Step Tracking Accuracy?

[aud_girl2007]

Anyone noticed issues with this? I've had the Galaxy Watch for a week, compared to my previous fitness tracker (Polar A360) - my watch is down about 50% of steps (including daily workout). I normally get over 10k with the Polar and have yet to make it to 5k with my Galaxy Watch. I have been wearing both, so the discrepancy is fairly obvious. I have followed the Samsung forums and done all suggestions for troubleshooting this issue (turn off workout auto detect, re-set device, latest software update) and have not seen much improvement.
Curious if anyone here has noticed the same issue and has found a fix for it? TIA

 

[matt3166]

That's strange. I find mine pretty accurate. I can literally walk looking at the watch and see the steps being counted.
Have you tried resetting the watch?

 

[jlangner]

Anyone noticed issues with this? I've had the Galaxy Watch for a week, compared to my previous fitness tracker (Polar A360) - my watch is down about 50% of steps (including daily workout). I normally get over 10k with the Polar and have yet to make it to 5k with my Galaxy Watch. I have been wearing both, so the discrepancy is fairly obvious. I have followed the Samsung forums and done all suggestions for troubleshooting this issue (turn off workout auto detect, re-set device, latest software update) and have not seen much improvement.
Curious if anyone here has noticed the same issue and has found a fix for it? TIA

Yea, another thread on this but GPS distance seems spot on, I compared to gear fit 2. For same distance (little over 2 miles) I had 4600 on GF2 and 4000 on GW. GPS distances were about the same.

As far as walking around house, etc, biggest difference I noticed is it can take longer to start counting steps when you walk. I can get up and walk 10-15 steps and does not record any.

 

[Nacho1545]

It seems the watch doesn't count anything less than 10-15 steps at a time. Once you hit #15 it will back count and continue to count. But it won't do the little steps like fitbit or others. Additionally its smart enough not to count you shaking your wrist unlike the other options out there. So realistically, you may be over counting with the other one you are using...

 

[aud_girl2007]

Do we think not counting short distance (under 10 steps at once) could account for 5k in steps throughout my day? I do walk short distances quite a bit, but manually counting the steps all are 15-25 steps.
I'm beginning to wonder if mine is malfunctioning. I have re-set it (twice, actually) and updated software. I do see it counting steps when I walk (if I pause and check, it updates #) it just seems to drastically off compared to my Polar - I feel like a fitness tracking company would be fairly accurate at step counting? Who knows. When I manually count and compare, both are giving me similar #s . It's a whole day count that I see big differences in and have no idea why/where the count went off.
At any rate, have also noticed my heart rate sensor (set to always on) will randomly turn off and I can't turn it on or take a manual reading unless I turn the Galaxy off/on again. During exercise the HR monitor is spotty at best, most of the time it is on but can't get a read despite different placement positions.
I might try and exchange the one I have and pray that the next one does a bit better!

 

[jlangner]

In the health app do you have profile set up with height and all. I don't know if it uses that for gait or not.

 

[Nacho1545]

In the health app do you have profile set up with height and all. I don't know if it uses that for gait or not.

To go along with this I did find there is a profile on the phone and another on the watch (almost the same data but was missing a little. Had to manual adjust it). Check yours for accuracy

 

[mrvain1984]

I have to say I'm really disappointed with the steps tracking accuracy of Galaxy Watch. It is not accurate at all! I checked three different units (one mine, two in the store), the same behavior.

You can test it for yourself. I checked following with Galaxy Watch + Note8 at the same time. I made 15 then 30 then 50 steps with both devices. I was simply counting the steps. Note8 was always accurate, the numbers were matching. In Galaxy Watch the steps are completely skewed, there are always some steps missing in all my attempts. The only difference when it was quite accurate was when I was not moving my hand while walking and counting steps. But this is ridiculous. I think i will return mine and look for something what actually counts steps correctly.

 

[aud_girl2007]

Yes, my profile is all set on the watch - does not change step tracking unfortunately. And I did exchange the watch for another (of the same type). Heart rate monitor issues are fixed, step counter is still way off. From what I see, it is not tracking short distance steps (as noted above) nor does it count odd 'steps' (like jumping jacks). In the morning, I can get up and walk from my bed to my bathroom (counting 11 steps) and my watch reads zero steps. I was short distances all day at work and it counts none of them - today I was actually walking from my desk to the front and is buzzed me for inactivity for an hour (I had been up at least 3 times in the hour) while I was walking. So it is clearly just not counting short amounts of steps.
This seems like a software issue that could be corrected if Samsung decided to, so hopefully enough people complain and they will release an update to fix the step counter.

