Airplane mode for Charge 3

[Projecth]

Hi, I'd really like to buy the charge 3 when it comes out probably around september, but only if it has the option of airplane mode, or an option to turn Bluetooth off (no exposure to radiation), I know its less than the fcc regulation etc, but youtube videos show it much more than we expect, anyways there is also restriced areas that don't allow bluethoot on, so an airplane mode would be really usefull.
If it's easy to do I wouln't understand why not do it, garmin has it but the reason I dont want the garmin is beacause the HR monitor is not good.

So hopefully you guys can take it into consideration.

I think lots of people will buy it if this gets added.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Projecth thanks for sharing this idea. It is a great option, I'm sure other will like it. Let's wait and see how many votes it gets.

[Luke178]

You should be able to shut down bluetooth completely via the watch to limit radiation as you see fit. 

[AlexandraFitbit]

Good idea, thanks for taking the time to share it with us. We look forward to hearing what other community members think. 

[derekmski101]

If I was concerned about radiation I wouldn't be wearing an electronic device 24/7 or using a smartphone either.

[Foxnard]

The Amazon q &a misstates the Charge 3 as having a Bluetooth off feature, so I bought it. I am displeased in finding it will not turn off. I used a faraday cage bag to protect myself from the radiation to my Fitbit One, which had been causing pain in my right hip after I used it in my right pocket for several years. The pain went away when I switched it to my left pocket and kept in the protective bag. I might return this since I just received it today. It would be a trivial feature to add. How can you get away without an airplane mode? I can’t put a watch in a bag and wear it.

[Schmeep]

I completely agree. I just went through the painful process of signing up on this site just so I could make this comment and vote. It’s that important to me. I just spent a couple hours reviewing fitness trackers and decided the Charge 3 was perfect for me! Until I saw there is no way to turn off Bluetooth as I choose. Um, no thanks. Now I don’t know what to get to replace my Apple Watch (I want a fitness tracker I can swim with and will give me timers like a normal watch and possibly communicate with my Android).

[Elbie505]

I need the ability to disable bluetooth because it's not authorized where I work.  PLEASE make this an option.

[NarayanRajaram]

Please provide an option in the software to switch off Bluetooth manually before we go to sleep.  We should have a manual toggle button for Bluetooth activation.  This will help us sync with or device as and when we require.  

Bluetooth is always on and I prefer to keep this off while sleeping, especially with the hand around the head most of the time!

[MarcelBK]

Hi @NarayanRajaram, thanks for sharing your idea with the Community. This feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here. Please do not forget to give kudos by clicking on the thumbs up button.

[brak]

For as good as Fitbit is to some of their customers, this has always been the area where they have dug in and flat out refused to add a feature people have been asking for years to have.  They've made their devices do just about everything imaginable, including my favorite, the fact that they stuck with Windows Phone when no one else would.  

[brak]

Fitbit, please add a feature to your products to simply give the user the ability to turn off bluetooth and auto-sync. 

I have read the posts about the low levels of RF power emitted by fitbit devices (the .5-1% of a cell phone quote), and I've read the comments by users saying the radiation emitted by bluetooth radios is non-ionizing.  Fine.  And yes, we all have cell phones, and microwaves, and televisions, and drive under power lines, etc. I get it: using a Fitbit may put you at a much lower risk for exposure than other things around us.  

But some people would simply rather eliminate what they can, and others can't use bluetooth devices where they work - it's not a benefit/risk question, it's simply a they aren't allowed.

For years, customers and potential customers have been asking you to add this feature.  And over the years you've added various features from wrist-worn trackers, to waterproof trackers, to heart-rate monitoring trackers, to sleep trackers, to smartwatches - basically expanding what Fitbits can connected to and what they can monitor.  

It's about time for you to just give your customers the ability to turn some of these things off and use the features they want.  Just as there is a segment of your customers that want to be always-connected and have a device measure everything imaginable, there are ones like me who simply want a watch that counts steps, that only connects to a dongle or phone when I want it to (when I activate bluetooth or sync).  That's it.  Even the Zip only does the first two of those (which is why that's what I still have; I've been waiting for a watch-style Fitbit to come out that you can turn off sync/bluetooth).

