explore prefer device location

what does the prefer device location setting in the maps do, when paired to my device and during an activity , it shows a bluetooth symbol , but the arrow does not move when on .

if i turn it off the bluetooth symbol disappears , but there is a blue circle around the arrow , this dissapears when sync current activity is off.

do any of these settings allow the use of location from the gps device rather than phone location , for saving battery on phone and providing more accurate location tracking

Top Replies

Garmin-Leslie 8 months ago +2 verified

The prefer device location option is a newer feature to the application. This feature allows you to utilize the devices location while a current activity is in progress. This puts the phones gps aside…

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0 Like2Hike over 1 year ago

If the arrow does not move when on, ensure that you are recording your activity's data.

0 Garmin-Leslie over 1 year ago

Hello nellythornton, What you are talking about is correct with the sync current activity option Using Current Activity on the Garmin Explore App. With this feature though, phone location services will be used and must be turned on. The explore mobile app does not utilize the device gps when using this feature.

0 nellythornton over 1 year ago in reply to Garmin-Leslie

So what does the prefer device location option actually do , i can see the arrow follows my location if an activity is started as per the previous reply .

0 Garmin-Leslie over 1 year ago in reply to nellythornton

I'm not exactly sure what you are referring to. Can you provide a screenshot of what you are referring to?

0 nellythornton over 1 year ago in reply to Garmin-Leslie

in map settings , under location on map, there is a switch called prefer device location

0 Garmin-Leslie 11 months ago in reply to nellythornton

This is where you can choose whether it is using your device (inReach) for location or your phone location to gather the data during an activity.

0 Like2Hike 9 months ago in reply to nellythornton

I had the same problem. I had to do a complete reboot of my GPSMAP 66i to get it to work correctly. This wipes out all of your device's saved data, so make sure this is something you want to do.

Now that it's working, with the prefer device switch on, the map page uses my 66i. With that switch off, it uses the phone's GPS.

+1 Garmin-Leslie 8 months ago

The prefer device location option is a newer feature to the application. This feature allows you to utilize the devices location while a current activity is in progress. This puts the phones gps aside and pulls from the device gps while using it.

0 marcossaad_ 7 months ago

Dummy question:

why having the “navigation” on both devices? For sure the total battery consumption will be higher.

I use a watch so sometimes I open Explore to have a big picture and to be able to see other colored tracks I have saved as options.

Am I missing something?

tks

0 marcossaad_ 7 months ago in reply to marcossaad_

After starting using GE in conjunction with the watch I'm facing a HUGE problem: on the watch the map page becomes nor Track UP nor North UP. a completely mess!

I'm used to Track Up but it only gets back to that after closing GE app and soft reset the watch!

Problem is that even if you are not navigating a course some how the watch interferes with the app and vice versa.

Let's say you turn the mobile to the right or left but not the watch, the map or the triangulo on the GE app doesn't move as it should. I have to kill BT connection in order to GE app to get back to work ... but the watch doesn't get back to work until a soft reset...