Add Airplane mode to Versa series

[Ionic]

I recommend adding an airplane mode to the first firmware update.

I have seen several posts wondering about turning off bluetooth or WiFi on the new Ionic.  Several people have stated an interest based on small amounts of radiation, others have considered FAA regulations for devices.  This feature would also benefit people who work in government, tech, and security industries who work in places where transmitting devices of any kind are not allowed.  I am interested because being able to control how often my device transmits and whether or not it is able to sync provides me the ability to extend battery life because I don't always want a smart watch. Sometimes I just want a pedometer, but I don't want to switch between two different devices.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and updated label

[fls29]

Please add an airplane mode to the Versa! This would be great for people who travel often. It will also help with battery life when we don't need certain features from the watch while traveling or we're busy!

[Cam125]

Can someone from Fitbit please weigh in on this?
All we have had is the generic replies saying hey, thanks for posting, we don't really care. Lets see what the other people say.
I have had my fitbit sitting in its box for over 4 months now.

This has been marked as [future product], does that mean that there is no chance that you will be adding this feature to existing products?

[Cam125]

Just weighing in with my monthly update to make sure FitBit still doesn't give a fu-ck about it's customers.

Yep, still the same.

[Szuja]

It is about time for me to get a new watch, the only reasons I purchased my last watch was so that I can put it in airplane mode AND use the supposed oxygen censor because I have sleep apneal. It may be time to switch to APPLE!!!

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[Xctual]

Back again, a few months later. There's a lot of support on this topic! I feel as if one way or another FitBit has seen multiple people ask for such a feature. It seems to me that what could be holding them back is that they haven't figured out how to implement or develope the technology to put it in a compact device. Although to be honest, having removed the GPS from the watch I don't see why they can't make a physical/software switch, ya know?

[Cam125]

This thread is now over a year old. Still no word from FitBit. Paging any moderators. 

[Szuja]

Time to go APPLE! Maybe they’ll learn after they see a significant loss in sales! Nothing better than ignoring your customer base.

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[fitpal3]

Nah Apple sucks too, go Garmin, Garmin just came out with Instinct, I get 53 days of battery life when I turn off all smart features (and radiation). It is such an awesome device.

[fitpal3]

I see other thread dating as far back as 2013 on this. Fitbit doesn't give a flying f*#$ about this. Go Garmin. Like I said I use Garmin and with all smart features off I get 53 days of battery life, which means for me that I don't have to remember to charge it, I do when I sync or when I remember and never run out of battery. Fitbit is child's play compare to Garmin.

[Rimman321]

So just to reiterate this has been going on since Fitbit existed. The most annoying are the smart a&^es that tell me that radiation is not harmful and I don't need to turn off Wifi. Even though that's NOT WHAT I'm ASKING. By the way my Garmin Fenix 5 when I turn off WIFI and Bluetooth gets my 53 days on one charge which is much, much more when Bluetooth is on. So don't tell me that it will not save battery if/when I turn it off on a fitbit device.

Here are some threads:

2015: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-HR/Turn-Bluetooth-On-Off-feature/td-p/1006340

2015: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-HR/Can-we-turn-off-bluetooth/td-p/634262

2015: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Surge/Airplane-Mode-for-Surge/td-p/946063

2016: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Alta/power-off-airplane-mode-bluetooth-travel/td-p/1281488

2014: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Flex/Turning-the-Bluetooth-off/td-p/426958

2018 Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/fitbit/comments/8dtr0c/versa_doesnt_have_an_airplane_mode_apparently/

Yeah That's the reality. The sad part about it is that I love Fitbit app more then any other fitness app (and still use it without the watch to track calories) and would switch in a second back to fitbit once this is enabled in their watches but as it is now -- back to Garmin to my 53-56 days of battery life.

[BottlecapDave]

Just got a versa and stupidly didn't check that Bluetooth couldn't be turned off. I accepted this with the charge due to lack of buttons/interface. But for a smartwatch I thought this was a given. I used it all the time on my pebble (which I've come from). Why do I use it? Because most of the time I don't need notifications or syncing and with my pebble I was getting 5 days. Will probably have to get rid of the device now as I don't want unecessary radio waves pumping into my body

[Winterglo]

It would be great to have an airplane mode option. This would allow the user to take the device into situations/areas that do not allow for transmitting devices. Also, as some devices have issues when they are connected to more than one Bluetooth device at a time, this would allow the user to turn off the watch's Bluetooth and control which device gets connected.

[BottlecapDave]

I think the fact that Fitbit haven't provided this yet despite high numbers across multiple threads means probably one of two things.

1) They don't care about existing products and only "the next thing" or

2) there is no option to turn off Bluetooth from a hardware perspective and they don't want to admit it

[Szuja]

Another one of my initial concerns was that they have not turned on the oxygen sensor. The primary reason I purchased this unit was because of the sensor so I know how well I sleep in terms of oxygen intake since I use a CPAP machine. They haven’t even turned it on their next model. Has anyone heard anything about this?

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[hachaduryan]

Please add Airplane Mode! That's a must have feature. Can't believe it's not already available.

Thank you!

[yasserfarouk]

The frustrating thing here is that it is extremely simple to add this feature.

[hachaduryan]

I agree. They're a bunch of frustrating issues that take too long to
resolve. With this pace I guess I'm better off returning this Fitbit before
I lose that opportunity.

Arno

[Rimman321]

This is a stupid thing to say, because 1 person is not going to make a dent in FitBit's bottom line and they probably worry more about Huawei then any of us there but still in the mean time I'm buying my 3rd Garmin while waiting for this to be addressed and it could have been money that I spent on a Fitbit device. Like I said I love the software and HW just one thing is stopping me from buying it.

[hachaduryan]

You know what's stupid? It's thinking that by returning this Versa my goal
is to teach Fitbit a lesson. I'm not. I'm trying to save myself money and
disappointment because waiting for essential features to be implemented can
be a drag, especially if the developers don't care about it.
Go by yourself a Garmin and keep your irrelevant remarks to yourself.

[Szuja]

Really? I thought the whole idea of posts was to look for resolutions and gain support. I’m not even going to lower myself to respond to your level. So far everyone on this thread has been very respectful. With your attitude about complaining on a thread, why are you on this thread at all? Is it to give praise for what a wonderful watch you have?

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[fitpal3]

Wow, it's funny how fast it has escalated here. Guys we are all on the same side 😊I got misunderstood. When I said "it is stupid to say" I was referring to what I was just about to say which was: "Fitbit doesn't care about *me* because they only lost one sale, but I'm actually on my 3rd garmin since I stopped buying Fitbit products" So they potentially lost 3 sales.

I wasn't' trying to offend anyone just simply referring to myself.

[brak]

Fitbit, please add airplane mode to all of your on-person devices!

[navafolk]

Is airplane mode available on new Fitbit OS 3.0? Anyone know?

[Cam125]

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/2302

Doesn't look like it. Link listed is the update page notes.

[hachaduryan]

No.

Arno