Heart rate zones alert feature

[kingtut1975]

 Many fitness enthusiasts and individuals of whom base their workouts on target heart rate zones would really appreciate a heart rate alert feature implemented into the new Fitbit Ionic as well -if possible ALL Fitbit watches. This feature would allow a Fitbit user to manually set their Fitbit watch to alert the user once their targeted maximum and minimum heart rate has been achieved while performing a workout. Â The watch would vibrate on the user's wrist alerting the user when their selected heart rate has been accomplished or met allowing the user to more cater their workouts to stay within a selected threshold. Â Implementing this feature will also serve well as a safety feature which can alert the user when their calculated heartrate is dangerously high or above the maximum threshold that they set enabling the user to adjust their workout accordingly. Â Some Fitbit users I can imagine and many other individuals have cardiovascular/heart related issues which prevent them engaging in a workout that is too intense therefore a heart rate alert feature implemented into the new Fitbit Ionic would make the watch more marketable to the present customer base, a broader audience of fitness enthusiasts, and desirable to a whole new market of individuals of whom have cardiovascular/heart issues and will really appreciate a heartrate alert feature implemented into their fitness/activity trackers. Overall, implementing this feature will likely increase popularity of the watch, increase revenue, and appeal to a wider range of individuals that are taking steps to improve their health through daily workouts but are limited to what they can do due to cardiovascular/heart concerns. Â Implementing this feature can likely be as simple as have software engineering add it to a software/firmware update which will allow it to perform identical to the silent/vibrating alarm feature already included in most Fitbit watches anyhow.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity, format & labels.

[sanman99]

+1

I'd give this tons of +1 all day long

Without this, I'd consider returning my device if I weren't past my return date.

[dom-d]

This feature exists on almost all the heart montiors that I have come across.  I don't feel concerned by it (for the moment) but I was surprised that it doesn't exist

[Maddy522]

I not only want a beep or something to tell me when I exceed my heart rate,I need it for health reasons.I bought the Fitbit charge for that reason and darn.nothing.Back to the gigantic mio.maddy

[sanman99]

True that, Maddy. Can't really see your HR easily, which makes it pointless that it's on our wrists (for us, maybe not everyone).

I hear it does resting HR pretty well, so this seems like a nice device if you want that. But am I supposed to look at a chart each day when I get home and say "umm.... ok 2pm... is 70beats." Not much use for that.

I gotta have a beep when I'm under or over my RHR goals. If I want to stay under 63 sometimes, I need a double beat rhythm if I go over. Maybe a triple if I pass another level.

During exercise (though I might get a separate device that handles fitness better), someone tell me (with practicality) how the heck am I supposed to know when I'm in my preferred zone/range and when I bump out of it. Heck no I am not gonna hold my arm in front of my face. Know why? Even if I did, the darn timeout will turn the screen off.

So, what then, do I keep looking at my wrist hitting the button (while I still can't disable that inaccurate steps menu so I always have to scroll seeing that) every minute of my run? Talk about stressful, and oh look there's goes my HR spiking from all this stress.

This device can barely function as a watch anyways, has less battery life, and I'm just carrying a really expensive bracelet waiting for the developers to fulfill my hopes from when I bought this from them.

Thanks, Fitbit.

[sanman99]

RhynoLion said on 11/16""

I'd like to be able to set a minimum target heart rate, and have the tracker give me a buzz if I drop below that rate. My Charge HR would become a serious tool for focused, intense workouts, rather than a helpful but slightly distracting data collection device.

""

Not sure why that came up in my email alerts today aside from that it's upvoted. So, upvotes in a subscribed thread notify me even if they're from half a year ago?

Anyways, y'all steal the words right from me that I never knew. I haven't read everything, but I see a number of posts from very slightly different perspectives adding some detail about what this would mean to them. Overall the same tone, I suppose.

The Fitbit video ads should show more of how we really use it. The company should look into this practical HR use more and maybe further boost their already dominating ratings in the market. Then again, their current marketing (and maybe quality as a cause for exposure...aside from this gaping hole in functionality) might be partially to blame (yes blame) for me having this hunk of rubber (well...I can't see a screen lit up) laying somewhere yonder in my home.

I'm rootin' for this. Let's get this HR thing fixed asap thx

[frosty55]

The reason I bought the HR was to track my heart rate while exercising vigorously. Our family history of heart problems is a concern. I hope they create this feature soon!

[Kiwicdk]

I agree

[Crouchn]

Allow users to set alarms at 3 heart rates of useds choice.. then those with heart issues can chose rates suitable to their condition... but offer a default to the formula zones...

[BigHaole]

I'm pretty shocked that this feature has not been enabled, a year after it was first recommended and commented on by moderators as a good feature. I got a buzz today for winning a "badge". That is implmented, but something so useful and so basic as heart rate alarms is not?

[aeb1]

The lack of a vibration alert when hitting max heart rate (at any time--not just during a workout) is the only thing that is preventing me from purchasing the Surge or Charge HR.  This would be so helpful to me as I am working on a health condition.  I have noticed that this feature request has been outstanding for some time now.  Can someone from Fitbit reply as to the status or timeline for implementation if it is being considered?  Thanks so much.

One question for the community:  Are there any other competitors that offer this particular feature?  I haven't found one yet.  Thank you.

[sanman99]

BigHaole, I completely agree.

Aeb1, let's keep this rolling and get some answers. Maybe they need to see this go past 8 pages and a year...?.....!?

I wish I had known what you know before taking the plunge (yes, Fitbit, I'm referring to your product as plunging) with this hunk of non-waterproof rubber band.

