Include GPS elevation in activity summary for Charge 5

[Mateos]

The Charge 5 no longer has an altimeter. However, for some activities like hiking, walking and running it is nice to see to see this. It would be nice to see the elevation in the activity/ training overview during a GPS recorded activity. Strava also bases the elevation on GPS data and it would be nice to see this included.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Mateos, and thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about including GPS elevation in activity summary for Charge 5 with us. We rely on feedback like yours to help us develop products and features that we know our community wants to see. If this suggestion receives votes from other customers and gains popularity, it will be shared internally with various teams at Fitbit. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

Watch this space for status updates. In the meantime, try visiting Health & Wellness to talk with other members about all things health and fitness.

[don100k]

The Charge 5 no longer has an altimeter. Charge 4 had the elevation which was great. However, for some activities like hiking, walking and running it is nice to see to see this. It would be nice to see the elevation in the activity/ training overview during a GPS recorded activity.  Please include the elevation on GPS data at your earliest convenience. 

[Kapitaniglu]

I was shocked after hearing that there was no altimeter included in the charge 5, I think this is the least fitbit can do to tackle this mistake!

[pdotterw]

Fitbit 5 Charge - the Altitude DATA is there but not displayed !   

I did an Outdoor Activity workout and reviewed it in the dashboard.   Dashboard displays a GPS based map, pace, heart rate etc.   But no elevation gain / loss.   I clicked on the 3 dots in the upper right corner and exported the raw GPS data.   That i the data used to do the analysis of the workout and present the map, pace, heart rate, etc.     I viewed the raw data file and every waypoint has altitude data in Meters.   It is in a plain text XML compatible file.    So the data is there for Fitbit to make an Elevation analysis of the workout.      I would like to see a few things added to the workout dashboard:

Overall Elevation Gain / Loss   (Numeric in the summary data above the map).

An elevation profile line (just like the pace line but jagged showing ups and downs).    Like Pace line - make it so you can put your finger on a point and see that corresonding data from the heart rate and pace line as you slide your finger back and forth.     As you move across the elevation profile line, the dashboard should show elevation recorded at that part of the hike.      That would permit a person so see why the pace slows and heart rate goes up.   The elevation line reveals --- You are climbing !   

No need for an altimeter  - The elevation / altitude data is there - Fit bit just needs to use it.

****************

PS Fitbit could also add back a Simple Altimeter app to FitBit 5   (altitude at a tap / glance),   App could use the realtime GPS reported altimeter data to "simulate" an altimeter (without an altimeter chip).   To save battery -  Activate the GPS only when the Simple Altimeter app is pressed.   Probably have to put in a pause timer so the GPS could acquire a few (3,4,5 whatever is best) GPS satelites for best triangulation accuracy.

[danielygo]

I wish elevation can be added into the app even if the Charge 5 itself has no altmeter. I find that keeping track of the elevation is important for me.

[DannyFB]

Not having any elevation variable in the algorithm is insane. 

Person "A" walks 1 mile up a 20% grade in 15 minutes with an average pulse of 120.

Person "B" walks 1 mile around a flat track in 15 minutes with an average pulse of 120.

Person "A" and Person "B" are in identical physical fitness???

[Fatpigeon]

Oh my I bought charge 5 thinking it’s an upgrade, but to my horror just found out about this! Elevation data is really important and useful for workouts, please please please add this soon, I’m really starting to regret my newly bought charge 5 =(((

[sjtpawar8]

@pdotterw Can you tell me how exactly did you import the data to an excel sheet?? Did you use te fitbit app or website ? I have an iphone and i cannot see the 3 dots you are talking about.

[sjtpawar8]

@DannyFB I think you are right. It does not make any sense but surely there will be a reason.

[pdotterw]

Log into fitbit.com with your account.   Then go to dashboard.    If you did an activity (hike, bike, run) that had gps enabled - there will be a map displayed - click on the map - then you can download the data from the gps with the 3 dots in the upper right.   You can import it into Excel to reivew the data and graph it to your liking.   

The Charge 5 has multiple settings for the GPS.   Internal, dynamic (which seems to average phone and internal ?) and phone.    Both Internal and Dynamic seem to have problems in any kind of hilly terrain that I hike.  Its not that is loses signal, it is just very inaccurate on plotting location.  If I put it on pure "phone" (mine is just an old Pixel 3a), I get rock solid tracks with accurate plotting and distance, because my phones GPS is providing the data.       One of the main reason I got FitBit Charge 5 was because it had an internal GPS and I could leave the phone at home.   Well that is out the window.    I keep hoping that fitbit will update the Charge 5 to fix the inaccuracy, but so far no go.   I am pretty sure fitbit drops a product to market (Charge 5) , then focuses on the next one (Charge 6 ?) leaving users to have to upgrade to get improvements.   

