iPhone Questions about step counting in Health app

[Efrem]

Does anybody know ...:

1. How often/when does the Health app update its step count? It seems to update it only every few hundred steps, and not at any time interval or number of steps I can figure out.

2. Does it continue to count steps when you're holding the phone in your hand, as opposed to having it in your pocket? I've never seen the step count change while I'm holding it, only after I've put it into my pocket for a while.

(iPhone 13 Pro running IOS 15.7, in case that matters. Probably going to IOS 16 in the next few days.)

 

[0128672]

I don't own an Apple Watch so rely only on the phone for step counts. It doesn't update on a regular interval as you've observed. I do find it updates when I stop for more than a minute. When I'm finished walking and put the phone down at home, after a few minutes it will provide what feels to be an accurate total count.