Improvements since software update to BSA4

[sonnnet]

I thought it would be good to share and compare improvements and experiences since the latest software update for those who have it.

I've just noticed an incredible improvement in GPS lock before exercise. From up to 15 minutes on the old software, I got three fixes in different locations today on the new software, each within 2 seconds.

I will report on heart rate once I've been for a run or gone to the gym.

 

[sonnnet]

Spotify playing after a phone call appears to be fixed, too.

 

[arunma]

Spotify playing after a phone call appears to be fixed, too.

Woah, seriously!? I can't wait to get this update on my T-Mobile LTE version.

Did your battery life take a hit? Or get better?

 

[sonnnet]

Woah, seriously!? I can't wait to get this update on my T-Mobile LTE version.

Did your battery life take a hit? Or get better?

I think so re Spotify. The bug hasn't come up again for me yet, anyway. However, I saw on a Spotify forum that someone else also had it fixed but not fixed when he uses Bixby. Haven't tested that yet.
I've only had the update one day so too early to tell re battery. Based on yesterday, similar to usual. But I use the watch quite heavily with AOD, WiFi, HR always on and GPS tracking walks and runs, and streaming Bluetooth music, so I'm always going to use a lot. I generally use about 50 to 60% of my battery doing that every day, but it doesn't bother me because I charge overnight anyway, so I've got more than enough.
Come on Samsung, get this update out to LTE users, they have the top spec watch!!

 

[Peter621022]

I installed the update last week Thursday through the back door (downloaded the firmware manually and installed it using NetOdin software).
Just to be sure I gave it an extra full reset.

I don't see much better battery life either, which is ok, I think it was already pretty impressive before the update (GW 46mm BT).
I don't see much difference in Sleep Detection. Sleep detection isn't very important for me (I can tell how I slept when I get up), but it is for quite a few others who need to monitor on mostly deep sleep (which according to the watch is only minutes where it should be 1-2 hours every night).

I thought I saw an improvement in the climbed stairs count. Every now and then it would give a much higher number than what it should be. Today it says I climbed 18 stairs at noon, which can't be correct. Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday it was ok.

I guess there's still some work to be done by Samsung.

I just noticed quite a few open apps in the "recent apps" list. I have a feeling that could be of influence on the sensors as well. I'll close them all and see it it has any effect. Does someone else notice any difference in sensor behaviour when many (or certain) apps are open in the background?

 

[Peter621022]

So the climbed stair counter is fooled by arm movements after the update.
To test if it is the update or someting else I gave my watch a Master Reset (with the buttons) and didn't restore anything from the backup that I made before the update.

If I keep my fore-arm horizontal and move it say 20 times the climbed stair counter will add 1.

Bummer. I kept an eye on the counter since I am working in a building with al lot of stairs and climbing a stair is more of an excercise than walking. Now it is practically useless.

I will investigate if I can revert back to the old firmware, since most issues reported with that version were not very important for me.

 

[sonnnet]

So the climbed stair counter is fooled by arm movements after the update.
To test if it is the update or someting else I gave my watch a Master Reset (with the buttons) and didn't restore anything from the backup that I made before the update.

If I keep my fore-arm horizontal and move it say 20 times the climbed stair counter will add 1.

Bummer. I kept an eye on the counter since I am working in a building with al lot of stairs and climbing a stair is more of an excercise than walking. Now it is practically useless.

I will investigate if I can revert back to the old firmware, since most issues reported with that version were not very important for me.

Peter, are you on the official release of the new update yet?
My floor counter is spot on and I tried the x20 movement in horizontal position and it hasn't affected the floors counter.

 

[Peter621022]

Peter, are you on the official release of the new update yet?
My floor counter is spot on and I tried the x20 movement in horizontal position and it hasn't affected the floors counter.

Hi Sonnet, no I am not on the official release of the new update, my watch thinks it is up to date, so I will probably never get it automatically.

