Ability to switch from built GPS to connected GPS on Charge 4

[Venugopal]

Charge 4 comes with an inbuilt GPS and I see my Charge 4 battery drains out quickly. Sometimes, I carry my phone during my workout and I would like to connect to my phone GPS in order to save battery.

Please add the option of selecting inbuilt GPS and connected GPS.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Jmajam]

I think the same, I was about to change to garmin, for compatibility with
my edge 520 plus, but I've been with fitbit for years.

[FitChakBit]

To have the option between built-in or connected GPS (via your mobile phone) is a must for a premium product such as this.  We shouldn't have to wait for a critical number of votes to make this change as the Charge 4 should be building and improving on the functionality of the Charge 3 not detracting from it and giving the customer a dilemma of whether they need built-in or connected GPS more; in reality there will be times where you will need one more than the other! 

From a sales perspective this will only hurt the Charge 4 with some customers choosing alternative products instead.  With a few decent updates the Charge 4 could be amazing, please Fitbit be pro-active and consider making the changes sooner rather than later and make a lot of customers happy, it will be a win win for all of us!     

[GiovanniS]

Dear all

A fitbit Charge 4 upgrade occurred today unfortunately with no solution for the lack of option of GPS connection.

This is disappointing.

[ShaanieBoy]

Really?? That would be hugely disappointing... are you sure? The page below shows the details of updates for the charge 4 and has not been updated since May 29th:

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1372

I do not currently have a charge 4 since I am holding off on buying one until this feature is implemented, so I am unable to verify. Incredibly frustrating if true!!

[Friesdan]

I just downgraded from a Charge 2 to a Charge 4. This feature would at least make the switch feel more like a simple unnecessary "cross-grade."

[Aidan_B]

This comment again states that the feature is coming in the next update. If this is the case, could the status of this feature request please be updated so it is clear it is being worked on?

Thanks

[prill]

This is absolutely ridiculous. Whats the use of a fitness tracker that cant track half of your activites. I still have a week to return my charge 4 though. Not sure if i should do it or try my luck with a update.

[SunsetRunner]

Fitbit Team,

connected GPS from your phone is essential to have & not only the option of integrated gps from your fitbit charge 4 device!

-the GPS takes forever to connect and find a good signal from the fitbit charge 4 device. Have to wait extra 5 minutes before any activity.

-it eats up the battery VERY quick (~2 hours it is completely dead from 100%). Many people go on long bike rides, hikes etc (8hours+) there is no way we can track these activities with a fitbit charge 4 device which only lasts 2 hours.

-PLEASE HURRRRY 😃

[Jmajam]

Toda Razón ... sobre todo lo de esperar 5 minutos extra antes de cada actividad !!!

Saludos !

Enviado desde mi iPhone

[Timpan]

Please fix this its a must to have the option to use phone gps

[MatthiasG]

It will be Come with the next Update...

 

[MartinInVA]

I just want to add that this feature would also be useful if you live in an area with taller trees.  I run in my neighborhood in suburban DC, which I think is a pretty typical suburb, at least in the eastern U.S.   Sidewalks, wider streets, single family homes with grass front yards.  But it is an older neighborhood (built in about 1960), so there are a lot of mature trees.  My front yard is southern facing, but the Charge 4 has so far been unable to connect to the GPS network.  My phone, however, has never had that problem as long as I'm outside.  

So far and on two clear days and one cloudy day, the GPS on the Charge 4 hasn't picked up GPS signal at the start of a run.  On one run it didn't connect at all, on another it only connected for about the last 1/2 of the run, and today only for about 1/4 mile in the middle.  

A good backup to the Charge 4's GPS reception would be to allow users to revert to the phone's GPS, either as a separate setting or when we simply turn off the Charge 4's GPS in its exercise settings.  I see from a link above it's a listed future feature, but please consider upping this in the priorities.  I went from a Charge 2 and always had reliable GPS data after outdoor exercise.  It's a disappointing loss of capability and data collection accuracy.  Otherwise, I like the Charge 4 so would really like to see this option implemented.  Thanks! 

[GiovanniS]

A very good point, I fully agree with you. The technology is there and the implementation can be done at any time. Cannot see a reason not to do it. I have used the built in GPS of my charge 4 only twice and the battery charge did not arrive to the end of the day. The GPS recognises the signal

with a few minutes delay. I run at least 5 times a week and I use my iPhone GPS and sync MapMyRun with the Fitbit app. Basically I am not using the charge 4 GPS at all. I preferred the flexibility of my old charge 2 which could connect to the phone GPS to record the run directly with the Fitbit app. I think we all expect our voices to be heard. Fitbit, take action please. 

