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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.
I also would like to see the option to turn off the bluetooth. Recent changes to my workplace policies prohibit me from wearing the FITBIT to work because it has a constant bluetooth emission. Please provide a function / switch to turn off the Bluetooth so that users can continue to use FITBIT all day long.
There is an issue I noted. When the app Bluetooth is on, it tends to disconnect the headset bluetooth in the middle of a call. The earpiece is disconnected and I have to use the speaker to continue the call or the caller hangs up because they could no longer hear me. Because of this I usually disconnect the app bluetooth during my business day and reconnect late night before I sleep. This looks like a technical hitch which fitbit people may look at closely. Some people may not realize it's happening because of fitbit app. Solution; They should have the app detect a call and self disable and re-enable bluetooth once the call is over. This saves millions of your users the hassle of manually turning the Bluetooth on and off. By the way, the call notification on the band is a great feature. In fact once it sends the notification and detects the call is in progress it should disable bluetooth till the call is over then re-enable bluetooth. Please look into it. Fitbit should even add a toggle option for those who need it.. like me. Thanks. Walter
@pastorscory I like this idea a lot. Not only would it help in instances like you describe, but I could also see the potential for an increase in tracker battery life as well.
Thanks for sharing your idea on the Feature Request Board!
I'd like to see this implemented. Some off us FitBit users work where you must turn off a bluetooth device's radio or else face a security violation that could cost you your job.
If there was a way to turn off/on the bluetooth radio thru a button press that would be ideal.
I completely agree. It would be helpful if Fitbit manufactured a device which had the capability to turn off all radio frequency signals, bluetooth and the like. There a number of people who work in environments that can not have radio transmitters on. Today, a Fitbit representative informed me that none of their products have this ability to turn off Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, and other radio frequency signals. Please consider this feature. I received a Fitbit one two years ago as a gift. It sits in a drawer unused.
1. I completely agree. It would be helpful if Fitbit manufactured a device which had the capability to turn off all radio frequency signals, bluetooth and the like. There a number of people who work in environments that can not have radio transmitters on. Today, a Fitbit representative informed me that none of their products have this ability to turn off Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, and other radio frequency signals. Seems like a no brainer to implement.
2. Consider this... The federal government takes the provision of health/fitness programs and facilities for it's workers very seriously, and in many places allows some portion of the day to be used as a fitness break. If Fitbit could create a device that by itself has no RF capability, and would have to physically snap into a mated device that provides the RF function, this product (the portion that does not have any RF capability) could be used by more than hundreds of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and service providers who can not use current Fitbits, AND this product would actually be pushed for free within these federal spaces. These institutions would provide free marketing because the Fitbit (non RF module) would be included on the list of allowed devices in those buildings.
3. Take the idea a step further. Split the Fitbit into two parts. The RF portion of the the existing line of Fitbit devices takes up battery power, space, and weight. What if a non-RF portion of a future Fitbit product could exist on it's own when physically unattached from the RF portion, and in this unpaired state could monitor steps, time, and heart rate? Wouldn't that allow for form factors not currently available? It could have applications beyond just solving the problem of security. Wouldn't it be helpful to have a device that doesn't require nearly as much power, size and weight? A future Fitbit could be physically modularized into these two functions.
4. Take that idea a step further yet. There could be a common portion to a whole line of modularized Fitbits. The common portion would handle RF, alerting, synching, etc. It could be like the common battery in cordless tool bundles made by Dewalt, Ryobi, Makita, etc. The non-RF portion, requiring fewer resources, could be integrated into clothing or shoes or racing bibs or could just exist as very small and lightweight versions of existing Fitbits. Customers would buy into a system of components. The customer dollar goes further, and Fitbit can produce more product options for a lower cost, and provide more function. Current Fitbits are limited by their integrated design that requires a single physical housing. Break those functions apart physically and you can get into new markets or create new markets. Partner with other manufacturers. Put Fitbit capabilities into other company's products. I can see the marketing now, "Powered by Fitbit", or "Fitbit Enabled".
5. Use an RFID antenna in the non-RF portion of the modularized Fitbit. That way mating with the RF portion could be wireless. The power for communicating with the RFID antenna in the non-RF portion/module comes from the RF portion/module.
Wearing the Charge HR allday, I feel there is a need to be able to turn off the bluetooth on the charge itself. It is always on, always looking for pairings, which is not only bad for batterylife but also exposes me to bluetooth. I wanted the charge hr because it does not rely on a phone to be always on, always connected so it would be logical to be able to turn bt off.
Agree, please add feature to select turn off bluetooth from App. I only want bluetooth on during the few seconds I need to sync 1-2x/day. I returned my Flex for this reason, but was sad since I loved all the other features. I would purchase the Flex again if this capability were added.
As with many others, I will need to sell my Surge. I work in a space that doesn't allow transmitting devices. No cell phones, smartwatches, step trackers that transmit, laptops, etc... I currently have to lock my phone and Surge in a lockbox outside the building, so I miss out on a lot of steps and floors. The ability to disable would give me a fighting chance to change the rules. Additionally, I think there needs to be a study (would have to be an independant study) to show exact data that is transmitted. In otherwords someone to say officially that the only information exchanged is the user's heath data collected by the fitbit.
It is incredible that Fitbit has not developed the feature to turn off the devices' bluetooth. The original poster has posted this feature request at least twice because Fitbit did not fix this issue after his first request. I first posted on this thread a week ago and came back to follow-up on the status of this request, but sadly nothing has happened. Fitbit has not even acknowledged our requests. Could someone from Fitbit please reply to this thread? I would like to know if this feature has any chance of being implemented in the Fitbit Flex anytime soon. If the answer is no, I will completely write off this product and this company and forget I ever wanted a Fitbit Flex. I don't want to waste my time checking up on this feature being implemented if there is no chance of this ever happening.
