Having GPS on a fitness tracker is useless [Huawei Band 2 Pro (ERS-B29)]

Various posts that do not fit in any other category
Santeri
Posts: 287
Joined: 2017-7-5 09:58

Unread post by Santeri » 2021-9-22 12:13

I have been studying Huawei Band 2 Pro (ERS-B29) fitness tracker. It was the cheapest model that comes with built-in GPS. The original idea for having GPS was to have more accurate calculation of distances. This did not happen. Compared to a cheaper, no-brand tracker the amount of steps, calories and distance were almost the same and about 10% wrong. The only tangible benefit the GPS offered was plotting workout routes on a map for sharing them on social media to show-off. The cost of using GPS is a significantly shorter battery life and compromising the security of the mobile phone because the tracker requires an additional permission to access the storage. The app security was already questionable when the app refused to start without internet connection even if the cloud syncing and calling home settings were all disabled. And anyway, you can plot your track without carrying your phone with you because the tracker needs to keep saving your movements to the phone all the time. I am pretty sure there are more secure apps to do that if that is what you want. You don't need a fitness tracker for that.

Pros:
  • enables plotting a map of your route which you can share with your friends
Cons:
  • significantly reduced battery life
  • requires storage access to your device
  • does not improve accuracy of tracking
Image Should I choose a GPS fitness tracker?

When this one breaks, the next tracker will not have GPS.

Should I choose Huawei Band 2 Pro (ERS-B29)?


Probably not, unless you want to compromise the security of your Android device. Google Play has only an old version of Huawei Health app available. To update it, you need to download an update from some other shady website offered by Huawei. Installing apps from unknown sources breaks the security of your device and some more security sensitive apps like online banking apps may stop working because of that.



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