Apple Watch
The app for the Apple Watch supports watches running watchOS 6.0 or later.
When the Run on Watch switch is enabled, GPS logging runs
independently on the Apple Watch and a paired iPhone is only used to
provide Internet access when the Watch cannot otherwise directly
access the Internet.
When the Run on Watch switch is disabled, GPS logging services run
on the iPhone and the Watch acts like a remote control for controlling
and monitoring the iPhone app.
The Apple Watch shows a summary of the app's activity, allowing you to monitor remote logging successes and failures. It also displays the time and date of the last successfully remotely logged location.
Pressing the Send location button sends a single location, whether or not
active logging is on or off. When this option is chosen, the Send location
button is hidden until a location is achieved or the operation exceeds the
minimum HDOP seek time setting. The app temporarily increases the desired
accuracy appropriate for the specified minimum HDOP until a fix is achieved
matching that setting. The minimum period and distance settings are also
temporarily ignored. After the send location operation finishes, the desired
accuracy setting is reverted to the most recently configured settings.
When the Send location button is re-displayed, whether the operation
succeeded or failed will be apparent from the count of successes and failures,
or by viewing the last successful transmission time and date displayed above
the buttons. Note that the last successful time and date may be initially
hidden. It will be displayed after the next successful transmission of a
location to the remote server. By swiping left on the summary screen the
last few entries of the activity log can be viewed. The newest
message is at the top and will show whether the operation was successful.
The app does not maintain a 'session', so will only be shown on
wake according to the Wake Screen settings of the Apple Watch (Watch
Settings > General > Wake Screen). It may be useful to configure an Apple Watch
complication to quickly display the Apple Watch app, as discussed below.
In TripLogger Remote versions 1.1.0 onwards, if remote logging is active, the iPhone's battery percentage is also displayed on the Apple Watch. This can be useful to monitor the iPhone when it has been left in your backpack, e.g. to know when it needs charging with a spare power pack, or when it has been sufficiently charged and needs disconnecting from the power pack.
Battery Monitoring
The iPhone's battery percentage is only updated on the Apple Watch when a logging event occurs, such as a successful or failed transmission of a location. If the remote logging intervals are infrequent, the battery percentage values will become out-of-date. Checking the time of the last successful transmission is a guide of how up-to-date the displayed battery percentage value may be.
When remote logging is inactive, the battery percentage value is not displayed as it will eventually become very out-of-date.
TripLogger Remote version 1.2.0 introduces being able to send a note using the
Apple Watch. Tapping the Send note button provides options to create a
note using voice, scribble or emoji. There is also a shortcut option Parked
here.
TripLogger Remote version 1.6.0 introduces different profiles for settings related to local logging, remote logging and accuracy. The settings button on the initial summary screen displays the name of the currently selected profile. Tapping it provides options to modify most settings, to switch to another profile or create a new one based on the currently selected profile. Re-ordering or deleting profiles can only be done on the iPhone. Some settings which you are unlikely to modify frequently are only available on the paired iPhone.
The Apple Watch and the iPhone attempt to synchronise the settings
between each other. In the unlikely event that they become
inconsistent, there is a Reset watch settings option on the
Settings -> About page of the iPhone. This overwrites the settings
on the Apple Watch to match those currently on the iPhone.
Local Track Logs
When logging locally to the Apple Watch, each location is saved on the watch until logging is stopped. The Apple Watch will then attempt to transfer the track segment to the iPhone. This should eventually happen without any intervention from yourself. Multiple track segments can be created and all should eventually be transferred to the iPhone. Normally, this is almost instantaneous.
In the unlikely event that this mechanism fails for some reason, the list of track segments can be viewed by swiping left twice on the summary screen. A list of the track segments is shown. Tap a track segment to re-initiate a transfer request to the iPhone. The track segment entry is removed from the list after it has been tapped. Re-visiting the screen before the track segment has been fully transferred will re-display it.
The transferred track segments are shown on the track list screen of the iPhone.
Watch Complications
A complication provides the ability to quickly launch the Apple Watch app. Using a watch face with this complication also allows the app to remain in memory, potentially providing a faster launch.
The following Apple Watch complication families are supported:
- Modular Small
- Utilitarian Small
- Utilitarian Small Flat
- Utilitarian Large
- Circular Small
- Graphic Corner (Apple Watch series 4)
