Health app and Firmware update

[VFC]

Step count was higher on mine as well. Although it still is about 12-15% less than my Surge. It probably isn't picking up most of the steps while I walk my two dogs. My arms don't swing back and forth but bob up and down. The Surge gave me nearly 100% credit for those steps; correctly interpreting the rhythmic arm movement over a near-mile distance as steps.

Unfortunately the stair count is still broken. I ended up with 111 yesterday (actual was 25).

 

[Wiggles8012]

For the people noticing higher step counts, check the "My Phone" section in the health app (this might only be for Windows Phone users). The update seems to have broken the phone motion data collection settings. I always had this turned off previously but the update turned it back on and the settings page is broken and doesn't let you disable it.

 

[VFC]

For the people noticing higher step counts, check the "My Phone" section in the health app (this might only be for Windows Phone users). The update seems to have broken the phone motion data collection settings. I always had this turned off previously but the update turned it back on and the settings page is broken and doesn't let you disable it.

I have a Samsung S5. The phone Motion setting is still disabled.

 

[indiW]

I am almost certain that steps count sensitivity has gone up.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[ajj3085]

I love the band but right now the overall battery life is killing me. I can't seem to get through a full day before it starts warning of low battery and eventually shutting off (that's with rotate mode, and typically about 30 minutes of exercise time per day).

I keep the watch feature off all the time; I found it was turning on the screen even when I wasn't turning my arm to look at it. I also keep GPS off unless i'm actually going walking outside (instead of the usual treadmill). I never get low battery warnings; I charge once per day (while I'm in the shower and eating breakfast) and it typically never goes below 30% for me and I'm not charging to 100%, usually 80-90. Most days I work out for just over an hour, but other days I have two workouts totaling almost two hours. So, try turning off the watch feature and just push the button if you want to turn the screen on.

The one time I had the battery indicator I forgot to charge it like normal on my rest day, so that would been about 48 hours between charges.

 

[indiW]

Almost same here.. I routinely change it whilst I am watching TV or if at work then during desk work.. I.e using the computer.

I am very happy with battery life and it had never given me any troubles.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Nate Silver]

My observations so far: Step sensitivity has definitely been tweaked, and is now registering 'a lot' more steps (*see below). It appears that the hr algorithm has also been changed, or sensor sensitivity has been decreased, though this is based only on one workout. At any rate, today for the first time, I did not see the ridiculously high peak during the first few minutes of the workout. However, also for the first time, it seemed to struggle a bit to read as high as my chest strap, averaging a few bpm lower. Early days, but I'm encouraged that at least it seems possible to adjust it through software, whether or not they have actually hit the 'sweet spot' yet.

*'Wiggles' is on to something with step count. Although the health app is showing motion count as being disabled, when I checked settings in my phone, motion data was now enabled, so I disabled it. Gonna have to keep an eye on that.

 

[anon(8555314)]

My steps were up about 30% yesterday for a day with similar activity level. Can someone please explain how to turn off motion tracking in windows phone?

I am very excited to see MS listening to customers, as I had provided feedback to MS requesting a battery-saving GPS mode for longer activities, as well as partnering with Withings and other Smart Scales for weight tracking. Manual entry is a good first step. Hopefully with that baked into the ecosystem it makes it easier to add a connected scale in the not-to-distant future.

 

[Wiggles8012]

My observations so far: Step sensitivity has definitely been tweaked, and is now registering 'a lot' more steps (*see below). It appears that the hr algorithm has also been changed, or sensor sensitivity has been decreased, though this is based only on one workout. At any rate, today for the first time, I did not see the ridiculously high peak during the first few minutes of the workout. However, also for the first time, it seemed to struggle a bit to read as high as my chest strap, averaging a few bpm lower. Early days, but I'm encouraged that at least it seems possible to adjust it through software, whether or not they have actually hit the 'sweet spot' yet.

*'Wiggles' is on to something with step count. Although the health app is showing motion count as being disabled, when I checked settings in my phone, motion data was now enabled, so I disabled it. Gonna have to keep an eye on that.

Can you share a screenshot of motion count being disabled in the Health app? I cannot turn it off after the firmware update (tapping on "enabled" does nothing). I think there is an issue with the Insider .71 Windows 10 Mobile OS build and the new band firmware/health app version.

