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My wife and I both have a 5s. Last week, while hiking in the fells, often walking side by side and in step, we found that the 'Step Count' in the Health App>Activity usually varied by up to a third between us. Sometimes she had most steps and sometimes me. We're talking in the 15 - 20,000 area. Unfortunately I didn't have my watch with me (see recent - embarrassing - post), for I know that it is quite accurate in step counting.

A difference of up to a third in step counting between two phones suggests that the accuracy of the phone's step counter is not even in a useful ball park. This isn't a case of 'distance travelled' when the length of the step might be relevant.

Any suggestions regarding this facility?

Thanks,

Lorimer

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Mid '09 MacBook Pro 2.66ghz, 500gb SSD; OS 10.10.4; 11" MacBook Air 128gb;1 TB Time Capsule; iPhone 5s, 64gb; 13" 2012 MBA

Pedometers are just a ballpark, as you say. The best ones are probably the wrist worn ones as in Apple Watch or Garmin/Fitbit types rather than a smartphone. It depends how a step is defined by the accelerometer.

I've used the Health app as well as Withings HealthMate app & Moves app on my iPhone 6s. I also use a Misfit Shine 2 to track my steps. At the end of the day, none of them match. Considering the first three use the same device, it makes no sense. The Misfit tracker is normally in a different pocket.

The Withings app supposedly uses the Health app to measure steps but they rarely match in the count. The (US iTunes store) says "Moves has been designed to use GPS and other sensors sparingly. The app relies mostly on acceleration data, cell tower and Wi-Fi locations." Usually the Moves apps reads lower than the others but not always. I've found the Misfit Shine 2 tracker to be closest to my actual steps but counting steps.

My girlfriend often does more steps than me, but then she is 30cm shorter than me...

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Mrs B does a lot more steps than I do, but she is 6" shorter, plus I take quite long steps. I did a check count with my iPhone, and for 1000 steps, the iPhone registered 1079.

With regards to distance, with my actual height entered, it was quite a way out, possibly due to my step length. I adjusted my 5' 11" down to 5' 6" to get the distance more or less right.

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Home: PPC Mac Mini, 10.4.11, Intel Mac Mini 10.6.8, MacBook Pro(mid 2012): 12Gb, 10.14.6, White MacBook 10.8.4
iPhone 5S, iOS 11.3 Vodafone PAYG

The simple answer is that not all steps get registered by the iPhone or Watch.

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I'm never wrong, I'm just less right on occasions.

I thought that you may find this article interesting.

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I'm never wrong, I'm just less right on occasions.

Jonah,

It looks brilliant. I've just installed it and look forward to seeing how it progresses. I particularly like the availability of the Complication so a glance at the watch screen shows what's been happening.

Many thanks,

Lorimer

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Mid '09 MacBook Pro 2.66ghz, 500gb SSD; OS 10.10.4; 11" MacBook Air 128gb;1 TB Time Capsule; iPhone 5s, 64gb; 13" 2012 MBA

I've been using Pedometer++ for three years. It's a really useful app, made even more so with the Watch complication.

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I'm never wrong, I'm just less right on occasions.