Please implement off button in App for turning off device's radiation emissions for those of us who do not want extra radiation but wish to continue to track. This way we would turn on bluetooth emission in device only to sync.
I would want to be able to deactivate this feature, for those that just want the BT to stay on.
As for as a button on the app, we already have this, it is called use Bluetooth.
A button on the app could turn thevfitbit trackers BT off, and with it all communication, gl this requiring you to turn it back on through the tracker.
It appears that the BT on the HR is in "listen mode", and not transmitting. But I cna find no company information that confirms this. I see no documentation that states the BlueTooth transmitter is powered down until the reciever detects a signal.
I also can not find any information that says it will remain pwoered down in "listen mode" even when an unpaired transmitter signals its presence.
Right now, this new gift concerns me. I carry 2 cell phones at work, and perform maintence on transmitters. It's a concern that I might be adding more radiation to my life. I don't run a constant sync. I really have NO NEED for real time data beyond what the HR's display presents. BT sync? At the end of the day, and maybe in the AM. That's all I really want.
In the mean time, I WANT to be able to turn it OFF. No listen mode. I'm going to turn on my phone's app and BT anyway, so what is one more switch to throw? I cna also turn on the BT of the HR at that time.
Please, offer a firmware upgrade, or a new product that is dead silent until the time that I DECIDE is best for transmission. It will save power and give people like me, customers in the thousands, the control we want.
As for powering the Bluetooth down in listening mode, as for the BT received this would prevent the Fitbit from listening. So I really can't see how it would continue to listen without power.
As for the transmitter, there is no reason to turn this on until the Fitbit receives a request for data.
I realize there have been posted document the EMR of the Fitbit. Without being able to compare with the EMR wile the radio is off, this data is almost useless, since we have no baseline to compare with.
EMF and EMR is a byproduct of any electronic device or wire while electricity is flowing through. This is the they on how a generator, motor, or transformed works.
Any of the circuits in the Fitbit may be producing the EMR, not just the BT radio.
What the BT transmitted can also produce would be RFI, Radio Frequency Interference , This is a type of interference that has not been brought up yet, but should only be experienced during the syncing process.
It would be nice to know how much the EMF would drop by with the BT recommended off, I have seen no data on this level yet. While the Zip has the function to turn the BT radio off, the seats would be squed because the screen will also turn on and off with the BT.
The Fitbit doesn't need to be listening. This is a simple thing to accomplish. Set the Tx to be on or off by a press of the button on the device. We already cycle through it to select various readouts - why not add just one tinsy little feature on another button press.... turn BT on. Default should be off, and the thing can turn off automatically after each sysnc. No big deal - unless people are so put off about every little perceived "inconvenience."
As for no data on BT v4 radiation - that's precisely the point. No data. Nothing to say it really is okay excpet by those with vested interests. Why noy err on the side of safety? Too much to ask?
@Reload, I also returned mine this month after only 48 hours of ownership. Like you, I was disappointed that I could not turn off the bluetooth. I think Fitbit is not going to implement this feature ever again. They discontinued a tracker that had the bluetooth off at all times except when syncing. If you look at the date of the original post in this thread, it's been almost a year since this discussion came up, but probably longer since the OP mentioned he had posted it already before, and Fitbit did nothing about it. It's hopeless.
@Reload, I'm not sure what your referring to when you say, this is only used to gather info for future sale, or what this sale has to do with being able to turn bluetooth off. Have you read the Fitbit privacy notice, and if privacy is your concern you will need to completely remove yourself from the internet, and get rid of the smart phone. Do you realize Apple, Google, or Microsoft know exactly where, and when, your phone been. Dates time and location, with Android you can click a date and see this history. http://www.fitbit.com/privacy
Forget Fitbit. If they don't want to please us consumers, I fond other stuff tomsend my money on. I don't NEED a Fitbit, since I lead a super healthy lifestyle already. In fact, both days I tried it I easily reached 10,000 steps by midday. I just wanted the Tory Burch accesorry bracelet, but now I found other designer accessories. If Fitbit doesn't need our business, I walk away.
I was just about to make the same suggestion and I see this thread is here already. It would be really nice to be able to turn the wireless off on the device while you are wearing it. Even though it is compliant with FTC rules I do not think the FTC are health experts, and the effects of wireless on the human body are largely unknown. For the peace of mind of your users it would be very nice to be able to turn the wireless off unless it's needed. I am wearing this on my bra near my breasts and it makes me pretty nervous having realized it is a wireless device similar to a cell phone. I know that the fitbit has nowhere near the radiation levels of a cell phone but for my own peace of mind I wish I could turn the wireless off. There is no reason for it to be constantly pinging when I only need it occasionally to sync. Thanks
Users should have the ability to turn Bluetooth on and off, either by pressing a button, or a sequence of buttons, on the wristbnd or by going to the web page and being able to select "on" or "off." I purchased my Fitbit Charge HR in early January 2015 and collected 4 months of data. I loved it! Then in May 2015 my employer, a government agency, came out with a new policy where activity wristbands that transmit Bluetooth cannot be worn in the work space. I had to reluctantly put it away. I have not worn it since because I do not see the point in collecting partial data after work during the week, or just 2 days worth of data on the weekends. What's the point? But, alas, I miss my Fitbit, not to mention what I paid for it. I hope Fitbit engineers can come up with a solution to allow Bluetooth to be turned on and off. I would gladly pay a little more to purchase another upgraded model, or be able to continue to use my existing Charge HR. If Bluetooth could be temporarily turned off for use in the work place, while the device continues to collect data, and then turned back on after work so the day's data can be uploaded, this would be an ideal situation. Fitbit engineers - please contact me with an answer! Please!! Thank you.
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