The logic behind default GPS mode settings in different sports modes

[Brad_Olwin]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel That is strange, I have a 5 and have never had this happen. The 5 does not have FusedTrack as it has no compass. Not worth using Endurance mode as your tracks will be horrible. Endurance is a last resort when you are out and your battery is about to die, that is the only time I have used it on my S5 aside from testing.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@Brad_Olwin I know, weird that it’s even included. Especially if it doesn’t switch to performance on navigation screens - that would make it somewhat useful for longer but slow moving trips where 1s refresh isn’t necessary but navigation is still useful.

[Brad_Olwin]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel Yes that one you mentioned would be a great feature but I think the mode was added for two reasons, first an emergency battery mode and second for a long hike or backpacking where you are not overly concerned with the accuracy of a track. I think for the intended user, very few would need more than 25h of continuous tracking. I like that the watch is small, if it had a barometer I would use it instead of my S9 and use the S9 only when I needed more than 24h of tracking. Alas, no barometer and the elevation data on the 5 is not good enough for my needs.

[Mff73]

@Brad_Olwin
When S5 will exist with a baro, my wife will have one in the next day

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

I can live without baro but lack of compass is a bummer. Agreed that more than 20 hours of gps time for a watch that isn’t designed for ultra runners is an overkill rather than a necessary feature.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

It seems that it was a bug. After removing the preset and creating new from scratch it defaults to high quality GPS mode on every start.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

I think there’s more into it:

So I’ve removed custom workout from watch and created a new one. After that, watch defaults to performance GPS mode.

It worked as expected until I started a workout with custom GPS mode with GPS accuracy set to good (in S5 it’s between best and worst, not available from top right button).

After finishing the workout and saving it, it now defaults to endurance GPS mode (not even the custom mode I’ve created but endurance).

Steps to reproduce:

1. Create custom workout mode (ie. walking)
2. Enter workout screen, it should default to performance GPS mode
3. Go into workout settings prior to starting
4. Go to GPS settings and set GPS accuracy to good (worse than best)
5. Start the workout, finish it normally, save
6. Enter workout screen, it should default to endurance GPS mode instead of performance (entering workout settings confirms that it’s endurance mode, not previously customised one).

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

Ok so there’s even more

7. Go into workout settings after it defaults to endurance GPS mode
8. Go into GPS mode personalisation
9. Set it to custom
10. Set GPS quality to best
11. Exit the workout screen without starting the workout
12. Enter the workout screen again - it defaults to performance GPS mode again

So it seems that S5 goes bonkers if user sets custom GPS mode with GPS accuracy that is in between best and worst as it can’t default to it.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

Can anyone with S5 confirm this behavior? @Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos, do you think it’s by design for some strange reason or a bug indeed?

[Brad_Olwin]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel I will check when I get home.

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel said in The logic behind default GPS mode settings in different sports modes:

I think there’s more into it:

So I’ve removed custom workout from watch and created a new one. After that, watch defaults to performance GPS mode.

It worked as expected until I started a workout with custom GPS mode with GPS accuracy set to good (in S5 it’s between best and worst, not available from top right button).

After finishing the workout and saving it, it now defaults to endurance GPS mode (not even the custom mode I’ve created but endurance).

Steps to reproduce:

1. Create custom workout mode (ie. walking)
2. Enter workout screen, it should default to performance GPS mode
3. Go into workout settings prior to starting
4. Go to GPS settings and set GPS accuracy to good (worse than best)
5. Start the workout, finish it normally, save
6. Enter workout screen, it should default to endurance GPS mode instead of performance (entering workout settings confirms that it’s endurance mode, not previously customised one).

That is correct because you didn’t change the mode. You need to change it by selecting it

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos I don’t get it. Could you be more specific? Shouldn’t watch default to last preset as with other settings (feeling, auto lap, etc.) instead of forcing endurance mode?

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel Ok I think I get it. IT’s a custom mode? What color does it show ?

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos it’s blue after it’s configured at first. The second time it defaults to endurance (orange). However, if you once again enter deep GPS settings, it’ll want to apply last configuration. So the settings are saved - the only problem is that the watch can’t default to custom - only endurance or performance.

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel Got it so:

Once the GPS settings are fiddled with then the battery mode won’t default to any other selection. Right ?

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos it seems so.

I don’t know if it happens whenever GPS settings are customised in any way or only when you choose the “good” GPS quality which is impossible to get by default (by cycling top right button), so the watch goes bananas and defaults to endurance. Or just S5 can’t default to “blue”, only “green” or “orange”.

I can test it with other settings though.

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel I just did now with enabling other settings and you are right.

So I had blue -> with custom touch on
Did a fake activity
Started again changed to ORANGE
Did fake activity
Tried to start again -> Expected ORANGE -> GOT blue again

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos weird. Here’s what I have:

Custom - best gps - defaults to performance (which can be fine as gps best with hr on is basically performance)

Custom - good gps - defaults to endurance

Custom - ok gps - defaults to custom with previous settings (the only setting that works as expected, ok gps + hr on)

edit:
swapped endurance / performance.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

Also, you don’t have to start an activity, just set it up, exit and enter workout screen again.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

So basically if you set custom GPS mode to “good”, you’ll be locked with endurance mode (ok gps + no hr) by default.

In order to fix it, you’ll have to navigate to custom settings and set GPS quality to best and apply custom settings. Only then will the training default to endurance.

What’s interesting is that when you’re locked with this “good gps bug”, it won’t fix after navigating to gps settings and setting endurance from default presets - you must go to custom and set best gps quality. Only then will it restart (it’ll go blue and green next time).