Allow third-parties to access live heart rate data (so Fitbits can act as HR monitors)

[agemperline]

Since the Surge and Charge HR can already connect via bluetooth to phones it would be great if you could allow third-parties to access live heart rate data directly from the device.  

This would allow apps like Strava, Runkeeper, MapMyRun and others to use the Surge and Charge HR as heart rate monitors.  

Moderator edit: added label

[steinline]

100% agree with pretty much all the comments on here, except those notifying everyone "i'm leaving fitbit." I don't really think that's helpful for this discourse. Let's be positive, not negative. Yes, fitbit should know people are unhappy about not having this feature, but we have to admit, there is a nice forum here, and as I look through the various threads, it is clear fitbit is actively reviewing a TON of issues, and set this up for customer service in the first place. 

So, kudos to fitbit...but please, in addition to my vote in favor of broadcast HR to 3rd party apps, please accept this comment as well!! I use wahoo fitness and attach my iphone as a giant bike computer on my road bike. I don't want to / can't take my hand off the handlebars to look at my watch (and the small screen) to see if I'm maxing out, or maintaining a good fat burn heart rate, etc. I need to take a quick look down.

Thanks, and let's move this from being "reviewed by moderator" to "under consideration"!!

[Dedxovu]

Disappointed this thread has been open for 3 years with no movement from Fitbit. Definitely would be nice leverage the HR information from the devices in other apps that track exercise (and location...). Shouldn't be too hard to expose via an API and let those apps work out the details, Fitbit has a large install base.

[MarcelBK]

That’s an interesting idea and could be useful, thanks for sharing this suggestion.

[bbartek]

 Incredible pace Fitbit! Well done 😉

[LizFitbit]

Hi Everyone, thanks for sharing this suggestion. I've merged a few other requests into this as they all focus on enabling third parties to connect to Fitbits via bluetooth, so that it can essentially be used as a HR monitor. Whilst this is unlikely to happen for devices before Fitbit Ionic, this is a great suggestion so we'll leave it open to see how many of you are interested in this.

Please note that even if we don’t officially support this platform right now, MapMyFitness developers are be able to integrate with us by using our Web API. It gives the opportunities to read many Fitbit’s user data (with their permission).

[wklambert]

That is all well and good, but the API does not provide access to HR data. So far, the solution for Strava/FitBit interconnectivity for pace/cadence/speed and HR from fitbit requires exporting files from both applications, using another application to edit an XML file, and then re-importing the data. Highly cumbersome compared to allowing HR data to be shared via BT. Has been in the idea bin for several years, fair amount of interest in the subject... 

[SunsetRunner]

@wklambert: the Heart Rate Web API provide HR data in time series. If you need intraday data, you can also request it, but I understand that both don't give you the same result as if you were using the device as a HRM with other apps.

[wklambert]

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@SunsetRunner I had a feeling... Perhaps a good avenue to explore for a future version. I know there are a ton of us in the tech community that would love to have access to that information, all in one place. I get that FitBit isn't an HRM platform, but that is where the tech is headed. Or, at least the demand. Thank you for your time, sir.

[Ponch40]

I know I'm late to the party on this subject, but I can't believe there years of product development has gone by without being able to sync up your live heart rate to third parties.  I appreciate that you can synch up after a workout is completed, but it is very difficult for me to be riding on my bike and have to toggle over to my fitbit app to check my active heart rate.  It would be much more convenient and logical to make the heart rate monitor able to be read by the most popular apps to track workouts.  Please consider this as chest straps are very uncomfortable and they cause me skin rashes so i can not use them.  i think you have a good product, but allowing active heart rate information to be seen in apps live would be a very helpful next step.

Thank you and have a good day.

[ebliatis]

Could you please make Fitbit equipment compatible with HR sensor specification so it can be recognized as such by 3rd party apps like Sports - Tracker ?

If not, are there any plans to connect Fitbit app with Sports - Tracker (especially the HR data) cause its analytics and presentation are more convenient than other apps I've tried.

