On iPhones running iOS 13 and higher, some users have reported that their GPS tracking functionality does not work properly when the Pacer app has been pushed to the background (turning off the phone screen, pushing the home button, or switching to another app). The symptoms of this issue are as follows:
- GPS tracked activities have normal session durations and normal number of steps taken, but distance recorded is considerably less than actual distance traveled
- The track map shows large sections of missing activity, with the track jumping large distances or only tracking a very short distance
- The GPS tracking feature works normally when the Pacer app is open, but stops working properly once Pacer is no longer open
This problem is most likely due to a system permission bug in Apple iOS 13. Even if you have given location permissions for an app in iOS 13, the system still sometimes restricts the app from accessing location data in the background.
Solution:
If you encounter this problem with your GPS tracked activity, we will unfortunately not be able to fix the problem activity for you. However, users have reported that they can avoid this problem from recurring in the future by turning off and on Location Services permission for the Pacer app:
- Go to your iPhone's Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services
- Scroll down and find the setting for Pacer
- Change the permission to "Never" and tap "Back"
- Tap into the setting for Pacer again
- Change location access permission to "While Use the App" and tap "Back"