Apple iWatch 4 and GPS app?

[Deleted member 43985]

I'm considering using my Apple iWatch with a stand alone GPS app, WorkoutDoors. It seems to have everything you could find in a GPS app for a phone and can download free Openstreetmap maps for anywhere around the world, and can import GPX tracks if so needed.

Has anyone else tried this successfully (or unsuccessfully)??

 

[MikeJS]

Not tried it but sounds like a great idea. Can the watch show any app that is on the phone i.e. a wise pilgrim app? How long with the watch battery last? Will it still draw on the phone’s battery?

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Not tried it but sounds like a great idea. Can the watch show any app that is on the phone i.e. a wise pilgrim app? How long with the watch battery last? Will it still draw on the phone’s battery?

In general terms, only apps with an Apple Watch module will work on the watch. I also have MotionX-GPS on my watch but it relies on the iPhone so not my first option as I would like to keep phone turned off during the day so I can be fully 'disconnected'.

There are numerous hiking/running/walking apps available for the iWatch but what I like about this one (not fully tested so still hypothetical) is that it does not rely on a phone to work. You can download maps as needed for offline use and since the iWatch 4 has built in GPS it is fully independent. The $64,000 question is what you asked: How long will the battery last? Since I wouldn't be recording my track I imagine one could simply turn off the app when not needed but when needed simply turn it on, see where you are and where you need to go and then turn it off again, thus saving lots of watch battery power. If one wanted to record daily distances, altitudes, etc you would need to keep watch on but not sure how long charge will last in that case. I will start testing to see but so far on my short outings I've been impressed with maps and accuracy. I will also load a GPX track to test however on CF and CP this really isn't needed. For less well marked routes this would likely be more important.

 

[Darby67]

I’ve used an AW the last two years. First with just the built in Workout app on an AW3 and one issue on a rainy 30km day where the battery was on vapors.

Second year with ViewRanger. I didn’t run into any battery issues, but then it was normally tethered to my iPhone so it was likely doing the GPS work. The longest days I still had 40-50% of battery left in my AW4. You can save power if you turn off the heartbeat sensor as well if those metrics aren’t useful to you.

I haven’t come across many apps that absolutely require the phone but I can comment that not having the phone tethered does use more juice on the watch. The other issue is that without the phone you won’t be able to connect the watch to WiFi unless it is a location that you have in your quiver of locations visited and connected to with your iPhone, etc. previously.

 

[MikeJS]

Is there a simple search to see what app are available for the AW4?

 

[Deleted member 43985]

not having the phone tethered does use more juice on the watch.

Hey Rob - I'm sure this is a fact but I'm kinda trying to break the phone habit Finding a stand-alone watch app that will not over tax the watch battery (great suggestion to turn off heart rate monitor btw), shows the vector maps/track when necessary and captures the basic info (kms walked, altitude change, etc) is really my goal. I'm pretty impressed with the one I mentioned above but need to do some 6-8 hours walks to see how the battery lasts. More to follow!

 

[abraxian]

In general terms, only apps with an Apple Watch module will work on the watch. I also have MotionX-GPS on my watch but it relies on the iPhone so not my first option as I would like to keep phone turned off during the day so I can be fully 'disconnected'.

There are numerous hiking/running/walking apps available for the iWatch but what I like about this one (not fully tested so still hypothetical) is that it does not rely on a phone to work. You can download maps as needed for offline use and since the iWatch 4 has built in GPS it is fully independent. The $64,000 question is what you asked: How long will the battery last? Since I wouldn't be recording my track I imagine one could simply turn off the app when not needed but when needed simply turn it on, see where you are and where you need to go and then turn it off again, thus saving lots of watch battery power. If one wanted to record daily distances, altitudes, etc you would need to keep watch on but not sure how long charge will last in that case. I will start testing to see but so far on my short outings I've been impressed with maps and accuracy. I will also load a GPX track to test however on CF and CP this really isn't needed. For less well marked routes this would likely be more important.

 

[abraxian]

Having walked five Caminos, I would suggest you leave the technology at home and smell the roses.

 

[David Tallan]

Having walked five Caminos, I would suggest you leave the technology at home and smell the roses.

Having done Caminos both with and without technology, I prefer to take some technology (a good smartphone with some apps, for a start) and also smell the roses. I find that one doesn't preclude the other.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Having done Caminos both with and without technology, I prefer to take some technology (a good smartphone with some apps, for a start) and also smell the roses. I find that one doesn't preclude the other.

Dare I tell him that I also carry 9lbs of camera gear?!? (suppose I can photograph the roses as well as smelling them...!)