Alta HR Display

[WisdomSeeker]

Please comment on your personal experience with display visibility outdoors.
I haven't seen this topic discussed on the Board as of yet, and I consider this a very important element of any fitness tracker.
I purchased the Alta in April of 2016. I had owned the Charge but wanted a more slim profile; something I could wear on a daily basis which wouldn't be so bulky. I was thrilled to be using my new tracker until... I, along with several other Alta users, realized that the display was very difficult to read in sunlight.
There was a Board dedicated to this issue and, although there were no promises, there were indications that Fitbit would be looking at the issue.
Fast forward to the announcement of the new Alta HR release. I so badly wanted to hear that this old issue had been resolved on the new Alta HR. With so many complaints about the difficulty in reading the display outside on the original Alta, I actually anticipated that, no doubt, it had been addressed. Wrong.
I spoke to 2 different reps by phone as well as writing a lengthy email inquiring about this "hoped for" improvement only to be sorely disappointed to learn that the issue had not been addressed.
How can such an essential element of a fitness tracker be, seemingly, ignored? I'm still puzzled by Fitbit's lack of interest in correcting this important feature flaw.
I understand that many people exercise indoors, which would negate the problem of visibility in sunlight, but outdoor activity also enjoys a large number of participants.
What has been your experience with the new Alta HR?

Moderator edit: format

[kwjanes]

I have previously  posted  my dissatisfaction about the unreadable screen on the FitBit Alta while outdoors (which renders it useless until I go back indoors out of the sunlight) My suggestion was to design a screen  that is antiglare and use a bolder  typeface for any new FitBit Alta. In addition I suggested that FitBit should make an aftermarket anti glare screen for those of us who have already purchased a FitBit Alta. 

FitBit simply apologized for the problems I was having offering no solution to my problem, instead they tried to placate me with the suggestion that I go onto this forum and read other people's comments. I have been monitoring what has been said on this forum There have been over 270 customers with similar or the same complaints, which has not prompted any kind of indication from FitBit that they are concerned about our dissatisfaction nor that they plan to do anything to fix this problem.

I worked in customer service in a call center for over six years striving to give timely, concise responses with solutions to any number of problems. FitBit has some of the worst customer service I have ever seen. They don't seem to care about the flaw in this product. 

[Konababe]

I was really surprised that Fit Bit would design a screen that could be read only indoors. Did they even test it outdoors?

[PascalDal]

Hi,

I recently bought an Alta HR because It seem's to be convenient for my use (I especially like the continue HR recording feature and the thin design). But what a disappointment when I made a run outside with it the first time : the screen is just not readable as soon as there is some sun.

I thought this was a kind of defect of my model (because I thought Alta HR had a light sensor with a auto-brightness feature) but after reading all theses comments I just afraid the Alta HR is just not usable outdoor...

How can such a expensive and "from the leader of this kind of device" product be so defective ??

I really think about send it back because I just can't understand why I can't read my fitbit HR outdoor since I run only outdoor...

[Gracie_67]

Hi, I have the same problem and find it very disappointing as I also use my Alta for a watch. That's one of the reasons I stopped using my Flex, because I did not want to wear a watch and Fitbit at the same time and wear bracelets on my right wrist.  Disappointing.  Hope they can fix this issue.  Thank you for your post.

[Dolphin7]

I agree 100% with this post from the ease of wearing a slim profile tracker to the 'dis-ease' of not being able to view anything when outdoors. I am definitely an outside sports girl.

Please address the viewing issue soon.

[Slee0]

I agree that ayto 

[Buzzsaw]

The brightness issue is NOT a problem because of the OLED display. I also have a Samsung Gear Fit 2, which has an OLED display... the brightness is adjustable.... At full brightness is more than enough to see in sunlight...at night or indoors, you can reduce the brightness. I can't believe FITBIT does not include such a simple feature on their trackers.

