Increase font size for Inspire family

[donper]

Just bought a new Inspire HR through my health insurance company.  Haven't used a fitbit in years since my original flex.  Never thought about font size since it didn't exist back then.  Now this one has watch and so many apps.  The problem is without wearing reading glasses, I can't read anything.  Its completely useless and annoying because it is always beeping and vibrating and I have no clue why.  Most people over 45 wear readers to see close up, this doesn't work because they don't wear readers when exercising or walking or they would trip. This might get returned before the week ends.

Moderator edit: title & label

[AlexandraFitbit]

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

[SloCyclist]

My Inspire HR just arrived today. It is replacing my Withings Pulse O2. The Pulse had nice large text making it easy to read. On the Inspire HR, I can read the time easily enough, but steps, heart rate, miles are too tiny to read without putting on my half-glasses used only for reading. Forget the scrolling text for messages and notifications!

As noted, seeing as this is aimed as a new device for businesses and insurance companies to give/sell to clients, I'd assume a large part of the health initiative would be for older folks. At 65 and retired, I got mine through my Medicare supplemental insurer, so all of their clients will be my age and older.

I didn't really get it for the messaging and alerts, but it sure would be nice to see my heart rate or daily steps at a glance.

[heartbroken]

• I need to enlarge the number on the heart rate feature on my InspireHR. When I swipe to see my heart rate, I am given a large pulsating heart icon--very visible and totally useless. Under the pulsating heart I am given tiny numbers--vital data which I can't see without my reading glasses. This tiny number (6 pt. type?) is essential to using the feature. To be of any use during a vigorous workout (like a run) this ever-changing number must be visible at a glance. I'm sure I'm not the only 50 year old user who would not be able to see these tiny numbers comfortably on a run. Other features are the kind that you would consult at your leisure using your phone or laptop. But heart rate is something I want to monitor many times during my workout.
•  
• HR--"heart rate"--is the signature feature of this device. It's the ONLY reason I paid extra for this watch over the Inspire (non HR). Why am I not given a single option for making this feature visible? I can choose from 11 different sexy and trendy "clock faces", which are mainly differences in style. Surely it would not be hard to offer a "large font" option for other features, especially heart rate. 
•  
• Here are 2 easy solutions:
• 1. Make the silly pulsating heart smaller to make room for a larger font.
• and/or
• 2. Remove the letters "bpm" after the heart rate number, which would open up space to use a larger font for the number. Isn't the point of the pulsating heart icon to tell me what feature I'm looking at? Then why do I need "bpm" after the number which is obviously my heart rate?
•  
• If one of the "clock face" options includes a visible font on the heart rate screen, please let me know. I tried 2 of them, and they seem to only change the first screen. I would love to be wrong.
•  

[CarolNY]

I totally agree.  How silly to have options for 8 different LARGE clock faces, and only one Steps face with micro font!  If I could get my Fitbit One to connect to the internet again I'd send the Inspire back.

[AlexandraFitbit]

Hello @heartbroken! Thanks for sharing this suggestion, I moved it to this similar post so you can add your vote to it. Please keep sharing your ideas with us!

[Traditionall]

I have had 3 Fitbits and totally agree about the font size. It would also be nice if there was still an option to determine the order in which you view screens. I would love to have the steps show up first and more importantly be able to read it. (I wear a watch so the time is not important to me)

I am a long time customer but am probably going to return my new inspire and go with Garmin if it does not change soon. 

[donper]

I returned mine. Had no idea if they could fix the one I had. So decided
to wait for a new version.

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[kneilson]

I completely agree with the other comments.  I cannot read any of the readouts on the watch other than the time unless I go put my glasses on.  Wish I'd read these posts before I bought the Inspire.

[Traditionall]

I am going to return mine unless I hear of a commitment from the company to resolve this. I know it costs them money but they are losing a very big segment of the market who want to use their product but can't.

[CarolNY]

Honestly, does the word "accessibility" mean nothing to Fitbit?  Is Fitbit only for young healthy normally-abled people?  Why was there not an effort before rollout to make Inspire usable by as many people as possible?

