 30 feet off the trail and almost never in a straight line. I'm keeping my watch simply because (a) it was cheap enough with the T-Mo discount and (b) it provides me with the security of LTE coverage when I'm out running far from help, but as a "sports-watch", the Watch5 is SO far under what else is available. I simply don't understand how two companies the size of Samsung and Apple cannot figure this out. What is Garmin doing that they can't?

Yes I just checked I have an update also and it mentioned GPS

 

[mlblack16]

Is your GW5 LTE or Bluetooth?
I think the update just released may be for BT version.

 

[TimmyB]

Is your GW5 LTE or Bluetooth?
I think the update just released may be for BT version.

Mine is LTE. Could explain why I'm not seeing one.

 

[TimmyB]

How are people's experiences with the GPS? I have been out jogging for three days now with the GW5 Pro (LTE), and Samsung Health claims that my 6 mile run is 6.60 miles. The map is also off. Instead of showing straight lines along the path, it thinks I'm zig-zagging through people's houses, in the woods, etc. Never had these issues with my Watch3 or Watch4.

Trying to figure out if this is a software bug that will hopefully be fixed, or if I need to do a warranty replacement.

Well, after a week, I'm coming to the conclusion that this watch is not going to be the one for me. As a smartwatch, it's quite fabulous. But, I didn't buy it for that. I need it to be at least a decent running watch and the GPS is so,so, SO bad that it simply cannot function as such. The routes always look like they were scrawled by a kindergartner with a crayon, and the pace of my running (which is VERY consistent) shows that sometimes I'm running 6-minute miles and then 12-minute miles, and back to 6-minutes.

It looks like it will be a $75 mistake on my part as T-Mobile is telling me there is "nothing they can do" about the $40 restock fee and the $35 line setup charge. Well, there is nothing they WILL do, anyway. But, I'll keep looking.

I hope you get yours to settle down into an acceptable range for you. Good luck!

 

[mlblack16]

Well, after a week, I'm coming to the conclusion that this watch is not going to be the one for me. As a smartwatch, it's quite fabulous. But, I didn't buy it for that. I need it to be at least a decent running watch and the GPS is so,so, SO bad that it simply cannot function as such. The routes always look like they were scrawled by a kindergartner with a crayon, and the pace of my running (which is VERY consistent) shows that sometimes I'm running 6-minute miles and then 12-minute miles, and back to 6-minutes.

It looks like it will be a $75 mistake on my part as T-Mobile is telling me there is "nothing they can do" about the $40 restock fee and the $35 line setup charge. Well, there is nothing they WILL do, anyway. But, I'll keep looking.

I hope you get yours to settle down into an acceptable range for you. Good luck!

You may be able to sell on ebay and not take such a hit.