You don't need an activity tracker on your wrist these days to keep track of how active you are in a day. Many smartphones have an app with a pedometer that is turned on automatically. But how accurate is the pedometer on your phone?
Phone counts fewer steps
According to recent research, the pedometer isn't as accurate as you might hope. The iPhone counts an average of 1,340 steps less per day than a pedometer that you wear on your wrist. Don't blame technology directly. An important reason is that you always wear a pedometer on your wrist, while your phone is sometimes on your desk while you go to the toilet or get coffee.
You better underestimate yourself
How bad is it that your phone might be showing fewer steps than you actually took? According to the researcher, not so bad. It is better to underestimate yourself than to overestimate yourself. Furthermore, the pedometer on your phone still gives a good idea of how active you are in relation to other days. Or does an activity tracker beckon?
