New Galaxy Watch does not count steps

[SweetiePie1982]

Hi! Just got my Galaxy Watch yesterday. And already today it stopped counting steps. It counted a little and then all together quit. I reset it multiple times and after the third time it counted 50 steps and quit again. Any one else is having this issue?

[userUNRvBJodI1]

Agree

[userQTCiXeBGUm]

I've wasted half the day on this. I've reset the the watch multiple times, contacted support, went to Best Buy and had them look at, updated all the software on the phone and the watch, and even exchanged the watch for a new one.  They both have the same problem.  I've walked at least 6000 steps per my other device today, but my watch only shows 87 steps.  It's going back to the store tomorrow.  So frustrating!

[Birdymom]

I've never used a Garmin, but I do like the Samsung Watch.  However, there is a problem with the software.  It doesn't count all of your steps.  I walked around Sam's for 20 minutes, and it only counted 20 steps.   This is not acceptable if you are trying for your 10,000 steps/day.  I have a Gear S2, and it counts everything.

[userrxVHkLlbSw]

Only bought my watch yesterday, following posts on here I've already called O2 and requested a return as replacement would appear to be pointless.  Anyhow, if it helps:

Watch model:  SM-R800

Software:  Tizen 4.0.0.0

Build:  R800XXU1ARH1

Connected to a Galaxy S8+ which is fully updated,  if I swipe left from main screen I still get 'phone steps' which is double the steps I get in Samsung Health which now only reports watch steps.  HR seems to work OK, but doesn't register any floors and only steps once doing a longer walk (nothing to do with vigor).  Use to have a Fitbit HR that worked perfectly, very very disappointed and I guess I now need to go back to Apple (phone too) - pay a bit more and get something that works. Real shame

[djdigitalhi]

Watch model number:

SM-R800NZSAXAR (SM-R800) - Preordered direct from Samsung

Watch baseband / software version:  

R800XXU1BRH3

Tizen Version 4.0.0.0

Knox Version: 2.3.0

Knox Tizen Wearable SDK: 2.3.0

SE for Tizen: 2.0.0

TIMA: 3.0.0

Security Status: TZPF_SM-R800_4.0_0001

Type of phone connected to: 

Galaxy Note 9 Unlocked (SM-N960U1) - Direct from Samsung

Bluetooth or carrier version: 

Bluetooth version

Problems happened from day 1.  Tracking of steps, floors and most of the fitness tracking are all off.  Steps and floors seem way understated (by as much as 50% compared to the Gear S3 Frontier).  Calorie tracking seems a little overstated by about 10% compared to the Gear S3.

[djdigitalhi]

Watch model number:

SM-R800NZSAXAR (SM-R800) - Preordered direct from Samsung

Watch baseband / software version:  

R800XXU1BRH3

Tizen Version 4.0.0.0

Knox Version: 2.3.0

Knox Tizen Wearable SDK: 2.3.0

SE for Tizen: 2.0.0

TIMA: 3.0.0

Security Status: TZPF_SM-R800_4.0_0001

Type of phone connected to: 

Galaxy Note 9 Unlocked (SM-N960U1) - Direct from Samsung

Bluetooth or carrier version: 

Bluetooth version

[Tiede]

TL;DR up front: turn off ALL workout detection gimmicky features and the pedometer should work.



Long winded reply follows:

I too bought the watch just yesterday. From a styling and (let's say) "promising potential" features list, it ticked off quite a few boxes on paper and is almost a no brainer (ignoring the the MST fiasco elephant in the room).



I was quite baffled that an over USD$300 smartwatch could not even accurately count steps.



I found a workaround that does work, however, and it proves the watch is fine from a hardware perspective; Samsung just botched the software somewhere. The current recommendation by the Samsung rep was to disable 2 specific workout detection features. That didn't work for me. But turning off ALL of them did. I also turned off the workout alerts and inactivity alert for good measure and that seems to fix it.

EDIT: What I did observe though is that it will not update the display with each single step until you get at least 20 in. That results in an undercounting where the watch is reporting up to 40%(!!!!) less steps than my s9+.

Samsung, if you're reading this, i find this rather embarrassing for an established tech company. On an iterative update to an existing line, I would have expected better software testing before release... How did this get past QA?

A few questionsi can think of that may help your engineers with identifying the issue:
Are there hooks within Tizen 4.0 that allow the workout detection features to have priority over the simple step counter?
How does the OS handle non responsive threads?
I don't want to assume stupid, but... I/O scheduler?
Or more realistically some type of semaphore/mutex issue?

How did you isolate the issue to those 2 workout detection options you mentioned, and confirm the others should not have an impact? (because for me, it's only working after I turned them all off)

[Ulmesh]

I've lost all faith in Samsung. New watch with steps issue. Phone showed 12000 steps with Google fit but watch shows 2200.  I bought a $200 Huwai honor 7x last week because my S7 edge with T-Mobile is totally fubar since they pushed the Oreo OS update in July. Both T-Mobile and Samsung deny knowing any issues with Oreo but you can read through dozens of manufacturer support forums with there techs repeating the same garbage suggestion to factory reset phone and all will be good. Everyone responds to them that it didn't do a darn thing and just wasted hours of time rebuilding phone to your liking. I know I'm off on a tangent talking about a Samsung phone but it's just showing that Samsung just doesn't seem to give a Damm lately to fix issues that are well documented by loyal and new customers. I never had issues with my phone on the last OS and never had issues with my Samsung S2 classic.  

[Andrei V]

Got the new update, hopefully it will fix the steps issue and the HR which even it is on Always HR it's measuring randomly.

[user88wJqlok4x]

If you are referring to the new SHealth update you will be disapointed, it does nothing to rectify the step count or floor count whilst walking around the house, supermarket etc. I find it hard to believe that Samsung have completely messed up with basic monitoring on the latest Galaxy watches. The GearFit 2, which i'm waring on my other wrist atm doesn't have any problems recording low step counts. Please get the problem sorted Samsung.

Model No...........SM-R810

Software version...........R810XXU1ARH1

Connected to S8

[cdc1]

I tried every suggestion I've read in this thread and beyond.  If no reply from Samsung within some days I will return it also.  It's really unbelievable and unacceptable.  I think you can easily simulate it: eg: walk 5 steps, stop, walk again 5 steps, stop, walk again 5 steps, stop. Check your steps: nothing counted. Walk 20 steps, stop, walk 20 steps: counted.  Walk stairs is also not accurate: sometimes counted, sometimes not.  For such a price inacceptable.  It's also impressive that Samsung does not react and say the truth!