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

[Matt_R]

Exactly the same for me.  I belive that this was once possible but that the Map My Run stopped the connectivity.  If anything this pushes me away from Map My Run, not from my Fitbit!

[amhyre]

Please provide the capability of the Charge HR to communicate HR data to other Apps like Strava for tracking cycling and other acitivities. Ideally, the Strava App should access the HR datastream directly from the Charge HR. Can you update your software so other Apps can access the information from your activity trackers? 

Currently tracking rides as "runs" (limited options) in FitBit App, and then importing them to Strava where I have to correct the assignment to "ride" and then analyze the data. Also, FitBit App does not allow modification of activity assignment, which makes the steps/stairs counting inaccurate.

[pody]

Sending the heard rate every 1 sec would be ideal for synchronisation with endomondo and runatastic. So the app could show on screen the position / heart rate in real time on map!

[DaveMonaghan]

I've tried emailed FitBit Developers on this topic. What we really need to export the Heart Rate Data Live via Bluetooth to any other Bluetooth capable device. With devices such as the Mio Fuse, that have ANT+ support and Bluetooth support, we have very easily written dlls for windows that read the heart rate live from the wrist worn sensor for use in any other application. 

If FitBit can add this support... or give us the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocols to access heart rate, so we can stream the heart rate data live off the device to a computer (bypassing a phone) than it would be so useful for research 🙂  (i.e. similar to how ANT+ does it)

kind regards

dave

[max28]

I had the same thought, I would love to use the HR from my Surge with my cycle app but I still have to put another chest HR on which seems to be pointless in having my fitbit.

[mutl3y]

I also just brought a Charge HR thinking as it was a bluetooth heart monitor I would be able to connect to the gym equipment.

This should be made quite clear in the product info and not rely on a prospective customer having to search forums for hours to find an answer now it looks like I will have to return the Charge and opt for the Microsoft band instead.

[JamesBird]

Allow 3rd party fitness apps to use charge hr as a heartrate monitor.

I see the value of Fitbit in the clever design of the bands, not the 'me too' app. Why not publish the interface and allow dedicated running apps to use the bands as input devices? In the end the market will decide - if the Fitbit app is the best, we'll be back to it, if not we'll use the Charge HR band for what it does best, and the best app, for what that does best

[thomasanthony]

I think, now that it is 2016, that this is more than a nice to have but a must have. I use Cyclemeter for a variety of reasons, combined with Wahoo's RFLT and would love to ditch the HR Strap - one less appendage. Please give this suggestion some real consideration as it would move Fitbit beyond the activity tracking domain into the fitness domain. Alternative would be to significantly expand the features of the Fitbit App to compete with true fitness apps

[thomasanthony]

Allow users to leverage Surge as a HR Monitor for partner fitness apps by transmitting HR via bluetooth. I'm a massive fan of the Surge but without this ability I ditch it when exercising e.g. cycling with cyclemeter app, and use HR strap instead. This is unfortunate. The alternative would be to significantly increase the features of Fitbit app to enclude communciations with cadence & power monitors, track pace zones in addition to HR zones, auto splits with associated metrics, ascent & decent tracking, auto stop tracking etc

Fitbit App has a long way to go to be truly useful as a training app but transmitting HR would really assist those using training apps and the fitbit

Community Members please vote, fitbit please consider

[Iburyum]

I traded in my MIO HRM for my Fitbit HR thinking it would do the same thing. Boy was I wrong the HR does not relay my HR to Mapmyfitness like my MIO did. I hope they make the HR readable to other applications that we fitness people use.

[SantiR]

Good idea. I know of several users that use third party applications with their Fitbit trackers. Having the option to transfer heart rate data to one of those applications would be great. I know a lot of users would love to have this option for a better data control and a full control with the partner apps. Thank you for the request, I'll vote for it. 