[DannyFB]

My guess is there will be a Fitbit Charge6 with elevation as a 'new' feature

[DannyFB]

Regarding a comment - "No need for an altimeter  - The elevation / altitude data is there - Fit bit just needs to use it"

When one exports the data to a .tcx file (which is just XML) there is a data structure which contains an "altitude". But I don't believe it is being updated with valid data. With no altimeter, how could it? I tried it out. Went for a 2 mile walk over a route with a significant amount of topographic incline/decline. Exported the data. Charted the Altitude. It showed my gaining +20' losing 20' gaining 20' etc. from 1 second to another, showed my gaining 60' in a single second at one point. 

<Trackpoint>
     <Time>2022-02-21T10:02:03.000-08:00</Time>
     <Position>
           <LatitudeDegrees>37.73636710643768</LatitudeDegrees>
           <LongitudeDegrees>-122.13499581813812</LongitudeDegrees>
     </Position>
     <AltitudeMeters>18.8</AltitudeMeters>
     <DistanceMeters>1517.73</DistanceMeters>
     <HeartRateBpm>
          <Value>110</Value>
     </HeartRateBpm>
</Trackpoint>

[pdotterw]

Altitude is part of most any GPS tracks.  No need for an altimiter since it triangulates with the satelites.  There are 3 settings in the Charge 5 fitbit for GPS:   Phone, Internal GPS and a third that looks like some hybrid phone and internal GPS.  I've done lots of testing and the internal GPS in the Charge 5 is simply - INACCURATE.    My tracks with the internal Charge 5 GPS show similar wierd tracks to the one you observed.   For example a 5.31 mile hike that I do every day is sometimes 6.1 per the Charge, other days the Charge 5 reports it as 6.7.   Never 5.31.   

Setting it to PHONE only (uses my Pixel 3a and ignores Charge 5 internal GPS)   yields highly accurate fitbit plots over the same path.    Those tracks also include precise altitude data (verified by topo maps of my hike).   But it begs the question - why include GPS in Charge 5 at all if it is not accurate?   I have tried wearing it looser (per fit bit tech support suggestion) - no change.  

[Hemma76]

My work around is Strava, but I really would prefer to analyze my data in one app, like I used to. And that was the Fitbit App!!! Please! Please! Please!

I want to train for a Trailrun and elevation is essential. Am annoyed that I replaced my Sense with the Charge 5! Apart from the Sense not being reliable with the elevation…

[DannyFB]

A previous post mentions that "There are 3 settings in the Charge 5 fitbit for GPS:   Phone, Internal GPS and a third that looks like some hybrid phone and internal GPS". I am interested in knowing where these settings exist, as I don't find them anywhere.  The only setting I find on my Charge5 is within the specific activity where I can select GPS ON/OFF. Nothing else, anywhere that I have found. If it is OFF when I perform that activity the resulting XML data file (download via Fitbit Dashboard) has no data at all. It is a 1K file with nothing other than a generic header.

. 

[pdotterw]

Swipe down a few screens to settings.   Tap then swipe up to gps. Tap to change gps settings.   I only get accurate maps when I set it to phone.   Then it is using my phone gps.  The internal charge 5 gps is inaccurate.

[KenCinColorado]

Totally agree that this is a critical feature (ability to display altitude data collected by the GPS during activities) in the mobile and web apps. Those of us in mountainous areas consider elevation change tracking an important part of our workouts and statistics logging. It is clearly doable (since the data is in the .tcx files), just a matter of hooking it into the graphing features of the existing software. See my post in the community forum here for more details.

[SunsetRunner]

The code has already been written to store and display elevation data. Basically, they just need to get it from a different source (GPS). I’m disappointed that we have to beg to get this useful feature back for Fitbit’s “most advanced fitness & health tracker”…. Especially since it’s included in FREE apps like MapMyRun.

I admit I made a mistake by not reviewing the feature differences as carefully as I should have when “upgrading” to the Charge 5 from the Charge 4. Next time, I will definitely shop around, carefully.

[Polarpoke]

Greetings from Norway. As we go crosscountry (skiing) in the mountains I really want to be able to register the elevation. Agree with KenCinCokorado: "Those of us in mountainous areas consider elevation change tracking an important part of our workouts and statistics logging."

[Mikewchrg]

Include core tracker functions back to charge 5 like elevation tracking and make them work well before adding questionable apps like EDM scan, which don't even work well, at the expense of basic fitness tracking.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Mikewchrg, thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about including elevation in activity tracking for Charge 5. I've moved it into a similar request. 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.

[imred]

Previous Fitbit Charge devices that I have used recorded elevation gained when biking and hiking. This should be added to each exercise summary.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @imred, thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about allowing your Charge 5 to record elevation gained when doing exercise with us. I noticed that a similar idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestion board, so I’ve moved your post here. Please support this idea by adding your vote, this helps our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time.

[mmazzini1]

Hi fully agreed- it is an essential upgrade considering the (extremely disappointing..) lack of an internal altimeter

[kbbeal]

Fully agree with everyone here that altitude tracking is a must for the Charge 5! I was shocked to learn that it wasn't included since it was a "feature" of the Charge 4. Why upgrade when features are taken away? Unhappy customer...