Your Anio Smartwatch uses GPS and Wi-Fi for location tracking.
GPS only works reliably outdoors, as satellite signals are greatly weakened inside buildings. Factors such as tall buildings, forests, weather, technical disruptions, or the number of visible satellites can additionally affect location tracking. Although we use advanced technologies to filter out these interference factors as best as possible, such influences can never be completely avoided technically.
The Wi-Fi location requires at least three surrounding networks. If their location data is outdated, an inaccurate position may be temporarily displayed – however, this data usually updates automatically within a few days.
❗Important note on location intervals and battery life (Anio 6)❗
Frequent location tracking during school route times with an interval of one minute or Explorer mode with an interval of five minutes heavily drains the battery. Therefore, these short location intervals can only be activated for a maximum of one hour at a time. Additionally, long or frequent phone calls also significantly reduce battery life, as they consume a lot of energy.
Under optimal conditions (good mobile reception, standby operation without further use), the following reference values apply:
Location interval 5 minutes → up to 24 hours battery life
Location interval 60 minutes → up to 48 hours battery life
Please note: Actual battery life may vary depending on network quality. For example, customers report shorter battery life in the 1&1 network than in the Telekom network.
Do you have a problem with location tracking?
Here you will find the reasons and solutions.
First, you need to check if your watch can send the location data to your app.
-
Take the watch in hand
-
Tap on the "bell" icon in the app - If your watch is connected to the internet, it will ring within the next 2 minutes.
Your watch is connected to the app but does not send location data to your watch. For an explanation or solution, please continue reading the tab "My watch does not track its location reliably".
Apparently, your watch currently has
no stable internet connection.
Without internet, however, the watch
cannot send data to the app,
including location information. In such cases, GPS or Wi-Fi location
still works on the watch itself, but the position cannot be transmitted
to your smartphone.
If your watch cannot locate itself, this is usually due to the following reasons.
As with all smartwatches, Anio watches have smaller antennas than conventional smartphones due to their compact design.
They are also designed to be worn on the body, and their design requires stricter guidelines regarding electromagnetic radiation. Therefore, it can happen that a smartphone receives adequate network and/or GPS signals while the watch does not.
Your watch can locate itself via
GPS satellites or
Wi-Fi networks.
GPS:
Indoors, in tunnels, or between tall buildings, the GPS signal can become
significantly weaker or fail completely. For accurate positioning, the
watch should therefore be outdoors, ideally with a clear view of the
sky. Please place the watch outside and update the location again.
Wi-Fi:
If at least three different Wi-Fi networks are nearby, the watch can
also determine its location via Wi-Fi. If there are too few networks
or the location data is outdated, the display can be inaccurate or temporarily
not possible. Note that device Wi-Fi such as from printers or speakers
cannot be used for location tracking.
If the watch still does not show a position, try updating the location in several outdoor spots. Restarting or resetting the watch can also help restore the network connection and renew location tracking.
Why does GPS location sometimes show an inaccurate position?
Sometimes it can happen that the location shown in the app does not exactly match the actual location. This can be unsettling at first but is completely normal and not an indication that the watch or GPS is defective. Small deviations are unfortunately part of how GPS technology works and do not, mean that the watch cannot be located in an emergency.
Which factors influence accuracy?
1. Number of visible GPS satellites
The watch calculates its position by receiving signals from multiple satellites. At least four satellites are needed, but the more available, the more accurate the location. Since satellites are constantly moving, the number of "visible" satellites can vary slightly from minute to minute, affecting accuracy. The Anio automatically connects to all satellites it can reach.
2. Environmental factors and shading
GPS signals are very weak because they come from a great distance. On their way to the Earth's surface, they can easily be blocked, reflected, or weakened.
Typical situations where GPS location works worse:
-
Indoors
– Buildings strongly dampen the signal -
Tunnels, underground, parking garages
– Usually no GPS reception here -
Vehicles (car, bus, train)
– Metal bodies act like a shield against GPS signals
– Movement can additionally cause small inaccuracies -
Tall buildings
– Signals are reflected between facades and thus become inaccurate -
Covered areas
– Balconies, terraces, roofs, and canopies deflect the signal -
Bad weather
– Dense clouds, snow, or heavy rain can slightly weaken the signals -
Dense forests
– Tree canopies block or scatter the GPS signal -
Electronic interference sources
– Strong radio signals, industrial plants, large power lines can affect accuracy
When GPS works well
-
under open sky
-
without tall obstacles
-
with multiple satellites simultaneously
If the watch receives the satellite signal only weakly or catches a reflected signal, an incorrect position may be displayed temporarily.
Example: If the watch is lying on a window at night, a signal deflected by the roof or glass can cause a temporary mislocation.
Tip for the night
urn off the Anio while charging, preferably
off
(via the app:
left side menu > Devices).
This prevents deflected GPS signals from causing incorrect positions
at night.
As described above, our server uses a Google interface to determine indoor position. Google's data is very up to date. Nevertheless, for example, if a Wi-Fi router is relocated (moving from city A to city B), it may take a few days for the wrong location (in another city) to be displayed. However, Google updates this data within a few days, so the problem usually resolves itself.