[Q] GPS Dropping Out

[illdill]

Is anyone else experiencing GPS dropouts while tracking running or walking in the S Health app? I continue to see the tracking/GPS icon in the upper left throughout the run regardless so I have no way of knowing if it has stopped tracking while running. It apppears to happen about 1 out of every 3 times.

 

[kieso]

I've been using it daily for the last two weeks and have had no dropouts

 

[illdill]

I guess i'll try a factory reset and see if that helps. Thanks for the input. By the way, im not running under anything that should interfere with it accept a divided interstate overpass, but it has never dropped at that particular spot.

 

[illdill]

Factory reset failed to fix the problem. Guess I'll have to talk to t-mobile or samsung unless anyone else has a suggestion.

 

[illdill]

I realized today that the GPS symbol is solid when it is working in the s-health app and flashing when it has lost connection. I'll have to research to see if I can get it to 'reconnect' mid run. Even so, it is still a huge inconvenience as I would have to check it constantly throughout the run.

 

[zelduy]

can the gear s use GPS without sim inside and not connected to bluetooth phone?

 

[xendula]

I had huge problems and it took forever to get GPS signal even locked in after the last updates to Gear Mgr and GearS. In my case, something happened to my phone's GPS and I can no longer connect the two without rapid battery drain. As long as my Gear S is completely disconnected (BT and remotely) from my Note, I have zero GPS issues on my Gear S.

Now that I am thinking of it, I think Gear Mgr may have killed my Note 2's GPS. I'll try to deinstall and see what happens. May just be coincidence that everything happened around the same time.

 

[illdill]

I have bt disabled when on runs, but it is connected remotely to my phone via gear manager. I haven't tried it with everything disabled (accept location). Maybe I'll give that a try tomorrow.

I did call t-mobile and ordered a warranty replacement. Samsung would have 'fixed' it but I would have been without it for who knows how long.

 

[illdill]

Nope. Turning off all connectivity did not resolve the gps issue. Guess im waiting on the tmo replacement to see if that resolves it.

 

[illdill]

The gps is internal hardware on the Gear S. I haven't actually removed the SIM card but I have disabled mobile networks and it still works. Well, partially in my case.

Today, as a test, i removed the SIM and set airplane mode on, disabled mobile networks and bt. The gps tracked my entire run. I have to do at least three more sessions to determine if it fixed the dropout issue, but it confirms that the gps can run entirely independet of cellular/data networks and paired devices.

 

[illdill]

The GPS has worked three times in a row since removing the SIM card and enabling airplane mode. This tells me that there is some kind of software glitch that is interfering with the GPS when these other services are enabled. My replacement is supposed to arrive today and I plan to do some side by side tests with it to gather more information on GPS performance.

 

[illdill]

So the replacement arrived yesterday. It was just the watch, no band or accessories. I don't know why I was hoping there would be more. (maybe to have an extra charger) but i digress.
This mornings run with the new device 'all on' (meaning SIM inserted, 4G connected and remotely connected to phone) still using the internal gps though, tracked the entire run. I did notice the GPS symbol had gone away about half way through so figured it had dropped again. But when I stopped the run, the readings were in line with a full tracking and syncing with S-Health (on the Note Edge) showed that it did indeed track the entire run.

Now there are two more issues that need to be resolved before this can be settled as a defective original software/device. First, I have to do a couple more runs. Second, and probably more telling from what some other people have mentioned, is the software update that is available. I haven't installed it yet for this very reason. So, a couple more days and Ill have this figured out.

BUT, that being said, the issue with the original device was a SOFTWARE issue proven by the fact that if I removed the SIM and disabled all comms except gps, it worked every time.

Im not sure that I will install the update though, if the gps is working properly. That would just break it again. I'll wait to see if a future update claims to fix the problem. Knowing how Samsung responds to issues/functionality requests, I wont be holding my breath. The last update was pretty much worthless anyway.

Confirmed, the most recent software update is what is causing the gps to malfunction.

 

[illdill]

It's Official, Samsung Support SUCKS!