I might end up looking around for something with that feature and could post any recommendations, but I don't know if Fitbit would like hearing about ***what their competitors are doing right***, but I bet ..ahem Polar and Garmin are some brands to check out.
But with respect, yes, please, Fitbit, hear us out. And we wanna hear from you, especially with actions. Personally, I'm a bit upset. I'm subscribed to this thread. I'm watching these alerts like a hawk. A fit muscular hawk with heartrate goals.

[BigHaole]

I'm with you, @sanman99.

I count 4 ways that Heart Rate could be made easily available to me, and, shockingly, none of them exist:

1.  Heart rate alerts on the watch - critical

2.  Heart rate as part of voice cues in the app - High

3.  Heart rate as an option for Quick View, instead of only the watch display - medium

4.  Allow me to leave heart rate display on.  I know this eats the battery, but it's my battery and I'd happily trade more frequent recharges for this valuable info, while I'm exercising - low

#3 and #4 should be very easy to implement.  Come on, Fitbit...just do it!

It's really a shame that we all bought the Charge HR for the HR, but Fitbit makes it so hard to get/use this valuable information.

[BigHaole]

 I just realized.  This request is almost a year old, and it's still in the "Reviewed By Moderator" stage.  It hasn't even made it to "Under Consideration".  353 days...

[sanman99]

Bump

Bump bump bump bump bump

We've got posts on this thread weekly or daily, tons, since almost exactly a year ago. I saw a Mod response on page 7 and haven't really read most of the pages. I don't want to. I don't want to be posting on a Fitbit website about my problems with a device, including this major one.

What I'm saying is mostly redundant in a number of ways and my main reason is to just keep bumping this critical feature request until every last one of us one day notices in bold letters on our smartphone "Finally we've done it" and that day you'll find yourself with vibration alerts. I wish I was within my return policy time and here I'll ask to any Fitbit workers: "Can I get a refund? Or a fix?"

I thought that day would have been when I opened a box, having HR alerts.

Bump bump. This thread will get a response. (please)

[BigHaole]

I went back to the original announcement, about the Charge HR, and found these two bullets:

• Maximize training with fat burning, cardio and peak heart rate zones
• Maintain workout intensity by reaching your target heart rate

Fitbit, how can we maintain workout intensity, if you have to stop working out to press the buttons and find your heart rate?

[Hansfutz]

+1 on this request. This seems like a simple thing to implement. 

[sanman99]

Hey, guys. Looks like we've got quite a few online here 😛

Wanna discuss alternate brands (maybe elsewhere if that's not a topic for here) to use in the meantime or permanently? I'm half joking. My point is that they've got our business, but they do have competition. I have this device and will try to remain chill here, but this is raising my blood pressure xD

[Daddlehead]

I don't own a fitbit Charge HR but today my psychologist suggested getting something that beeps when my heartrate goes above 100. I would buy a Fitbit charge if this feature was available for sure.

[BigHaole]

@sanman99, recommending other products, would probably be inappropriate, but discussing other products, in the sense of "what is the reasonable feature set" seems reasonable to me.  I was also considering the Mio Fuse and the Charge HR.  The Mio had a reputation for more accurate HR readings, and the option for continuous display, during exercise.  The Charge HR was "accurate enough" for my needs, and has the Fitbit "system" behind it, which I was interested in using, and I wear it every day, whereas the Mio would be an exercise-only tool, had I bought it. But, it is painful to not have the exercise-friendlytool I was looking for, and which I just assumed would be there.  Had I known, before, that there was no easy way to get your HR, during exercise, I might have chosen the other option.

The really frustrating thing is how easy this feature would be to implement.  As I said above, I got a buzz on my wrist for hitting 10,000 steps, which didn't really help me.  These alarms would be so very helpful.

[sanman99]

I literally can't use this device.

I will freakin' sell this garbage if software doesn't come very soon. I wish I was still under my store's return period. Fitbit wanna hear me? I don't think I can expect them to take it back, but I'd like something in some way to be done. If not only to put the software in or allow programmers to openly implement things. This is why I like Android over iOS.

It's in mint condition and I think it's pretty easy to figure out why. I'll be at a loss of money and time unless I can use it how it should be used. Is my only option to sell it?
Fitbit, I would like to request an ETA on this.

[BigHaole]

I noticed, today that if you are recording an exercise, in the Fitbit iPhone app, you cannot see your HR displayed.  The exercise screens give you map, clock, pace, but not HR.  It's like Fitbit is actively trying to make this device be unsuitable for exercise.  

Moderators, could you at least move this to "under consideration"?  And if it's not under consideration, please tell us, so we can stop wasting time and buy devices that will meet our needs.

[sanman99]

Yup.

Getting ready to sell this at a loss.

Beat me to it, FItbit, and make a response with an ETA. Some other unfortunate person will soon be tricked by me into this nonsense as I sell it. Save them and I from all this and fix your product. Please respond asap, preferably would have been over a year ago or even originally done so. But that's the past and we're moving forward. Please respond with an ETA.

[sanman99]

9 pages. 1 year. Many many users and devices. And a feature that a kid might be able to program. Please respond with the reason

[michaelV]

I am totally with this community. I receive daily mails with people asking for this easy to program feature.  Why is it so difficult to get an answer, when this feature will be available.

@ moderators : Do you think this no answer policy leads to more trust in and revenue for your company. With this behaviour I can not recommand the fibit Surge to any of my friends. sorry...

[BigHaole]

Fitbit Team, this feature would be such a win for Fitbit and so easy to do.  Why is it being ignored?