Charge 4 screen brightness boost

[eschroedermark]

For direct sunlight situations, add an ability to boost screen brightness temporarily, i.e. one-time event, through an easy to access while exercising method e.g. through a screen tap/scroll sequence. Enable the user to determine the preferred method in the Settings on the Charge 4 device.

[Meryllande]

My Charge 3 was unreadable in the sun,too. This Charge 4 is completely the
opposite.

[BillCr]

This issue is so painfully obvious that it makes me wonder about the folks behind Fitbit . Do they think everyone exercises inside during Covid?

[NickyUtrecht]

I’ve been a member of this group for a year now and have nit seen a single response from Fitbit. Such a shame, but I’m going to unsubscribe now.

Sent from my iPhone

[mathrec]

I agree with other commenters.  It is completely unsuitable for the purpose.  I didn't buy Fitbit as a general activity tracker.  I bought it for exercise.  To check my distance traveled while riding so that I can follow a direction sheet.  To check my heart rate while running.  To check my time marks while running a known route.  None of these are possible outdoors without stopping and putting on reading glasses, which is ... just no.

Just make the font wider.  It's line draw and that's wrong for exercise mode.  It really ruins my respect for Fitbit as a company that this was identified a year ago and there no fix.

[Val_b]

A few weeks ago my first screen changed from a digial format to a regular clock? Can't find how to change it back yet. But at the same time I found I could NOT see the screens while outside. Inside is fine. Working fine but I don't like whatever has happened as up to the clock face change I COULD see the screens outside. Change it back!!! This really isn't acceptable at all. 

[ziad.rahhal]

Fixing the brightness should be a priority for the product team. I live in Dubai where its always sunny - i bought the fitbit charge 4 so i can check my zones on the fly without having to look at my phone. Im now finding that I have to use my phone while working out to see my HR, the device is useless in the sun (with normal brightness settings). Fix please

[Baromney]

Definitely need this. The device is useless without being able to see it in sunlight. May have to buys something else if this isn't resolved. 

[lezliedawn]

I finally returned by Charge 4 and I am now in the market for a replacement with a display that can be viewed outside.
Lezlie

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[SunsetRunner]

Would be great if this could be fixed with an update.  Just to give us a new setting for brighter display in sun.  This is the only feature that need improving on my Charge 4. 

[SunsetRunner]

I wish I'd read this before I bought my Charge 4 in mid-July!  I do my exercise outdoors & definitely cannot read it in the sun, even when shaded by my hat & hand, and I did make sure the screen brightness was up/ normal....it's so frustrating that I'm seriously thinking of buying a device from another company, which is sad because everything else about it is fine with me.

[SunsetRunner]

• I set my Charge 4 to auto and it seems to be ok In the sun, when I went for a walk today. So much better than my inspire hr.

[BillCr]

I'll give that a try. I don't want to bash fitbit. I just want a solution.

[SunsetRunner]

Hope it works.  It seems that all fitbit don't work the same.  Some people get better results than others and try the same steps.  Good luck.

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks, but I’ve had it on Auto for the last few months; just tried switching back to Normal today…BUT that’s probably what I switched it from in the first place! 🤣

[vandenhooven]

The reason that fitbit is not responding here is because I believe the screen brightness is not something that can be "fixed" with a simple firmware update. It is a hardware issue, not a software issue. It comes with the screen it has. The only thing they could potentially do is to change the grey text to white, that's it. The [maximum] brightness itself is a function of the screen (and the current/voltage applied to it).

I own the Charge 4 and yes outside it is very dim, usually too dim to read. It's not practical for me to read the screen outside, especially while exercising. I am using a cycle computer with a different heart rate monitor function, making this kind of useless to me for tracking HR on a ride. It still tracks daily activities however, so I use this to see my overall (weekly) progress. I won't hold my breath waiting for them to fix this issue because I already know they can't do anything about it.

My point is, don't wait for Fitbit to even acknowledge anything is 'wrong' with this watch. There's nothing they can do about it. If you're not happy, simply get another watch and move on. That's what I would do if this were my only HR-measuring device.

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you!

[busymomri]

Thank you for your feedback. Prior to upgrading to this Fitbit support told
me this was an option on this device. Only because of what they told me did
I upgrade to this device. Otherwise I would have looked elsewhere for a
different option.

It would be nice for support to come out and share what you did. I am hoping
they come up with something affordable that will work for those of us with
vision issues. Until then I will work around it.

[mathrec]

To @vandenhooven,

I agree that changing the brightness of individual pixels would be a hardware issue, but changing the *font* for the main display reading to use a thicker line width would be very straightforward with a firmware update. It is a marketing decision between one of three choices: 1) change the default font to affect all users; 2) make the font in exercise mode user customizable like the primary clock face; or 3) make no change. It may be prohibitively difficult to make selectable exercise clock faces or they don't want to complicate the user interface. They have apparently decided that younger users who use their device for fitness tracking are their target market, and that making changes to such a primary display for older users who want to monitor their activity *during* outdoor exercise is not in their business interest.

[busymomri]

This community provides great insight. If they are going for the younger
people go for it. For those of us who are older and have vision issues,
where bi focal contact are a reality. Seeing in the Sun is a big deal.
Tracking alarms while outside is also a nice to have.



I wish Support would help out and at the least respond. They push us to the
community and then abandon topics. This one has been going on for a long
time.

[BillCr]

I have been surprised by how little there is on the internet about this
issue. I have looked at a number of reviews and have never seen it
mentioned. Looks like Fitbit has done a good job of keeping a lid on it. My
positive read on the failure of Fitbit to address this issue is that it has
product in the pipeline that will solve this problem. My pessimistic view
is that Fitbit finds it unnecessary or impracticable to deal with it.

[Brivera914]

It seems that I made a mistake purchasing the FB 4. I can not read the screen when out walking on a sunny day. What’s the point in having this watch when it can’t the most basic of things like being readable? And I see customers have been complaining about this problem for well over a year and still no update. Unfortunately I brought this watch in the winter and never had a chance to test it out during sunny days. Looks like it’s going into the junk draw while I search for a fitness tracker that works outside and I will tell you now, it won’t be a Fitbit.

[lynngoss]

Fitbit 4 has been a major disappointment for many reasons, but the inability to see the face is the most annoying. I've noticed that this has been addressed for over a year without anything being done. This is my fourth and last fitbit unless something is done. I'm looking for something better and for a company that will address user concerns. This is obviously an issue.

[SunsetRunner]

They don't seem to listen to anybodys issues.

[GrahamWh]

Change brightness setings on Charge 4 to normal and Superbright

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @GrahamWh, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to see screen brightness boost on Charge 4. I've moved it into a similar request. I think that a lot of users would like to have this option on their Fitbit devices.You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs.

Thank you again for your participation in the Feature Suggestions Forums.