An annoying issue using Maps on Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

[frozentrone]

I wonder if any has experienced this issue of incorrect compass pointing direction when using Google Maps on the galaxy watch. Basically, if you wear it on the right wrist with the physical buttons pointing away from you, in the map, the compass will be pointing to the opposite direction of the direction you are actually facing. See the example below. I guess that is because I am essentially wearing the watch "upside down" on my right wrist. I hope samsung would be able to fix this issue. It's tiny but it means a lot for a left-handed person like me who prefers wearing the watch on my right wrist with the buttons pointing outwards!

[Piwari]

Late, but you're probably wearing your watch upside down.  The slit between the strap handle on the body should be faced away from your body so the buttons would be faced towards your fingers if you are wearing it on the left wrist.

[frozentrone]

The issue is not on the left wrist but the right. With the buttons facing towards your fingers, the compass would be pointing inwardly rather than outwardly. This issue still persists unfortunately.

[Piwari]

Let me put it this way, whichever arm you choose, the red button should be at the top. 

I'll try to show you an example of my issue because I may have jumped the gun in my frustration looking for a solution.  I changed the layout and arm about 7 months ago to avoid accidently hitting the buttons.  After, something seemed off, but I didn't realize until Wed. what was actually happening. I don't use the GPS that much.   

Right now, I'm sitting in the same position facing 50th, but the "visor " points towards 49th. Yesterday, I was about to post a reddit message blasting Samsung for missing the basics, when it occurred to me, I never actually verified what is the top or bottom of the watch. After I flipped it and changed the button position, that fixed the issue as you see in the 2nd image.  

[frozentrone]

Thanks Piwari. Yes, I know that would fix the issue by having the red button at the top but that arrangement is not very convenient for left handers like me. Ideally, the buttons should be facing towards your fingers regardless of which hand you are wearing it. I think it's just a matter of flipping the compass direction when you change the orientation of the watch and this should be something relatively easy to fix for Samsung or Google, but they have not yet acted on it despite me leaving multiple feedbacks for them. For 90% of people, this would not be an issue as they are right handers. Same can't be said for the remaining 10% left handers...

[Piwari]

Okay. I see what you mean. They should offer an option to switch it.   

[Tschernonoll]

so as a left hand person i feel a little discriminated this issue is keeping me from using the gps feature cause the navigation is not usable. 

So is there an update in this topic?

Who is responsible? is it samsung or is it google? 

[Piwari]

This is an issue on the Ultra 7 as well. The orientation on 3rd party apps never faces north.  Google maps works fine, but their maps do not have enough detail for hiking and it's a battery killer.  I'm not sure what to do.  It's a problem when I hike because I've gotten lost trying to figure out where to go on a backwards map.   I'll probably try resetting the watch, but that is a major inconvenience.   

For you guys and anyone else having issues with google maps, someone recommended I should turn off "keep the map north up" under Navigation settings.  It was already off and I don't think that would impact 3rd party apps, but it might work for anyone having issues with google maps.