Moderator edit: Labels

[ssmith4154]

Just purchased a Charge 2 and was extremely disappointed to learn that the Charge 2 would not sync heart rate or other stats (with 2 limited exceptions) to MapMyFitness.  I see this issue has been discussed for a very long time (should have done my diligence before I made my purchase).  Please make this happen - full sync of Charge 2 to MapMyFitness.

[Simply_striking]

Even after buying out pebble this company seems behind, I bought the versa with the assumptions that it would be a bit more functional that  pebble seems i was wrong, Sharing of this data to other application should be basic.

[oggy_fleurg]

i think people are going to use the apps they want to use during their activities. a new app comes out with an ingenious interface or workout trainer? people want to try it. if your hardware can't provide data to these apps while people are using them... why make it?

to be honest the apple watch is destroying fitbits as a workout wearable albeit at a much higher price point. everybody making ios apps tends to make them work with the watch which in turn provides the apps with tons of data (hr/gps/accelerometer/etc). is fitbit just a poor mans apple watch when it comes to workout trackers? the only benefit i see with fitbit is sleep tracking, since the apple watch has to charge every night. as a result i feel like i have to buy both an apple watch and .. probably the alta hr to fill in the sleep tracking gap.

[Japan_Antoine]

Still not done? 

The default running tracking feature in the fitbit app is very very poor... Either improve the app quickly or let third parties access the HR sensor, please (or buy runtastic or any other good app) 

[SunsetRunner]

this is something so logical that I'm surprised it hasn't been fixed yet in all those years. I thought it was possible and that's definitely the reason why I bought a Fitbit, call it bad information gathering on my side.

I use my FitBit (Charge 2) to keep track of my heart rate, but an app like Runkeeper isn't even allowed to track live heart rate data and integrate it in my saved runs in the app. Where do I have a Fitbit for then? I'm not interested in seeing how many steps I take a day or calories I burn, I have my phone for that, or how many calories I eat and water I drink I track with MyFitnessPal. Integration of heart rate would be the only benefit of a Fitbit, so please fix it.

[steinline]

Agree agree agree!!

[RonEGM]

 Would be useful to be able to link a heart rate nest strap wahoo is my current one to the ionic.

also be able to link to say the keiser app for use in spin sessions to easily see the heart rate.

If not feasible develop the dash board in the app to be more useful during live session.

[paborrelli]

Hello.

I have been using iSmoothRun App for the last 7 years and it is an awesome app for the running communitie. One thing I really miss in my FitBit watch is the ability to sync real-time HR with the APP, it would make the perfect couple.

Thanks in advance. 

Moderator Edit: Title for Clarity/Added Labels

[YojanaFitbit]

Hello @paborrelli, great suggestion!  That’s an interesting idea and could be useful, thanks for sharing this idea.

[Batdxb]

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@agemperline wrote:

Since the Surge and Charge HR can already connect via bluetooth to phones it would be great if you could allow third-parties to access live heart rate data directly from the device.  

This would allow apps like Strava, Runkeeper, MapMyRun and others to use the Surge and Charge HR as heart rate monitors.  

Moderator edit: added label

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I want to be able to export this data to IFTTT. 

Can you give access for that ? 

[babgvant]

It would be awesome if Fitbit trackers had an exercise mode that enabled them as a Bluetooth HR monitor for other trackers like a bike computer. I would like it to work like other activities (workout, run, treadmill, etc.), but when selected expose the HR data like other Bluetooth HR trackers so I can connect it to a sensor consumer.

For e.g. currently I wear a chest strap and the Fitbit while cycling. It would be great if I could use my Charge HR with the computer and ditch the strap.

[danwms]

This would be a great feature. 

Due to the issues with connected gps on the versa im having to track all-activities in both strava and on the versa, it would be great if the heart rate data could be made available to strava.

[LizFitbit]

Hi @paborrelli, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. We do not currently have plans to release this feature. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs. For now, we will leave this suggestion open for votes (and closed to comments) so that we can continue to track community demand over time. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us and we will let you know if anything changes.

[blueorbits]

I would really like for this option to be available, and currently have Ionic. I really wish it was more accurate for rowing activities (i.e. kayaking, canoeing!)

[Jaywalker92]

Please make that possible! We are currently developing an app for fitness in VR and would love to let users use fitbit devices!