Apple Watch May Display Incorrect Altitude Readings in Unusual Weather Conditions
The Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE may give incorrect altitude readings in unusual weather conditions, as noted by iphone-ticker.de.
The Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE feature a next-generation always-on altimeter to provide real-time elevation information. Apple says that its updated altimeter cross-references information from GPS and nearby Wi-Fi networks to detect even the smallest changes in elevation above ground level, up and down to the measurement of 1 foot.
However, a large number of Apple Watch users in Germany have been receiving altitude readings that were incorrect by a wide margin. Many users reported that their altitude was calculated 200 to 300 meters too high, despite the fact that affected devices had worked correctly in the past.
Users on Apple's German support forums found that a period of low air pressure was causing the Apple Watch's altimeter to give incorrect altitude readings. While it is normal for changes in air pressure to affect barometric altimeters, the problem is usually dealt with by regular recalibrations to the current air pressure value at sea level. However, Apple does not allow users to manually prompt altimeter recalibration, and it is unknown how often the Apple Watch automatically recalibrates itself.
Affected users should still receive correct information when tracking a workout such as a hike, since the Apple Watch records altitude relative to the start point. Nevertheless, it is not clear why some Apple Watches are not using GPS information to link barometric measurements to location. This would allow the Apple Watch to identify when there are fronts of weather that significantly affect air pressure and then prompt altimeter recalibration.
Some users in Germany are reporting that they are still receiving disproportionately incorrect readings, while others have found that the only way to prompt altimeter recalibration was to factory-reset their Apple Watch and iPhone.
Popular Stories
iOS 18 is expected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more...
Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of...
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...
Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details. iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app. The emulator rose to the top of the App Store charts following its release this weekend,...
Last September, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far. The Action button replaces the switch ...
A week after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators, a Game Boy emulator for the iPhone called iGBA has appeared in the App Store worldwide. The emulator is already one of the top free apps on the App Store charts. It was not entirely clear if Apple would allow emulators to work with all and any games, but iGBA is able to load any Game Boy ROMs that...
Top Rated Comments
This is a 'dog bites man' story, IMO. Someone upset that it's inaccurate really needs to be better informed how it works. *shrug*
Also plane altimeters are adjustable to compensate for local changes in atmospheric pressures. Imaagine taking off in stormy rainy low pressure areas like London England, and flying to the notoriously high pressure dominated Caribbean.