System update – PXDZ.201119.005.A1

[brotzfrog10]

@Aleksander-H that is a good call out. If the sunnto app can’t run on the main processor therefore eliminating Bluetooth sensor support then it essentially is what it is and sounds like there’s no way to upgrade the unit without a new watch being released. (Assuming the smaller processor just can’t connect to sensors). If it’s just a may drain the battery faster if used issue, again let the consumer decide how they want to use the watch. It’s like with Suuntos fusedtrack. The option is there to extend battery life but if all that mattered was more battery sunnto would just eliminate all other GPS sampling options and only have fusedtrack as the available option. Sunnto doesn’t do that for obvious reasons and leaves it up to the consumer to decide which is more important extended battery life or accuracy.

[Aleksander H]

@brotzfrog10 said in System update – PXDZ.201119.005.A1:

@Aleksander-H that is a good call out.

Wasn’t really trying to call out anything. It was meant mostly as an observation of how impressive the work they’ve done is. As for the porting my question was more about porting to future chipsets such as the 4100 and whatever else the future brings.

If the sunnto app can’t run on the main processor therefore eliminating Bluetooth sensor support then it essentially is what it is and sounds like there’s no way to upgrade the unit without a new watch being released.

Well, the map/navigation is part of the suunto app, and apparently is running on the regular processor.

[brotzfrog10]

@isazi so what a second it moves away from the co processor when using maps which would be realistically only used for longer duration activities right? That’s just my opinion from how I use maps on my own watch. I’ve never used maps for anything under a couple of hours because what would be the point otherwise. So essentially the longest duration activity type is moved away from the power efficient processor to the more energy draining processor. The one activity that longer battery life would benefit is moved to the part of the watch that drains the battery faster. Assuming I’m correct in this can you see how that logic doesn’t make sense? Especially in logic of the the earlier statement saying suuntos training app was built on the smaller co processor to save battery and hence is a possible reason why Bluetooth sensor connectivity isn’t possible.

[Aleksander H]

@brotzfrog10 said in System update – PXDZ.201119.005.A1:

@isazi So essentially the longest duration activity type is moved away from the power efficient processor to the more energy draining processor. The one activity that longer battery life would benefit is moved to the part of the watch that drains the battery faster.

I assume the whole point of showing a white arrow on a black background after a few seconds is to allow the app to return to the low power processor. So you’d only be using the regular processor when actively looking at the map.

[Fenr1r]

@brotzfrog10 The idea here, I think, is actually the same Suunto philosophy that carries over from the other Sx, which switch to highest GPS accuracy when using the “map” screens.

The point/intended use of the maps is NOT to use them continuously if you are in any mood to preserve battery life. You are supposed to get a quick and extremely accurate visual fix and go back to the stats screens.

Just like a paper map which is glanced at only occasionally rather than being held up in view for those longer duration activities.

[isazi]

@brotzfrog10 you’re just a troll, I will not waste any more time in replying to you sir.

[brotzfrog10]

@isazi that’s fine and I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m trying to figure out the choice to not allow sensor support. If it’s truly a implementation of the way the sunnto app is loaded on the co processor and the co processor doesn’t have the ability to connect to Bluetooth sensors because of not having the power to do so, then the reason for not having it at least makes some sense. If sunnto said we are going to run our app on the smaller less power hungry co processor so our gps activities can last a similar length to other non WearOs watches then I get it. At least the choice makes sense.

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

relax guys Lets focus here on the “update” thread. Issues etc. …

Lets open a new one for the “future” of S7 or something

[Aleksander H]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos haha, sorry about that. I’m just to fascinated by the technical details of the S7 .

On another note, I got my update an hour ago. No tapping required! Set up a route with waypoints for some geocaches in the woods where I live to try out the new features. Unfortunately I won’t be able to do so before the weekend. Always pitch black outside after work. Not much fun looking for geocaches in the dark.

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@Aleksander-H more lucky than me that since dec (and sept start) I am fighting with an infection. You have something look forward, I just hope

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos stay strong! Chronic infections be damned.

I’m lurking here to see some images of how does the updated navigation interface look like in S7. Can anyone share something?

S7 looks like a very promising direction for Suunto and the sports and weareables market. Perhaps in coming years watches like S5 and S9 will become a niche and more specialised while smartwatches like S7 will get as useful (battery wise, connectivity) as current generation of dedicated sports watches with an added benefit of full color, hi-res screen and OS.

[Randy Penn]

@iTomB said in System update – PXDZ.201119.005.A1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39l0vHQ112I
in spanish…

From higher up in the thread. In Spanish, but you can turn on autotranslate. The video does a good job of showing exactly what you’re looking for.

[Jamie BG]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos i think that initially you may have been correct, but I think that the market has significantly shifted over the last year, and that the changes that have been made to the S7 (route navigation, always on tracking screen, extended tracking battery life, imporvements to companion phone app) have put it in a unique position that it could just cover that niche, if a couple of changes (sleep tracking, 24/7HR, external bluetooth connection, interval training/multi sport) were made to include the missing pieces.