Here is my fairly detailed support/bug report communication with Samsung and their less than worthless response. They basically ignored my troubleshooting information, brushed off the S Health metrics issue and completely ignored the fact that I had suggestions as well. Not to mention their response was worded like spam from somewhere in Asia. Paraphrasing someones issue is not the same thing as addressing the issue. Pointing out the benefits of an update that makes the operation of the device unreliable does not make the update any better. Pointing out that no one has reported the issue when I just have is ignorant. They are lazy and do not want to do anything to make their product better or more reliable. Just another faceless corporation.


Samsung,
This is a technical bug I am reporting related to your recent update for the Gear S (T-Mobile US version SM-R750T). This bug is related to the GPS hardware.
My first Gear S device appeared to work fine while tracking walks and runs using the internal GPS until I received the recent update. (At first I didn't realize it was the update that caused the problem since it came out very soon after I got the device). However, through trouble shooting and obtaining a replacement device from T-Mobile I have been able to confirm that the issue is with the software update.
Please see the attached images for further clarification. After the update, the GPS would drop its connection approximately one out of every three runs I would track. When this would happen, the distance logged by S-Health as well as the calories burned would nearly double. A factory reset did not seem to resolve the issue (but I may have re-installed the update, or it could have been hardcoded into the device once installed, I am not sure of that). What did get it working however, was removing the SIM card and disabling all communications except GPS. Then it would track continuously without failing.
So I got a replacement from T-Mobile and DID NOT install the available update and that replacement device has been working flawlessly since with all comms functioning normally and the Gear S paired remotely to my Note Edge.

So two issues:
1) Software update 'breaks' GPS when Gear S is also connected to mobile networks or paired remotely to a device.
2) S-Health severely over-estimates distances and calories burned when GPS is not being used to track the activity.

This issue can be found on the following developers site where I have documented my activities:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gear-s/help/gps-dropping-t3065107
Here you can see that others have experienced the same issue.

Thank you for your time and I sincerely hope you address these issues in the next update as well as some further recommendations for functionality that I have listed below.

Functionality updates:
Operating System (Tizen)
Add communication (BT, WIFI) toggles to the status drop down.
S-Health
Add personalized workouts to S-Health like weightlifting, just like you can add custom food items.
Add data export feature
Add additional ways of viewing and comparing the data (customizable graphs) so that certain vectors can be compared over time such as time of run, average pace etc.

________________________________________

Dear Timothy,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us at Samsung Technical Support. We always appreciate hearing from our customers.

I see that you would like to report the technical bug reported after the recent update to us.

We haven’t received any attachments along with this email. You would like to inform us that after the update the GPS drops its connection approximately one out of every three runs. When this happen the distance logged by the S –Health and the calories burned will be nearly doubled and you attempted a Factory Reset in-order to resolve the issue.

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Updating the product will bring positive changes to the device. The new features after the update are as follows. This device operates on Software Version R750TUVU1AOA7.

•Preloaded Stopwatch and Timer
•New icon glossary - Viewed under Settings > Gear Info > Icon Glossary
•DST timer fix for Arizona State

Samsung do not recommend or fully agree to the information shared on non Samsung websites.

As you are experiencing issues with the device, we need to check if the issue is in all the locations or only in a dedicated location. Unfortunately, as the device is replaced and we cannot troubleshoot the device currently.

Honstetly, as of now there are no reported issues after the device is being updated to Tizen.

I appreciate your time.

Should you desire additional assistance, we invite you to access the web-link http://www.samsung.com/us/support/contact to speak to a Chat Specialist. Our technicians are more than happy to assist you further. Chat Support is available 24X7.

For additional support and updates regarding your product, please follow us at @SamsungSupport on Twitter or like our page at https://www.facebook.com/samsungsupport.

Thank you for choosing Samsung products.

If you have a minute, please fill out a brief survey to help us serve you better. To begin the survey, click on the “Start Survey Here” link at the bottom of this email. Please note that you can access the survey page only when the pop-up blocker is disabled in the browser.

Sincerely,

Verlin.

 

[illdill]

I installed the update on my replacement device and the GPS is working properly on this new device.

 

[ngocgiap94]

I installed the update on my replacement device and the GPS is working properly on this new device.

i lock gps on gear s for 30 minute ...... fuuuccckkkk samsung