[SunsetRunner]

Yes we need this switch made asap!! Our fitbit charge 4s are not lasting the duration of our exercise with the GPS on. Highway robbery not to give customers an option to use phone GPS!!

[MorkT]

please implement this

[AlvaroFitbit]

Hi @Venugopal  and thanks for sharing this suggestion about adding Connected GPS option to the Charge 4, which has received votes from other community members. I’m happy to let you know that this suggestion has been picked up internally at Fitbit and is being considered by our team. This suggestion will either remain ‘Under Consideration’ until released, or else move to ‘Not Currently Planned’ if it’s not viable right now. Further updates will be posted here.Please remember that if a suggestion is chosen for development, it can take some time before updates are available or a release is finalized, so thanks in advance for your patience. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs. Fans can continue to vote for this feature suggestion while it is under consideration.

[SunsetRunner]

Cmon Fitbit!! You already have this technology in the Charge 3
device...........Stop being stingy and let us have both options on the
Charge 4. 😃

[MartinInVA]

With the new "Under Consideration" status, it sounds like access to my phone's GPS won't be in the next release - if at all - as some seem to have been told by Fitbit.

If so, I simply have to return this device.  I went for another run today, waited for GPS to connect, and it lasted 1/10 of a mile before it dropped tracking, never to be picked up again.  I was out for 1/2 an hour, 2.5+miles, clear sunny afternoon, and the Charge 2 bailed after the first 30 seconds.  The track shows me cutting across yards and through houses, so what little it did capture is also inaccurate.  The device also stopped tracking my run entirely, instead of continuing with pacing as Fitbit's manual & online info says it would, so in the end I went back and put it in manually.  

This is significantly less functionality than my Charge 2.  I have a few days to return this Charge 4, so I guess that's what I'll be doing, and I definitely won't be recommending it to anyone who wants more than step counter and heart monitor.  Truly disappointing.

[Friesdan]

Rahim - Since they could deliver it tomorrow if they wanted to (it's already there) - and they haven't - the question is  - Why?

The answer is probably that they need an excuse to charge more $ for the Charge 4, since it's otherwise the same as the Charge 3 - and if word gets around that GPS kills battery life and is therefore a near-useless feature (as we here have discovered), they will have no excuse to sell the Charge 4 for a higher price - they'll have to charge the same as the Charge 3. Bad for profits! 

Hey Alvaro! I see you! Go ahead and delete me again if you must. I guarantee you're the only one on this thread who finds my posts "inflammatory" though. Everyone else showed up here because they agree with my constructive criticism. 

[SunsetRunner]

Yes 100% agree. Why are they charging customers more money for a “better device with built in GPS” when it doesn’t even have the key features which made the charge 3 a competitive device! The charge 4 is now worse then the Charge 3 & 2 without this feature of using GPS from your phone. Especially when the charge 4 gps cant find a signal & eats battery like no other!!

[Jmajam]

Hello, the same thing happened to me, charge 2 is more functional for me!

Saludos !

Enviado desde mi iPhone

[bswaroop]

I believe that from all the chatter is that FitBit is quite aware that the Charge 4 is far less functional than the charge 3 and even the Charge 2. They have been tip toeing this feature for MONTHS so they are stuck in a rock and a hard place as the device wasn’t originally planned to have this feature and it may never be possible to have this feature. But, Fitbit can’t admit that as it would prove that the Charge 3 and 2 are far more functional than the Charge 4 and a clear step back from the industry standard set 5 years ago. 

so I think they will pretend like this feature is on its way for quite some time even if they do or have realized already that this feature isn’t possible to be added.

[Er1965]

Two Charge 4 are sent back!

[dgorham98]

Please add me to the list of those who wish the Charge 4 had the option to use either its built-in GPS or allow it to tether to the phone. I've used my new Charge 4 on bicycle rides and three out of five times the Charge 4 battery has died along the way. Unfortunately, it's taken getting burned like this to be sure the Charge 4 has 100% battery before leaving on my ride, but this isn't always possible. Thanks Fitbit for looking into this and I'm looking forward to the next upgrade.

[HJurgens]

Also agree. My new Charge 4 device can never accurately track a GPS signal and is failing to accurately track my route when exercising. As mentioned by others it maps me cutting through buildings and completely looses large parts of my route due to dropping the GPS connection continuously. Was very surprised to see that there was no option to use the GPS in my phone which always works fine.