 

[srbell67]

Yes, my profile is all set on the watch - does not change step tracking unfortunately. And I did exchange the watch for another (of the same type). Heart rate monitor issues are fixed, step counter is still way off. From what I see, it is not tracking short distance steps (as noted above) nor does it count odd 'steps' (like jumping jacks). In the morning, I can get up and walk from my bed to my bathroom (counting 11 steps) and my watch reads zero steps. I was short distances all day at work and it counts none of them - today I was actually walking from my desk to the front and is buzzed me for inactivity for an hour (I had been up at least 3 times in the hour) while I was walking. So it is clearly just not counting short amounts of steps.
This seems like a software issue that could be corrected if Samsung decided to, so hopefully enough people complain and they will release an update to fix the step counter.

That’s a disgrace

 

[srbell67]

Yes, my profile is all set on the watch - does not change step tracking unfortunately. And I did exchange the watch for another (of the same type). Heart rate monitor issues are fixed, step counter is still way off. From what I see, it is not tracking short distance steps (as noted above) nor does it count odd 'steps' (like jumping jacks). In the morning, I can get up and walk from my bed to my bathroom (counting 11 steps) and my watch reads zero steps. I was short distances all day at work and it counts none of them - today I was actually walking from my desk to the front and is buzzed me for inactivity for an hour (I had been up at least 3 times in the hour) while I was walking. So it is clearly just not counting short amounts of steps.
This seems like a software issue that could be corrected if Samsung decided to, so hopefully enough people complain and they will release an update to fix the step counter.

Have you downloaded new version (6.0) of S Health?

 

[aud_girl2007]

Have you downloaded new version (6.0) of S Health?

Yep

 

[srbell67]

Samsung should be ashamed of themselves w this watch, especially considering how fitness-centric the Apple Watch is.

I’m going to buy the new Apple Watch instead. At least it will work.

 

[djrakowski]

Samsung should be ashamed of themselves w this watch, especially considering how fitness-centric the Apple Watch is.

I’m going to buy the new Apple Watch instead. At least it will work.

* At least it will work... If you own an iPhone.

 

[mrvain1984]

It seems Samsung confirmed issues with steps tracking (and heart rate sensor) in Galaxy Watch. Presumably SW update will fix the issue: Some Samsung Galaxy Watch units have faulty Pedometer (step counter) and Heart Rate sensors - PiunikaWeb

 

[djrakowski]

It seems Samsung confirmed issues with steps tracking (and heart rate sensor) in Galaxy Watch. Presumably SW update will fix the issue: Some Samsung Galaxy Watch units have faulty Pedometer (step counter) and Heart Rate sensors - PiunikaWeb

Good. I ran a 5K last night and tracked it with the Watch, and the HR sensor was a disaster. I hope they fix it quickly!

 

[srbell67]

Good. I ran a 5K last night and tracked it with the Watch, and the HR sensor was a disaster. I hope they fix it quickly!

Don’t hold your breath. It is a disgrace and a prevalent problem, but Samsung doesn’t seem to care.

 

[djrakowski]

Don’t hold your breath. It is a disgrace and a prevalent problem, but Samsung doesn’t seem to care.

GPS was perfect, though... MUCH better than Apple Watch.

I prefer an external HR sensor, but evidently the Watch can’t pair with them.

 

[srbell67]

GPS was perfect, though... MUCH better than Apple Watch.

I prefer an external HR sensor, but evidently the Watch can’t pair with them.

That’s interesting about the Apple Watch and GPS.

I also ordered the new Apple Watch series 4 and expect that to be the best one overall out of the bunch. Samsung’s fitness issue is an absolute disgrace for a $350 just released smartwatch

 

[Lurksalot]

Good. I ran a 5K last night and tracked it with the Watch, and the HR sensor was a disaster. I hope they fix it quickly!

Regrading the HR sensor, how firm\tight are you strapping the watch on ? The first few times I ran with the watch (and using MapMyRun) it didn't do a good job. I noticed the tighter it is the more accurate. But I'm not entirely convinced it's not just the watch HR sensor, also maybe MapMyRun wasn't displaying\detecting HR correctly. I could be wrong. I do sweat heavily with the humidity but shouldn't impact the reading if it was developed correctly.