I may have fixed the issue with the floor counter by enabling the Auto Refresh for the alti/barometer. I did a few other things as well, like enabling the Manual Calibration (I was getting an altitude of 458m where we are slightly below sea level in this part of Holland), then disabling that again…. not sure what that did.
To early to tell I guess, but walking up the stairs adds 1 to the counter like it should, trying to fool it with the fore-arm doesn't anymore, so I am carefully positive.

Could you please check your settings for the alti-meter app for comparison?

UPDATE: after writing this I noticed there was an update available for the alti/barometer app. After installing the update I disabled the Auto Refresh, the fore-arm trick doesn't add floors to the counter.... well, I guess tomorrow will show.

 

[sonnnet]

Hi Sonnet, no I am not on the official release of the new update, my watch thinks it is up to date, so I will probably never get it automatically.

I may have fixed the issue with the floor counter by enabling the Auto Refresh for the alti/barometer. I did a few other things as well, like enabling the Manual Calibration (I was getting an altitude of 458m where we are slightly below sea level in this part of Holland), then disabling that again…. not sure what that did.
To early to tell I guess, but walking up the stairs adds 1 to the counter like it should, trying to fool it with the fore-arm doesn't anymore, so I am carefully positive.

Could you please check your settings for the alti-meter app for comparison?

UPDATE: after writing this I noticed there was an update available for the alti/barometer app. After installing the update I disabled the Auto Refresh, the fore-arm trick doesn't add floors to the counter.... well, I guess tomorrow will show.

Peter, if I were you, at some point, when you know the release is in your region, roll back to the previous software if you can to force an update to the official new build. Just to give yourself the best chance of everything working...

Regarding floors, that was great thinking to check Altimeter settings. Yes, I have auto refresh on. When I first got the watch, I manually calibrated. In my part of the world, we are approx 80m above sea level. The watch thought I was 100m underwater. It still refuses to believe I am at 80m and has compromised with me at 60m! Close enough and it does stay at that setting (pre and post update).

I like the barometer, too. I have pressure alerts on and twice it has successfully notified me of a drop in air pressure and wet/ stormy weather approaching. (Although, the cynical side of me wonders if it has a sneaky look at the weather forecast!) But it's a nice gadget to have on board.

Anyway, let us know how the floors go and if your guess was right.

 

[j_hansen]

I have GW 46mm BT version and haven't really noticed anything compared to the previous update, maybe better stability/range in BT connection but that would be about it.
I keep mine with BT/AOD/HR/Wifi alway on and easily get two days or a little more if I forget to charge it but I mostly charge overnight anyway as I don't like sleeping with a watch on

 

[jfenton]

I am going to purchase a Galaxy Watch today and hope that it's good enough to track my cycling rides. I will likely go with the non LTE Version....does the non LTE receive the software updates as well? Do you check for them just as you would with a phone?

 

[jfenton]

Another question......jhansen is reporting 2 days per charge with the non LTE version...how much less does the LTE version get?

 

[jtcannonball]

I am going to purchase a Galaxy Watch today and hope that it's good enough to track my cycling rides. I will likely go with the non LTE Version....does the non LTE receive the software updates as well? Do you check for them just as you would with a phone?

Yes the non-lte gets updates and often gets them earlier from the threads I've read. You check in the Samsung wearable app for new software.

 

[skatergirl]

Another question......jhansen is reporting 2 days per charge with the non LTE version...how much less does the LTE version get?

I have the LTE version and I charge it daily, especially now that I use the workout functions. This seems to use more battery. Still quite a bit better than the Gear S2, where not everything was turned on.

Currently I have 9095 steps on my watch and it has been off the charger for nine hours and my battery is at 47 percent. Some may not find that acceptable, but as I said, I have everything turned on, with the exception of "Always On" and I am using the workout feature now.

 

[j_hansen]

Another question......jhansen is reporting 2 days per charge with the non LTE version...how much less does the LTE version get?

