New update coming this week! 3rd party notifications, new watch faces!

[dkboxing]

Also reminders to move! 

Article on Cnet.

The Fitbit Blaze is getting an update. Fitbit announced on Monday that its fitness smartwatch will soon receive an update that enables third-party notifications and other new features.

The Blaze, which costs $230 in the US (£179 in the UK and AU$370 in Australia), was released earlier this year. The watch can track steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes and sleep. It was also the first Fitbit that could display incoming calls, text messages and calendar alerts when connected to an iPhone orAndroid phone.

Users will soon be able to view notifications from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Gmail and other third-party apps. The update will also add five new watch faces to the Blaze, which brings the total to nine, and a new move reminder feature.

The feature was previously found in the Fitbit Alta and is included on the new Charge 2and Flex 2. Rather than a basic "stand" or "move" reminder, the Blaze will now encourage users to meet a mini-step goal of 250 steps each hour. If the goal hasn't been reached 10 minutes prior to the top of the hour, the watch will gently vibrate to remind you to get up and go.

The update will begin rolling out to Blaze owners later this week.

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you for this! I am also hoping they address some of the other issues that have been haunting the Blaze, which I am assuming they will address some of them at least. Exicted about the new uupdates.

[dkboxing]

Yeah, I'm sure there will be bug fixes that aren't outlined in a press release like this.

[Fands]

i am afraid to get my hopes up--but i just saw the pink and gold blaze (22k electroplated) go up on FB--Premium Limited Editions 

[adammiarka]

From the Blaze's page

[dkboxing]

There's another paint drippy looking one at the bottom of the page too. 

[dkboxing]

[adammiarka]

Ewwwwww... 😄  

[bbarrera]

From the Fitbit Press Release

"Fitbit is delivering new features in September to all Fitbit Blaze users through a free software update that will enhance your fitness experience by helping you stay more active, keep you more connected to what matters most, and give you new ways to personalize your tracker.

• Reminders to Move help you stay active and reduce stationary time. Now available on display with real-time progress tracking, the friendly messages and vibrational prompts can be personalized to your schedule to help motivate you to meet a mini-step goal of 250 steps each hour (approximately 2-3 minutes of walking), and will congratulate you when you achieve the goal.
• Extended Smart Notifications help you stay connected to what matters most to you. Now, notifications from your smartphone can be delivered to your device with an on-screen message and a vibrating alert, including notifications from apps like Facebook, Gmail, Instagram, Skype, Slack, Snapchat, WeChat, WhatsApp and more; plus, you have the option to customize which notifications you receive.
• New Clock Faces give you more ways to change the look of your tracker with five new clock faces, bringing the total to nine that you can choose from to further personalize your Blaze."

[AndrewFitbit · Accepted solution]

Yes, the press release is correct. A new firmware update for Blaze is being prepared, but it is not rolling out later this week as the CNET article suggested. It should be coming soon, I will post new content on the Blaze forum once it's ready to roll out. I can't promise an exact date, but we're getting closer to release.

[Rich_Laue]

Maybe i simplified things to much i read the word soon as meaning sometime in the future.. At best a confirmation of what we where earlier told. 

[bbarrera]

Fitbit press release - "in September to all Fitbit Blaze users"

[paperinik]

Does this mean ALL notifications, including 3rd party developed one not in the list like Facebook, etc.? As a devoloper can I write an app that sends notifications and will those be picked up automatically? Thanks.

[AndrewFitbit]

@paperinik From my understanding, it seems like as long as notifications are being sent to the mobile device, then the third party app should show up in the 'more notifications' list within the Fitbit app. The only difference, I believe, would be that the developed app's icon won't appear (and I think might show up on the Blaze as a text message).

[paperinik]

@AndrewFitbit hopefully that includes what in iOS are called local notifications (as opposed to push).
Do you happen to know also if this is coming to the Charge 2? Hopefully so, given that the Charge 2 fits better my usage patterns.

[bbarrera]

@paperinik I'm not Andrew, but officially (https://www.fitbit.com/charge2) the Charge 2 only supports calls, texts, and calendar alerts. And the Charge 2 press release uses similar language "the smart notifications you need most" used in the original call/text/calendar Blaze press release. 

I suspect Fitbit management has the following story for Blaze "smart watch styling, smartphone notifications" and another for Charge 2 "reimagined #1 selling Fitbit fitness tracker" and are using the following feature differentiation for jumping up to Blaze:

- Blaze has music controls (vs none on Charge 2)

- Blaze has smartphone notifications (vs call/text/calendar on Charge 2)

- Blaze has Fitstar on-screen workouts (vs none on Charge 2)

and yes its strange that Charge 2, in middle of product lineup, uniquely has Guided Breathing and Cardio Fitness Level. That said you need to run at least 10 minutes, possibly several times, to get Cardio Fitness Level estimate. 

[paperinik]

@bbarrera Somebody specifically asked the question here: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-2/Third-Party-Notifications/m-p/1540118

But I hope you are wrong. I don't really like the Blaze, I could stick with the competing product if that is the case... (which incredibly has everything I need except the access to the fitbit community)

[Jack_Yaz]

Just use https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.abhijitvalluri.android.fitnotifications on Android, works with any app that has notifications

[paperinik]

I have an iPhone (for now).

[bbarrera]

---

@paperinik wrote:

But I hope you are wrong. I don't really like the Blaze, I could stick with the competing product if that is the case... (which incredibly has everything I need except the access to the fitbit community)

---

@paperinik I've worn a competing product for 15 months, its on sale right now at same price as Blaze (because its expected to get update announced next week). Full notifications + replies, we use Skype at work for IM, can even reply to Skype messages from my wrist. Upcoming release will make it faster and unlock more features. During workouts I've found HR monitoring to be equal or slightly better than Surge/Blaze.

For access to Fitbit challenges/community I use MobileTrack on my iPhone 5s and its my Fitbit step tracker. One bonus is that its more accurate step counter than my Flex, Force, Surge or Blaze. Phone is almost always in my pocket.