And lets face it, those changes are software related - they will not impact the wear os enthusiastis (who you are unlikely to get due to price point - they have no interest in fitness features and why pay more; they are more interested in health features, so sleep tracking and adjustable 24/7HR would assist in these sales) and soccer moms (due to size of watch and missing health features like period tracking, weight tracking, sleep, 24/7HR, water drinking etc) - they will still have the same watch - however those people looking for a full smartwatch and a full fitness watch - bingo - we have lift off. And I think there are loads of people like that - you just have to look at sales of Vivoactive / Venu / Polar and Coros and potentially even the Fenix range. And yes I know its possible to get a lot of these via additional apps - but who really wants to use multiple apps to track all this data - we all want it one app (part of the reason why Garmin sells so many fitness watches and Apple does so well on the smart watch front).

I think that you are unlikely to sway most Apple users (loose too many features), however you would probably get those that use an Apple Watch and a fitness watch - as a S7/suunto companion app with those features could be a viable alternative.

[Jamie BG]

@brotzfrog10 Absolutely agree with you. My sister has tiny wrists, and has just picked up the Garmin vivoactive 4s - she looked at the suunto, like it but could never wear it on her wrist.
On the wear os forurms quite a few men even have issues with the size of the S7 - personally I love it, but have then always worn 20bar watches, which by nature are big and heavy, so I am used to it, and loving how light the S7 is. But I do think women look at the size and it isn’t a first choice for them due to size.

[Nigel Taylor 0]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos said in System update – PXDZ.201119.005.A1:

Route direction: Highlights the route ahead, helping you to anticipate the upcoming turns and know which direction to take
• Show custom waypoint names
• At waypoint notification

Tried this tonight (also my first activity with S7, although I have lots of experience approx 2000km running per year with Garmin, Coros, Apple and an old Suunto).

All worked as expected/hoped…notification and custom name display 50metres or so before the waypoint, then at the waypoint, swiftly followed a few seconds later with details of next waypoint (giving that “direction change upcoming in 600metres” awareness).

I imported a route from plotaroute.com, added a ton of waypoints, (25 in just an 8k local circuit!), just as a test at every junction etc…was very easy to follow, to the extent that I only looked at the map a couple of times just to see what the map looked like more than any actual need.

I did miss a couple of lap notifications that were cut short by directions popping up, but adding the lap chart screen (that I didn’t bother with initially) back in to the activity customisation is a cure for that I guess…and I’d rather miss an autolap than a direction/POI notification.

Looking forward to testing this out a bit more…I didn’t go off route intentionally or otherwise, but assuming there is alerting for that, my day 1 is very impressive so far (having known the limitations and taking this watch at face value for what it is) in terms of thinking “I can plot a route somewhere new, set off running and not get lost or have to stop every 10mins to check phone/map”.

No comments on battery life with the new update yet…was pretty poor today (extrapolated to “touch and go for a marathon”), but putting that down to 1st day syndrome at the moment (and 25 sets of 3 x beeps and vibrations on top of 8 x lap notification beeps and vibrations!)…needs a bit more testing (and let’s see what “good” mode adds too).

The one oddity is having enabled flight mode for the run things didn’t seem to quickly connect back up post run, had to kill the phone app, or maybe just wait a bit.

Oh yeah…also had annoying Google Fit “completed heart points” and something else mid run, but that’s all disabled now ‍️

[olymay]

@Nigel-Taylor-0 Great work! Thanks for the info

I have a couple of questions if I may. How did yo add in your waypoints? Did you add them initially in plotaroute, or in Suunto after you had imported the route?

And how did you disable the Google Fit ‘completed heart points’ notifications? These annoy me when running and I would also like to disable them.

Don’t judge the battery just yet, if you only recently got the watch then it can usually take WearOS up to a week to fully optimise the battery for how you use it (apologies if you already know this).

This update does look to be pretty great already - I will give it a try on my run on Thursday (sadly for me it only downloaded two hours after my run yesterday).

[Aleksander H]

I might be mistaken, but this update also includes a security patch for Wear OS. I seem to remember I used to have the September 2020 security patch, but I now seem to be on November 2020.

[JorgeFD]

no update for me at the moment

[olymay]

@Aleksander-H you are correct! Prior to the update I was on September and now I am on November.

It’s nice to get the update, but I wish watches were updated like phones were (my Pixel gets a security update within the first few days of each month). I assume Google are the main ones to fault here, but manufacturers aren’t blameless.
It does look like Suunto are one of, if not THE best at providing security and feature updates though

[Aleksander H]

@olymay said in System update – PXDZ.201119.005.A1:

It does look like Suunto are one of, if not THE best at providing security and feature updates though

Agree. It’s one of the things I love most about the S7.