[RockyMntnBob]

I have since gotten a Garmin Vivosmart HR tracker. The FitBit Alta is gathering dust. My wife would love to keep the Alta, but she can't deny the difference in visibility. Also, she practically bruises her arm slapping at the Alta to get it to change displays (once she gets it to wake up). Sorry FitBit, you are shooting yourselves in the foot by pretending these are not issues.

[chrisk1]

Could not agree more.  The visibility outside is not the only real problem.  Why must you hit yourself to wake up and why does it flash off so quickly.  You cannot tell me that people around the FitBit offices do not see these things every single day. 

[LucyAP]

Thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate the time that you have taken for letting us know about this. Fitbit is always improving their products and services, and be assured that customer satisfaction is our number one priority. This is why we have the Feature Suggestions board. 

Please make sure that you stop by in the main suggestion for this feature Brighter screen display for Alta HR. These ideas will be reviewed by our developers and will be taken to account for new updates or product development. 

Thank you for your understanding and for your votes! 

[FayeRaye]

I just powered this thing up.  Went outside and can't even see the display.  I wonder if there will be an upgrade.  I wanted to be able to see my heart rate will running

[LucyAP]

Thanks for taking a break from stepping to visit the Community @FayeRaye! As suggested above, please visit our Feature Suggestions board and upvote for Brighter screen display for Alta HR. This will bring to attention to our developers your suggestion. 

Catch you later! 

[bwooley]

Does Fitbit have so many problems with their products that we have to "Vote" to get a clear problem fixed?

[FayeRaye]

Exactly! I wouldn't recommend one to a real enthusiast

Sent from my iPhone

[LucyAP]

Thanks for your reply @FayeRaye, and welcome to the forums @bwooley! I really appreciate your comments regarding Fitbit Alta. Your feedback is really important for us and it help us to keep improving our products and services.

If you haven't tried, I'd like to suggest you to restart your Alta to see if it's working correctly. 

Catch you later! 

[SunsetRunner]

completely agreed.. deal breaker!

[WisdomSeeker]

Lucy,

I do appreciate that, as a FitBit Rep, you have taken the time to let us know that we aren’t being totally ignored.  

Your encouragement to visit the “Feature Suggestions” Board is like a band-aid for a wound that needs surgery.  

I posted on the Community Board in early 2016 (after purchasing the Original Alta) about the issue of Visibility.  There were several replies that were generated by that post.  

When the announcement of the upcoming release of the new Alta was distributed I was so excited about the prospect of the Alta HR that I almost made the mistake of ordering without following up on whether the Visibility Issue had been addressed.

After online CHATS & PHONE CALLS (more than once) I was SHOCKED to be told that the Visibility Issue WAS NOT ADDRESSED in the NEW ALTA HR! I am still confused and have difficulty understanding such (what I would consider) a BAD Business Decision.  

Those first Chats & Phone Calls were followed up by Emails and more communications which brought NO SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION.

Despite FitBit’s continued claim that “Customer Satisfaction is our number one priority” I have found it to be, in practice, completely dishonest in relation to THIS WELL-DISCUSSED ISSUE.  That the issue was not addressed after the first Alta release and the Company chose to release a NEW Alta HR WITH THIS SAME ISSUE clearly challenges this claim.  

Until I have more evidence that FitBit is doing more than paying “lip-service” to this issue, my opinion of the Company and it’s Customer Service has been tainted.

[RockyMntnBob]

Wisdom Seeker... Stop seeking. You are wise. Your words say EXACTLY what I feel. I was crushed when I realized that the new Alta HR used the same display. Wake up FitBit. The world is passing you by and you are going to be staring at a lot of inventory.

[Psbb]

Boring to see all the time the same answers from Fitbit.

[farmerswife73]

Being able to read your Alta HR screen outdoors as well as indoors is much more important than the stair count, which I also miss by the way. It is really frustrating not be able to see the time and counts.