PLEASE DO IT!

[Kgt77]

I would like the same thing. Thinking about moving to an Oura ring because Fitbit doesn’t have this option. Im sure since fit bit is a health company I hope care beyond how many votes a move to a healthier life gets. 

[Winterglo]

Please make this an option! It would be great to be able to put the watch into airplane mode.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @brak! That’s an interesting idea and could be useful, thanks for sharing it.  I've moved it into a similar suggestion, as the more votes and comments an idea has the more visibility and momentum it gains. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs.

[davidbmoss]

I vote for adding airplane mode. I don’t want Bluetooth on while I am sleeping. I bought the Oura ring because it has airplane mode.

[brak]

Voted for!!  I wish Fitbit would just make this a standard feature on ALL of their products!  

[CassieJane]

I fully support the option of being able to turn Bluetooth off completely at the device. I personally noticed acute numbness, tingling and burning using the Charge 2, so much so that I returned the device. I believed there may have been a fault with this device as it had been damaged and repaired under warranty. I replaced with a new Charge 3, and still noticed to a milder extent the same numbness and tingling. This sensation greatly reduced again, when I discovered I could Switch Off the Sync All Day feature in the Fitbit app. I do believe the numbness, tingling and pain is caused by emissions from the Fitbit device. I also experience a similar milder sensation when using my iPhone for extended periods. The public trust large corporations to be honest with their customers about the risks and potential dangers of using such devices. Only time will tell if this is true or if money, greed and corruption have been placed above customer safety. 

[seannelson101]

I am requesting a feature be added to the Surge.  The Surge does not allowed in many places (medical centers/labs for example) that do not allow wireless devices.   Please include a setting so we can turn "off" the bluetooth.  Just not syncing or having a paired phone/tablet nearby is not enough.  The only solution now is to turn off the Surge and not use it.

[HMR93]

Please please please please please add an airplane mode or a feature to disable Bluetooth! I've wanted a fitbit for years and just got the Charge 3 only to find out I cannot wear it 5 days a week because I cannot disable the Bluetooth. Please don't make me have to consider returning this in exchange for a fitness tracker from a different company. I love the features the Charge 3 offers, but if I can only use it on the weekends, it's pretty useless to me. 

[saroberts]

Exactly the same here.  I can't wear my Charge 3 5 days a week to work because I can't disable Bluetooth.  Please add this feature!

[megh25]

I fully support this idea. It would be great to be able to completely turn "off" the bluetooth at will.

[Airicka88]

Agreed. Please add this feature. 

[SunsetRunner]

I'm looking to buy a fitness tracker and naturally FitBit was the first place I navigated to. I've asked my colleagues who have various FitBit models if the wireless/bluetooth can be turned off and each say it can't. This is disappointing and is the ONLY thing that is holding me back from purchasing a FitBit.

I'm weighing up my options and really like the look of the ouraring. They actually acknowledge EMF on the FAQ on their site (https://ouraring.com/faq/), and the fact that it can be turned off for weeks at a time (whilst it continues to store data) is a great selling point. However, it's not as great on the fitness side - for now.

I'll also look at the Garmin VivoSmart and VivoActive models as according to their website you CAN turn off wireless/bluetooth. I'll post back what I decide to do and my feedback.

[brak]

I really hope FItbit starts listening to comments like these: "I'd like to go with Fitbit, but they don't have airplane mode, so i'll probably go with someone else".  They need to stop closing these requested features, saying, "we know people want this, but we're not doing it at this time."  I would really like to know the reason why they don't want to do it, whether that's programming limitations (which is doubtful) or agreements with third parties that they share the data with (where part of the agreement is that Fitbit would not limit a constant feed). 

[Jharrb]

I have chosen to leave my versa behind. I am very concerned about the Bluetooth feature that is always on and it has potential health risks. I hope that I can revisit the fitness products in the future once they decide to make alterations to allow the user turn off the continuous Bluetooth feature.