Ability to disable Bluetooth in restricted areas

I agree with many of the others.  I know there may not appear to be enough users requesting the bluetooth LE off functionality for fitbit to consider it, but I also know of several hundred, Yes Really, who would consider it, fitbit devices, at my location alone.  There are 8,000 military and 12,000 civilians affected by the bluetooth rules at my location alone.  I traded a fitbit flex for a first generation jawbone with my son-in-law for that reason.  I love the Surge and want one, but I can't justify it if I can't turn the LE radio off while I am at work. 

 

Please don't just consider, but make this an option.  You will get a number, Most Likely thousands more at $249 a pop, of new customers with this functionality.  Most people I speak with on the military base I work at love the look and function of your products, but won't buy them because they cannot disable the bluetooth.  They get written up in sensitive electronic areas for active bluetooth devices and could potentially lose jobs.

 

One older gentleman specifically stated he came home and threw the device in a drawer because he was written up for a violation at work.  He loves the device, but can't afford to lose his job.  Thanks for implementing this as soon as possible.

 

Moderator Edit: Edited title for clarity and word choice.

454 Comments
hawkeyext
Jogger

I know a lot of people, like myself, who are concerned about wireless waves and radiation. I know the amount emiited is very low, but could a software update allow us to turn Bluetooth off? (Maybe by pressing the button on the Force twice very fast?)

 

I know we need it to sync, but I could wear the Fitbit Force all day and just turn BT on and sync once or twice a day, rather than having it output a signal every minute.

 

It would ease a lot of people's minds.

Kacy
Jogger

I agree that I would like to see this feature implemented on the Flex.

Bdalansky
First Steps

I would like this option for the zip.

scouter233
First Steps

It would also be a great way to preserve battery life. No?

hawkeyext
Jogger

Yes it would! Another good point!

christos
Jogger

As it was said in another place here, in some places (work, hospitals, etc.) it is not allowed to have the bluetooth running.

 

SunsetRunner
Not applicable

To add more user friendliness:

 

Automatic turn on bluetooth when the app is being started (optional in settings),

Automatic turn off bluetooth when the app is being closed and/or after a sync has been occured (optional in settings),

 

In case bluetooth is on before the app is started then most likely its being used for something else (connected with hands-free, navigation device, or other..) so bluetooth will not be turned off when it already was turned on before starting the app.

 

In addition, have the same ability to in conjunction turn also on the mobile internet (when it's been off while opening the app) to fully use the app (since its required to have internet access turned on to access the food plan). Also turn off the internet automaticly when closing the app, when internet access was not turned on before opening the app. (Optional in settings).

 

Since it's also possibly to use wifi, it could first check if there's a wifi connection.. and it would not turn on the mobile internet in that case.

 

Additionally, it could be set to use a preferred wifi connection when being for example at home, otherwise use the mobile internet connection.

 

The app could also check if 'roaming' is turned on the phone and could warn about extra costs when being abroad.Cat Wink

Gandhi
Distance Runner

Stephan C

 

Brilliant idea

It would be so very convenient

MandiB
Recovery Runner

What about an alarm of some sort on your phone to tell you that the fitbit is out of range? This would give you a warning when you have dropped / lost your fitbit at the time rather than (as in my case) hours and hours later when I'm miles away and wondering why my steps aren't updating!

luisalima
First Steps

Completely agree! I almost returned my fitbit flex because of the lack of the ability to turn the bluetooth off, and I'm still considering that.

Emal08
First Steps

I just got my fitbit and love it, but it's not worth the conivnece of tracking a healthy lifestyle while abosorbing raditation. I don't think I'm going to wear mine untill you can turn it off and I just got it yesterday.

NoBTatWork
Jogger

My workplace does not allow cell phones, WiFi or Bluetooth devices.  If I could turn off the Bluetooth transmissions on my Fitbit One, that would be great.  If I completely power it down (or leave it in my car), I don't get credit for any of the steps that I take during the workday.  Please come up with a software upgrade to allow this to be done.

zeblon
Jogger

My workplace doesn't allow Bluetooth either.  I'd get fired if I wore this to work.