 

[DroidUser42]

I saw the expected behavior on the GPS power saving mode, which was a bit less accuracy due to lower sampling. It was a 3-mile run which was not entirely straight but not particularly twisty either. Mostly straight. It reported low by about 10%, essentially "rounding errors". It would be interesting if the band could add a percentage to try to guess more accurately (but that would likely require some analysis on the sampled data, trying to determine how straight the path is).

I'm not sure how it could do that. I image the error is because the GPS didn't fully track the curves in the road and shows you as "cutting corners". Unless the motion sensors that pick up the direction change and bring up the GPS for the corners (much like how Smart beaconing in APRS works), I don't see how that could be made to work.

The only other way I can think of is if the backend takes the known position reports and assumes you're on a known road or trail and fixes the route. (Much like the Lock on Road function in automotive GPS units.)

 

[Nate Silver]

Here you go. As I said, its weird because the app was showing disabled, but yet the phone showed enabled, with Microsoft Health being the app using it. I had to disable it in the phone settings. This is a Lumia Icon, btw.

 

[Nate Silver]

David, go to 'settings' and search 'motion'. I think its under the 'privacy' heading. From there you can disable it.

 

[anon(9173271)]

No iOS update yet anyone else seeing it?

 

[gwinegarden]

David, go to 'settings' and search 'motion'. I think its under the 'privacy' heading. From there you can disable it.

I don't have motion detection on my 920, but I am wondering. If you have a band and have motion detection, on your phone, isn't the going to skew the results a whole lot?

 

[DroidUser42]

This is a Lumia Icon, btw.

Oh, ok. I guess it's a Windows thing. I don't think Android has anything to show me what's "attached' to the internal motion detectors.

 

[indylux]

I am having the same issue (Band 2 and 950 XL). Is your phone on the latest preview build (10.0.10586.71)?

On Monday I updated my phone to .71 and that fixed a lot of issues with the band, including the keyboard text reply started working and cortana voice prompts started working. Then on Tuesday I updated the Health app and Band 2 firmware and now I am getting the sync issue and the keyboard/cortana are no longer working again.

My guess is going to be that they didn't test this new firmware against the Windows 10 preview build.

Same issue here. 950XL (W10M) and Band 2. Have had problems with the text keyboard, cortana, connectivity issues for some time now. Sometimes, uninstalling the app and reinstalling it fixes the issue, but it's always temporary. Was really hoping the updates would solve this. I had my hopes up after the install, but as before, the features are broken again. Band 2 is not yet fully compatible with W10M from what I can tell. Really hoping they fix this soon. I hate bugs like this. Especially when they take months to fix.

 

[anton267]

Health App stopped working for me since the upgrade. The message displayed is "We couldn't load the data. Please try again later." I have tried uninstalling/reinstalling, disabling/enabling motion settings under My Phone. Nothing...

 

[poit57]

Apparently, I just got the app update on my Lumia 640 XL last night after I went to bed. When it tried to push the firmware to my Band this morning, it kept saying it couldn't find the Band at step 2/7 (Restarting the Band). Power cycling the Band didn't help, and neither did disconnecting and reconnecting to the phone via Bluetooth. Finally, I had to power cycle the phone in order for the phone to successfully complete the Band's firmware update.

 

[Captain_Eric]

Here you go. As I said, its weird because the app was showing disabled, but yet the phone showed enabled, with Microsoft Health being the app using it. I had to disable it in the phone settings. This is a Lumia Icon, btw.
View attachment 121788

Hey Nate, I'm curious why you are turning this feature off. Isn't it just intended to, as it says, fill in the blanks when the Band 2 is off. In fact, I was confused as to why my step count was greater in the phone Microsoft Health app than on my Band 2; I concluded the (small) difference was steps my phone counted while my Band charged, a good thing.

 

[Captain_Eric]

Confused: While golfing today, I used the "running" tile with new GPS Power Saver on for the first time. It showed we walked 2.7 miles for nine-holes when I know it's closer to 2.1 miles. I didn't expect to see more miles, but fewer. I thought, by definition, fewer GPS sample point meant lower total distance on a zig-zaggy course. Anyone?