Like many other first-gen devices, the Google Pixel Watch has a lot of quirks. So far, early users have reported that the watch dramatically overreported calorie burn due to a bug. According to Android Police, the Pixel Watch team is aware of the issue and suggests rebooting the device could fix the problem. That said, it’s an apt reminder that calorie burn isn’t a reliable metric.
The Pixel Watch calorie bug is a reminder of why accuracy is overrated
In the Pixel Watch’s case, the bug appears to have impacted how a user’s basal metabolic rate was calculated. Basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is essentially the number of calories you burn every day simply existing. It’s calculated based on factors like your age, weight, sex, and height. If you put in the wrong data, you’re going to get the wrong calorie burn. According to Android PoliceFitbit’s software was starting off with incorrect user data, which was then fixed when the device was rebooted.
That’s annoying but it’s ultimately not that serious. That’s because you should never trust any wearable device to give you accurate calorie burn.
You should never trust any wearable device to give you accurate calorie burn
For starters, no two wearable makers use the same algorithm in determining how many calories you burn during exercise. They each use proprietary algorithms that consider factors like heart rate, accelerometer data, and your BMR. Different workouts will exercise different muscle groups, which will also impact calorie burn — hence why these devices have multiple sport profiles for tracking activity. For example,