[acarr]

Replacement Surge wristband seems like a no brainer to FitBit.  I have owned my surge for 7 months.  I am active, but not abusive to my surge... I just noticed the band has torn on the inside where the 2 screws are.  I contacted FitBit and they are sending out a replacement Surge, since mine is still under warranty.  But what happens when the same thing happens to the next one?  I really only wanted a replacement band.  

I really think with all the requests for this on the forum, it would be a good idea.  Or at least let me know that if it keeps happening, FitBit will keep replacing the whole system.

thanks.

[pcktdrgns]

Ditto - when I bought my Charge HR and attempted to pair it with MotiFit I had no success.  I contacted MotiFit to find out what was going on and was told "Fitbit has decided not to support sharing heart rate info with 3rd party apps".

Fitbit needs to rethink that decision and start sharing this info.  I'm not a fan of the Fitbit app and would prefer the freedom to choose what app I want to use during my workouts.

When I emailed Fitbit about this I was told to direct my comments here in the hopes that the product development team sees it.  I think this should be a high priorty.

[jalwan]

Please add support for ANT+ so heartrate data from my FitBit Surge can show up in third party solutions.  Our YMCA just got all new spin bikes and fitness equipment and uses FitMetrix.  The Y is recommending any heart rate monitor except FitBit and Polar because you don't allow heart rate data to be accessed by FitMetrix using ANT+.  While I like my Surge and was going to buy the Aria scale, now I will probably stop using FitBit and buy a Garmin Vivoactive HR and scale instead because they support ANT+.  Would rather keep using my FitBit Surge, but I want ANT+ support.

[Firstknight]

Totally agree

[MarreFitbit]

Such a great idea! This will be very helpful for other users who use any third-party app to tracker their heart rate.. I think this would be an easier way to keep HR data on both. Thanks for sharing your ideas! 

[Jonas1234]

Why can't heart rate data sync across other device apps (Mapmyride, mapmyrun, strava)

Moderator edit: added labels

[MarreFitbit]

Thanks for this sharing this idea! I really would like to have other apps for tracking my heart rate that be compatible with the Fitbit app. Hopefully this will be implemented in the future, so let's keep voting! 

[oreali]

Around the world a lot of runners use Runtastic or RK to track their activities. Me too. It's really a shame that the Charge HR can't be paired to these apps. We could use the Charge HR as an heart rate band for the apps.
Please, work on this feature.

Moderator edit: labels & title

[MarreFitbit]

Thanks for this sharing this idea! I really would like to have other apps like MapMyFitness for tracking my heart rate that be compatible with the Fitbit app or viceversa. Hopefully this will be implemented in the future, so let's keep voting! 

[npufal]

Based on the current docs there is no way at the moment to send the heart rate data from third-party services into FitBit.

As an example, I use a chest strap monitor for more accurate HR data. This sensor is bluetooth compatible and works perfectly with Strava, so throughout my runs using that app it keeps capturing my heart beats. 

FitBit already integrates with Strava but because of the current API limitations the HR data is not being synced.

Based on a lot of forum discussions I know there is a lot of people out there that prefer to use a chest strap for some types of exercises over the wrist based technology as that provides faster/more accurate data so this feature would be of great value.

Was this something already discussed between product/dev team? Are there any plans to make this a reality? 

Thank you,

Nicholas

[npufal]

Sorry, my intent was to add this as part of the `Feature Requests` forum. 

Can a moderator please delete this post? I already posted it there.

Thanks

[DMDMDM]

Surge HR needs to be SMART capable ASAP. Want to use with Tabata app.

[Mhazaras]

I will up vote this one. This should be a simple endeavour for the developers to publish the Fitbit as a btle heart rate monitor.

Allowing integration into other more dedicated apps (cycling gps, workout log/notebooks, etc) would be a good selling feature.

[Mhazaras]

To play well it should be published as a standard btle compliant heart rate service.

https://developer.bluetooth.org/TechnologyOverview/Pages/BLE.aspx

That way all apps that have proper btle heart rate clients could connect to the heart rate services.