LTE will always be a battery vampire and depends on a lot of variables like using mostly outdoors or indoors etc..
I have no need for LTE version really as e-sim is not offered by my provider/carrier yet.
I put my watch on at 6am when I get up and usually tale it off between 8-9pm, remaining battery can be anything between 65-80%, I'm guessing it's the wi-fi always on that causes the fluctuations

 

[Peter621022]

Peter, if I were you, at some point, when you know the release is in your region, roll back to the previous software if you can to force an update to the official new build. Just to give yourself the best chance of everything working...

Regarding floors, that was great thinking to check Altimeter settings.
.......

Anyway, let us know how the floors go and if your guess was right.

Quick update: I read quite a few complaints on the Internet about floor counters either not working or counting way too many floors on several devices. It does indeed seem to have to do with the altimeter/barometer that calculates your elevation using the measured atmospheric pressure and your location and a database on the internet to correct for the atmospheric pressure at sea level at your location.
I've tried every setting combination I could think of, but my floor counter keeps adding floors with decreasing (measured, how inaccurate is that?) atmospheric pressure, which is translated to increased height and stairs climbed without me making a step. If the pressure goes up, the floor count is stable.

So, another approach. I found the previous firmware, downloaded and installed it, then accepted the offered official BS4A software to give it a fair chance as Sonnet suggested.
Didn't restore settings, watch faces or apps from the backup, and didn't activate the altimeter/barometer, because I fear it might interfere with the floor counter if I do.
In the last hour since the fresh start the floor counter is at peace, counting floors when it should, not when it shouldn't. So far so good.
I will give it a day or so before re-installing apps and watch faces, since I have been fooled before after changing a setting and the floor counter being stable for a few hours after that.
Fingers crossed.

 

[skatergirl]

Isn't it silly the hoops one has to go through with this watch to have it work correctly? With all its potential comes all its flaws.

 

[Peter621022]

Isn't it silly the hoops one has to go through with this watch to have it work correctly? With all its potential comes all its flaws.

Mixed feelings here Skatergirl. I know by now that new devices and new firmware can have software flaws.
So far for me the only real flaw is the floor counter, that did work properly and now it doesn't. For the rest I am quite happy with the watch.
All respect for your situation and I do realize my watch can have the same flaws as yours but simply don't surface because my usage of the watch is different.
Although it can be frustrating I do like to set my teeth into a problem and discover how things work along the way. Now I know that I can downgrade easily to previous firmware, and that I know how the floor counter works I am quite happy with the knowledge.
But that's me. I fully appreciate that normal people just want things to work, period.

 

[sonnnet]

Mixed feelings here Skatergirl. I know by now that new devices and new firmware can have software flaws.
So far for me the only real flaw is the floor counter, that did work properly and now it doesn't. For the rest I am quite happy with the watch.
All respect for your situation and I do realize my watch can have the same flaws as yours but simply don't surface because my usage of the watch is different.
Although it can be frustrating I do like to set my teeth into a problem and discover how things work along the way. Now I know that I can downgrade easily to previous firmware, and that I know how the floor counter works I am quite happy with the knowledge.
But that's me. I fully appreciate that normal people just want things to work, period.

Agree with you both. The amount of effort we have put into this watch AND the fact that we keep going means we are definitely not 'normal people', lol! I think it's lucky we like problem solving, where as, I can appreciate that others have just given up. Buying a smartwatch should never have led to an experience like this... But I have to admit, it has been interesting (!) and, like you, I'm almost completely satisfied now. All things considered, I really do like wearing and using this thing

 

[Kko 5]

Agree with you both. The amount of effort we have put into this watch AND the fact that we keep going means we are definitely not 'normal people', lol! I think it's lucky we like problem solving, where as, I can appreciate that others have just given up. Buying a smartwatch should never have led to an experience like this... But I have to admit, it has been interesting (!) and, like you, I'm almost completely satisfied now. All things considered, I really do like wearing and using this thing

Sonnnet totally agree with you "Buying a smartwatch should never have led to an experience like this..."
Btw just to say a BIG THANKS to you and Skatergirl for sharing and always be there trying to help others in this forum... this is really outstanding from you both. Respect!