1. The pool swimming tracking function on Watch 8 Classic (perhap all other watch formats in the same Gen) is totally broken and useless.
2. It caused by the new swim style detection feature with really bad accuracy and a dumb logic to always add a lap to the swim record, once it “detect” a switch in style without a U-turn in the pool.
3. Advocating for fix the problems in updates, or at least provide options to turn the detection feature off.
My experience:
Just upgraded to the new Galaxy Watch 8 Classic from the Watch 6 Classic. I used to have Samsung phones, so I got a Watch Sport, Watch 4 Classic and Watch 6 Classic.
The main reason I keep purchasing/upgrading the watch series is they provide function for tracking pool swimming, which is my main way for exercise.
My old W6C/W4C works almost perfectly well on this function, SINCE DAY ONE. They recorded my swim laps and speed accurately, so I did't need to worry about lengths while swim and get a good idea for my speed and performance to adjust and improve.
I expect it would be the same for the newer version W8C, with the successful experience from W4C to W6C. So I pulled the trigger to upgrade when I saw a good discount on SAMSUNG offical online store and my old W6C was broke in an accident last week. But it turned out that I was SO WRONG.
After 3 days of swim, 1-1.5hr each time, I found the swim tracking function of the new W8C is so broken with a new dumb feature, thus make it totally useless for swimmer:
It add a lap(with a distance) to your record EACH TIME it FALSELY DETECTED you switch swim style, while add these wrong distances/laps with correct U-turns. So as it record the time cosumed for each 100m and calculate my speed accordingly, the wrong lap/distance counts also mess up the speed.
As I figure out it is not accurate on day 1 of using it, I record my swims for the past 3 days, each time for 30 minutes on standard 25m half pools, no-stop with breaststroke all the time. It says I swimed 1600m-1800m with a mixture of breast and backstrokes, keep switching in the middle of laps for 10-15 times...
I manually counted my loops all three times, so I know I did 41-44 laps (1025m-1100m). I did the same routes with my old W6C 3 times last week, and handreds of times in the past year, with a speed range of 2:30-2:55 per 100m. Now the new watch told me I was faster than /near world record (1:00-1:10) constantly in many loops.
I am sure I record in pool swim mode and not using location trackings. I am not an athlete but definitely a constant swimmer, learning from licensed coaches, so I don't think my swimstyle is the problem here.
As the problem did not happened at all on the old W4C and W6C, it is very clear to me that the problem is caused by some idiots, thinking they need to show off their fancy new movement recognition function/censor on the new device. Which is not working as they expected, and breaking an old working function.
Yeah I understand it might got some fancy AI/ML algorithms to detect/learn move/habit. But it seems they are very bad and should not be rolled out to customers, as it learns nothing from more than 3 hour of same exercise.(I kept swim another 30 minutes each day with the recording function on, but doesn't bothered to note the data as it's clearly useless
) Moreover, they got my swim data on Samsung Health and old watches for at least 5 years, and my record is even migrate to the new watch. So either there is no learning algorithm or it just too bad for a $500 USD wearble device in 2025.
With that said, I just simply can't figure out the logic behind ADDING A LAP TO THE RECORD when it detects a style change without a U-turn. Clearly a U-turn is much more easy to detect with much better accuracy, and a much more reliable and robust indicator for adding laps in a pool.
I just hope they either fix the accuracy problems in updates or just PROVIDE A SINGLE OPTION TO TURN OFF THE Detection Feature and let the user choose their swim style before exercise or at each manual pause.
To save everyone some time, I have tried to switch different U-turns skills, restart the watch, pause the record, connect it to cellphone, turn on and off location traking and sports, calibrate compass and whatever settings I can find or think of.
None of them works and I will appreciate if you would like to share some idea or shed some lights, before they fix the problems for who knows how long.
At least for now, I am very regretting to upgrade to W8C than got a refurbished W6C. I will not consider upgrading next time until it gets fully reviewed. And I will not recommend purchasing this gen for anyone who hope to use its exercise recording/tracking function. I am not sure how bad it is for other sports, but the logic behind the feature makes me highly doubt their design mindsets.
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback and your experience with pool swimming on the Galaxy Watch8 Classic. We understand how important accurate swim tracking is, especially for those who use it as their main form of exercise.
We’ll make sure to forward your feedback and suggestions including the option to manually select or disable swim style detection to the relevant team for review.
In the meantime, we also recommend submitting an error report through the Samsung Members app after a swim session so that the logs can be analyzed directly by the development team.
I have had the same problem. Samsung asked me to send it back. After 2 weeks they said they would send me a new device. It came, I tried it, and it still couldn't record the pool laps and times accurately. Got another call from Samsung today offering to purchase the watch back for $349.
I have exactly the same disappointment! Worked great on the Watch6 but completely non-functional on the Watch8. Boo hoo! Samsung sent me a new Watch8 but it was no better.