PrestorX
Jogger

I am looking forward to being part of the Fitbit Community, but the problem I have noted is the following.  The Fitbit device is always trying to sync even when the PC dongle is disconnected.  This means that the user has no way of limiting their exposure to the Fitbit microwave energy.  I am a biomedical engineer with over 17 years of experience designing medical devices and I know that for medical devices there must always be an indicator when the device is transmitting.  The Fitbit does not have this and so I would assume it may have difficulty being accepted in hospital settings even though it is not marketed as a medical device. 

 
 Worse than this, in an era where Electrosmog is also considered a health hazard, something needs to be done to make Fitbit less of a noise contributor to the environment.  I detect continuous pulses of up to -25 dBm from the Fitbit at all times at intervals of a second or so.  It seems it would be a simple task to add a tap sequence that allows the transmitter to be turned on / off.  And some LED pattern of slow blinking should be used whenever the device is syncing or trying to sync.
 
Please take this request very seriously since it really makes some of us wonder if Fitbit is really interested in health, all though of course I give you the benefit of the doubt. 
 
Also please let me know if there is a way to become a partner developer to create a version of code that has the required indicator and on/off features for the bluetooth.
 
andi937
First Steps

It would be so great to have a manual sync option for Bluetooth. I don't want to have Bluetooth on 24/7 and keep it so close to my skin. Who knows if this increases the probability of getting cancer after, say 20+ years?

joeburnside
Jogger

My workplace doesn't allow Bluetooth either.  I'd could lose my security clearance if I wore this into work. Please permit the user to enable\disable Bluetooth.

jbrian00
Base Runner

Please add the option to disable the bluetooth radio entirely on the settings menu of the Surge.

adorablecore
First Steps

This is a necessary feature.  I was getting excited about buying a Fitbit Charge HR when they are released, but now I won't be purchasing one until I am sure that turning off bluetooth on the device is an available function.  Bluetooth emitting devices are not allowed in my workplace, and it is pointless to have a device like this that can't be used during the work day. Fitbit, please let us know when you fix this.

FactoryWorker
First Steps
Many industrial work environments do not allow the use of Bluetooth in order to prevent interference with wireless equipment. Because there is no way to turn Bluetooth off I am not allowed to wear my flex to work. Please add the ability to toggle the Bluetooth on and off with the flex. Thanks.
e1
Jogger

let me jump on the bandwagon... this is the ONLY reason i am unable to use a fitbit.  basis, garmin, microsoft, nike, polar, etc. have all figured out how to turn off bluetooth - this can't be a major technical hurdle.

 

i often am in a work situation where i need to have bluetooth/wifi off (but i still want to count steps)

 

as to the canned answer from fitbit that the bluetooth radiation is 0.5% - 1% of a cell phone, that's a great stat, but why not put the feature in and let the user make the choice?

TS_CO
Recovery Runner

Agreed - not being able to turn off the bluetooth at work is the only reason my partner cannot get a fitbit.

 

In addition, there doesn't seem to be any reason to leave the blutooth on at night while I am sleeping and keeping my wrist near my head. I just don't need that extra bit of bluetooth activity up near my head for 8 hours.

 

This change would hugely improve my satisfaction with the surge.

 

 

fitnessfine
Jogger

My daughter got a burn type reaction deep in her arm after using a new fitbit FLEX for only a week the burn was deep not on the surface - not like a skin rash - the reaction she got fit the description of an EMF radiation burn - which can be caused by wearing a bluetooth device next to the skin.

We liked using the fitbit flex until this happened - there is no way I would use it  or let any of my family use it  unless bluetooth can be turned off.

MatthewFitbit
Premium User
Fitbit Moderator
Fitbit Moderator

@fitnessfine Sorry to hear that - please consult with a physician to ensure your daughter receives the necessary treatment. Please be aware, however, that the power output of a Fitbit device is extremely low - less than 1% of the typical cellular phone. We do not believe that the Bluetooth signal is capable of causing the issue you mentioned, or bringing any ill effects as a result of wearing.

rp73
Jogger

It would definitely make sense that you can disable Bluetooth LE, why has it to run at night while sleeping?
Yes, for me this function is a must have, other devices have it, for this reason I will send back my Fitbit Surge (I wake up with a headache each time when I put it on the wrist at night or i can't sleep).

Rich_Laue
Community Legend

Are you referring to on the Phone or the Computer, the option is already in the Phones app under your device settings.

 

What would make sense is to have a daily setting thats tells the App or the connect software to turn off sync during this time period.

To comment, you must first accept the terms of the Idea and Feedback Submission policy.