Tag Archives: location services

Enabling Location Services on Your Android

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Make sure you have a direct line to the sky to get satellite readings for GPS / Location services. If you are having trouble with location services (GPS) on Android, some things to try:
 
1. Restart the app (hard close fully, not just background, then re-open).
 
2. Lower the filter quality to weak (Menu > Sensors > GPS > Accuracy Filter set to Weak).
 
3. Try cycling the GPS sensor, off then on. We’ve seen GPS get hung up before and that fixed it. On your phone (on most androids) you can drag notification bar down and see the on/off toggles for wifi/gps/network etc.
 
4. If you are tracking outdoor activity with iCardio or iRunner on your Android, make sure you have location services turned on. To do so:
     a. Go to your Android Settings

      b. Choose “Security & Location”

      c. Make sure all of your location options are turned on

       d. Check the App-level permissions and make sure they are on for the apps

      e. Open the Fitdigits app and tap Menu > Settings > My Sensors and Turn Location on.

5. If you are having trouble acquiring GPS, you might try adjusting the Accuracy Filter to Weak, which will allow the app to read weaker and less accurate readings in satellites and remote areas.

6. To double check GPS permissions, go to Sensors > Add Heart Rate Monitor. The BLE code will force a location services check and let you know if it is not enabled.

7. Start your Fitdigits workout!

Note not all Androids are exactly alike – the screens and areas above may vary. If you have any questions, please contact Customer Support.

Please also check that your location settings are set to High accuracy. Settings > Additional Settings > Privacy > Location > Set to High Accuracy.

Within the app itself, you can allow the app to use less accurate readings by changing the location services setting to Weak. You may find the distance/pace isn’t as accurate but for areas where signal strength is low it can help.

 

Please Disable any Power Saving Mode, Battery Management apps or other 3rd party power/battery managers:

Especially for Samsung users, but also other devices as well. Please check that Samsung Power Savings Mode or other Power saving modes are turned off when exercising and tracking activities if you intend to track while the app is backgrounded. Typically if they are on, they will disable any GPS tracking after a short period if the app is backgrounded.

Samsung: Battery settings > App power saving > Details > iCardio/iRunner etc > Disabled

LG — Settings > Battery & Power saving > Battery usage > Ignore optimizations > turn ON for iCardio/iRunner etc.

Motorola — Battery > Menu (upper right corner) > Battery optimization > Not optimized > All apps > select iCardio/iRunner etc > Don’t optimize.

HTC — Phone settings > Battery > Power Saving Mode > Battery Optimization > select iCardio/iRunner etc > Don’t optimize > Save.

Huawei — Turn Energy Settings to Normal and add iCardio/iRunner etc to “Protected Apps”

Sony Battery > Menu (upper right corner) > Battery optimization > Apps > iCardio/iRunner etc.

 

Enabling Location Services (GPS) on Your iOS Device

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Fitdigits apps use Location Based Services to map your route and can also be used to track pace, speed and distance for outdoor runs and rides. However, these services are of little use if you have not enabled your app to use Location Services on your iOS device.

When you first installed the app, you were prompted to accept the permission for the app to use location services from the device. If you tapped that you would have permissions.

However, sometimes things happen. To see if you have Location Services permissions on within the device, see Enabling Location Services below.

Please also note that if you are inside or in a remote or urban jungle area, Location Services can be difficult to obtain high enough quality to track, for example between buildings the GPS satellite signals sometimes don’t make it through.

Try to make sure you try getting the signal in an open place and not indoors.

If the app can not pick up a signal, you can check the settings. Setting up your app to use Location Services is a two step process.


Enabling Location Services / GPS

1. Tap Settings from your iPhone home screen

2. Tap Privacy > Location Services

3. Locate the app icon > tap While In Use for the app

Enabling Background App Refresh

1. Tap Settings from your iPhone home screen

2. Tap General > Background App Refresh

3. Locate the app icon > tap ON for the app

Now your iPhone will enable Location Services for your app. The next step is making sure that Location Services is turned ON in the app itself:

1. From the app home screen, tap Settings

2. Tap My Sensors

3. Verify that Location is turned ON, and make sure there is no RED text stating Location is not enabled in the device.

Note that location services typically needs access to satellites, trying to run location services inside a building or enclosed space can cause issues or non-responsiveness.

Types of GPS Issues

1. Lost GPS

2. Jumpy / Spiked GPS

3. GPS Drift

Solutions / Suggestions

1. Keep your device in the open, not in deep pockets or packs

2. Watch out for Urban Jungles or Canyons, covered areas with thick foliage

3. Be outside in an open, unobstructed area

4. Force Close any other apps that might be open in the background taking up resources

5. Give the device more time to get a good GPS lock

6. Reboot your Phone. Turn it completely off and on.

7. Hard Reboot your Phone – Sometimes this takes a reboot to the next level – press and hold the Sleep / Wake button and the Home button at the same time for around 10 seconds or more, then release when the apple logo shows.

8. Disable, then re-enable GPS permissions (see above)

9. Make sure Airplane Mode is off. In the device Settings > Airplane Mode. Toggle the switch On and Off

10. Turn off Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi can sometimes decrease GPS accuracy or create network data conflicts.

11. Make sure the Date and Time are set to Automatic in the device settings. Go to device Settings > General > Date & Time and select Automatically

12. Check Network Signal – a poor signal can adversely effect GPS quality and readings

13. Reset Network Settings – sometimes network settings are updated over the air to your device which adversely affects GPS. Note please this one will require re-inputting your wifi and other passwords after completing it. Go to device Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Tap confirm.

14. Make sure the iOS is up to date. Go to device Settings > General > Software Update and make sure you are at the most updated version for your device.

15. Look for battery or memory management apps and adjust settings. Some devices have 3rd party apps like Advanced Task Killer and Juice Defender that can kill the workout in the backgroud. Remove or adjust settings in these apps.

 

If things are still not working, and there is GPS being received on other apps like Google Maps (thus showing there is satellites / location working on the device in the area), one other option is to download one of our other products – click here: iCardio | iRunner | iBiker

Login with the same email / account (you can see what email you used in Settings>Profile), and all your information and purchases will sync with the cloud.

It may just get the right permissions or at least start fresh and do the trick.

More on GPS / Troubleshooting