Battery "estimated hours until charge"

Please add an estimated hours left before charge or at least a battery percentage to the Fitbit surge. We want to wear the Fitbit as much as we can and you like to have a better idea of when we would need to charge it. I understand it's shows low, medium, full but having a better understand of battery power would benefit this activity tracker much much more!

 

Moderator Edit: Added Labels

59 Comments
DaHoss24
First Steps
An on screen estimation, if you so chose, maybe only when constantly sinked to another device that will let you know the life remaining. Something along the lines of that that is!
JenBrat
Recovery Runner

This would be great for all the different FitBit types, not just the Surge.

ashwolve
Interval Runner

maybe add an additional app to give idea of usage and what drains the battery as well as a battery percentage

bqbbi
First Steps
I would like this for all types (especially for the flex). It seems I stay in Medium stasus and then it doesn't stay in low very long before dying.
StevieA
Recovery Runner
This should be a basic requirement especially as the product is worn overnight.
leiger
First Steps
Agreed, or at the very least I'd like to be able to access a battery percentage indicator. With percentage, I can guess based on past experience how much time I have left before I need to charge (and if it'll last through the night or I need to quickly top it up before going to bed)
Gazalondon
Jogger
Would love an indicator like a percentage number as most phones so so you know how far your charged
Mbrose
Jogger
I would love to have an alarm that vibrates when my battery is getting low on my HR! Many times I've looked at my Fitbit and it's been dead which is especially irritating when I am out and I could have charged it the night before!
SarahC_
Recovery Runner

There's an Android app that can do that.

 

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-HR/Android-How-to-read-your-battery-charge-as-a-percentage/m-...

 

A year and it's still not plugged in.... ~sigh~

PerfectBlue
Strider

I was really surprissed that the Fitbit doens't have a battery level display unless it's running down.

 

I wear mine overnight, too, and I don't usually sync it in the mornings, so I've had several occasions when I've had the low battery message up early on in the day when I'm not near my charging cable, and I've had to run the gauntlet on whether or not it would run out or not.

petecrosta
First Steps

Here's my suggestion (I have a Flex, but why not for all units?): I get an email and notice when my battery is low and needs charging. Lovely, but often times I get this notice at the start of the day and I don't want to miss my steps (I always charge overnight while asleep). As the CHARGE shows multiple levels of restoring power w/LEDs, why can't the device buzz specific patterns at intervals that make sense, such as a rapid buzz/pulse (or something similar) say, every three or four hours, but mainly (for example) a LONG, STEADY buzz when only ONE HOUR remains. That would be very helpful as a guide to running out of power. This would be akin to the dashboard light turning on when you are in your reserve of gasoline for your car.

 

Pete

Nutley, NJ

ashwolve
Interval Runner

Petecrosta good in theory but with all that buzzing the batterylife wouldnt last long and alot of people wear there device overnight to get sleep readings, the buzz/vibrate would hinder sleep and would be annoying at work/in meetings etc

Morvorren
Jogger
I get very frustrated at not knowing how much battery charge is left and wish there was a percentage indicator available. It would be so useful to have it showing as the last bit of information when you scroll through the data fields using the side button. I notice that when the Charge HR is charging there is a little battery sign with the amount of charge shown by the number of bars full in the battery so the information is there. Surely this is just a matter of software programming to add the feature?
PerfectBlue
Strider

When you look set a goal, there is a little bar underneath that shows how far towards it your are.

 

Maybe they could put a similar bar under the Time face to tell you how much charge was in your battery?

 

That way there would be no extra faces to add, and the minimum extra button presses\screen taps, and it wouldn't take up much more battery power to display.

PerfectBlue
Strider

I find the existing battery alert to be quite confusing. On an average day for me, with the heart rate monitor set to Automatic and the wrist flick feature switched off, I get maybe 6 hours use AFTER the low battery indicator has been displayed. So long as I don't to a lot of heavy excersise in that period, or constantly scroll through the different faces.

 

Thats probably about 10-15% charge under average use.

 

However, it's very difficult to estimate how much life is left once the battery gets to the 2-3 hour mark.

SunsetRunner
Not applicable

Agree.

 

It could display battery hours left when:

 

In Standby  (current settings).

Using GPS.

By current usage since previous charge.

Bonxy
Tempo Runner

Having the battery as a percentage is a must when wearing a device. I want to know if i can last the rest of the day or need to charge it ASAP.

Rossweisse
Strider

Make that for ALL Fitbit trackers, please.

SarahShepard
First Steps

I have a charge and I was wondering if you could make it possible to check the battery when it is on my wrist and not just when it's plugged in. When I check it on my phone it is charged, half way charged or needs to be charged right now. It's not specific enough to let me know when to charge it.

ignites
First Steps

likewise, would like to see the battery % in-app or as a tile on my charge hr

DeerParkuser
Jogger
Add my name to the list of users who want a "% of battery life left " in the Fitbit app.
AmilHenderson
First Steps
Dido on that!! I have a battery meter for my flex on my Windows phone, but it would be much easier if it was on my Fitbit app instead of having to use another app to check battery %.
Status changed to: Reviewed By Moderator
SantiR
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

@Bwelling Excellent request! I really like the idea because we will all know when it's the right time to charge our devices, so we can use it as much as we can. Having a better understanding of battery power will benefit a lot of users. This should be done for all trackers with an OLED display. Hopefully this will be implemented in the future, so keep voting! Remember, the more votes - the more chances to have this implemented. Thanks to everyone that is voting and commenting on this.

Mbrose
Jogger
Vote where?

Melissa
Sent from my iPhone
AmilHenderson
First Steps
You click vote under the first post.
To comment, you must first accept the terms of the Idea and Feedback Submission policy.