Watch 6 classic activity heart rate monitor broken after last update

[blenky]

Hi, my Watch 6 updated its firmware on March 11th.  Since that date my heart rate monitoring during work outs has become wildly inaccurate.  

Before the update a my results doing a spin class my heart rate reading would have an average of about 123bpm with max heart rate of 144.

The first spin class I monitored after the update I saw an average of 177 bpm with a max of 193! 

The strange thing is resting heart rate seems correct - the massive error only happens when I exercise.  

To ensure it wasn't my heart I did a spin class with my wife's Apple Watch on my left wrist and my watch 6 on my right.  The results showed the same error with my Samsung whereas the Apple Watch was showing heart rates as I would expect.

I did a full reset of the watch which did not help.

Any ideas on how to sort this out - or does the watch need to be sent away to be fixed?

[Spin Instructor]

Had firmware update on March 19th and same problem. I'm an instructor and it went to 200 once. My highest is 143. Hope they fix this. 

[blenky]

@Spin Instructor  thanks for your update.

So this issue could be software based.  I did another comparison today - wore an Apple Watch 3 on my left wrist and my Watch 6 Classic on the right wrist.

After a 40 minute spin session:

Apple Watch - Average HR - 121.  Max HR - 148

Watch 6 Classic - Average HR  -148.  Max HR - 191

Again the Apple result is what I expect and what I was seeing before the update.  The Samsung is way off.  Resting HR seems to be OK - just when heart rate rises it goes awry.

Can the mods on here get some traction with Samsung for a fix? 

At the moment my expensive flagship watch is being embarrassed by a modest Apple Watch 3! 

[AntS]

Hi @blenky ,

Might be best to see if we can get some software log files to the developers. Are you, @Spin Instructor  , and anyone else experiencing the issue able to send error reports about it with log files? (Assuming you haven't done so already of course.)

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/wearables/galaxy-wearables-how-to-send-error-reports-for-galaxy/... 

[blenky]

Thanks, no, I haven't done this. I'm on holiday tomorrow (29th) for a week so won't be doing exercise of the sort that exhibits the issue. When I'm back, I will generate a log file.

[blenky]

I've just submitted a report.  Lets see what happens!

[Spin Instructor]

I also submitted a report. I did notice that my heart rate only goes up that high if I use the spin app. If I spin and not use spin app and check heart rate periodically it registers correctly. 

[blenky]

Interesting! Next spin class I'll use the Bike selection and see if that differs and maybe not use anything and just check my HR periodically. However, Samsung need to investigate and fix this.

[blenky]

Do you mean you don't use any exercise tracker? You simply take a look at your HR during a spin?

[Spin Instructor]

Yes. I did an uphill climb using gear 22 on Kaiser bike and then checked my heart rate and it was 148 which is what it usually always was. Then put spin activity on and did another hill and it register 185. Crazy. Hope they fix it soon also. We can't be the only ones with this problem.