[gowen]

Another vote for larger fonts.  My Inspire HR has a nice large clock (which I don't care about), screen-grabbing icons to tell me which stats page I'm on, and an eensy teensy tiny little font for the one thing I care about, the actual stat.  People over 40 generally need reading glasses.  The current state of affairs seem like someone went out of their way to ignore UX and which information is important.

[Havenwood]

How disappointing it was today when I received my new inspire HR and realized I can't read any of the stat numbers without glasses. The Alta had the option of horizontal displays. Why on earth wouldn't this one. Totally ridiculous to have large icons with such tiny numbers underneath. Would make much more sense to reverse them and have larger stat numbers instead.

[BigBadaBoom]

Can we get Horizontal clock faces for Inspire HR. I am short sighted and wear it on my dominant right hand. I need larger values not a huge icon for each reading. Would help so much.

In fact, the text of the data on the inspire HR seems less readable than on the Alta HR, which I used to use. It is just too small.

Hence, presenting the data on its side would be so much a better option. I don’t want to see large icons and small data numbers. Like a huge icon for steps yet the actual steps measure is tiny underneath it. Looks good, but difficult to read for people with bad eyesight, or whilst on the move.

I feel this is a must have option, and hope it can be made available in a few designs.

It may be that the design will not allow the whole system to be oriented in that way, but as long as the main readings and clock are presented in the longer orientation, it would be so welcomed.

[SLD1000]

I also have this request.  Text messages are too tiny to read vertically on the device face.  Is this in the works?  I am considering returning . . . 

[YojanaFitbit]

Hey @BigBadaBoom! Nice suggestion, thanks for sharing. I think that a lot of users will find this request very useful.

[BigBadaBoom]

Too little too late action from Fitbit. I am returning the Inspire HR. The text is too tiny to read. Apart from no waterproof feature, the Alta HR is a far superior product, which at least I can read data in all situations. Also, it’s shape and hardware is superior. Goodbye Inspire HR, Hello Alta HR, old trusted friend!

[Bladzig]

I came here seeking a way to increase the font size like everyone else here (tiny font = ridiculous flaw that renders the device illegible).

Please moderator--what do we have to do to convince the company to address this problem? Consigning us to chat & vote in an online forum seems very lame; potentially pointless. Do the designers even pay attention to these comments and votes?   

[heartbroken]

I second Bladzig's request for some response. Is anyone listening? Is anyone willing to acknowledge that this is a design flaw that will need attention? And can you tell us how difficult it is to fix, or how long it might take? It seems to me it could be addressed with a new download, ala the downloaded clock options. Am I right, or would the hardware have to change--in which case, "... abandon all hope, ye who enter here...."

[heartbroken]

... and I think we would all be understanding (and appreciative) if you rushed out a quick fix, even if it has some bugs or glitches. Just include us in the "beta testing". Or, again, let us know it's just not gonna happen any time soon.

[dione_renew]

Yes please do 'rush' this feature out as a software update, I have to keep synching to see data on my phone as the text is just too small on the Inspire, which sort of makes the info on the device pointless.

[CarolNY]

I'm finding it truly astonishing that the Fitbit company isn't responding to this thread.

[gowen]

Just to be clear, @AlexandraFitbit, we're talking about people with presbyopia (and equivalent hyperopia).  But the thing with presbyopia is, "People over 35 are at risk for developing presbyopia and all people become affected to some degree." (Wikipedia). "There is no way to stop or reverse the normal aging process that causes presbyopia." (American Academy of Opthamology). So by definition this impacts a very large portion of your customer base!

I'm 47, my mom is 82, we both use Fitbit.  I mostly use the app, though, because the watch face is only usable with glasses on, and at +1.75 I don't need to wear them all the time for most other daily situations!  But we know this doesn't need to be the case, because I can see the time (large font) and the icons (yuuuge) much more easily.  We just want the actual stats to be that large!

We would all love to see this thread moved from "Reviewed by Moderator" to "Under Consideration" - let us know where to send the bribes!

[Traditionall]

Agreed. i finally returned my Inspire while I still could.

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Alicia_Baldwin]

Totally agree the font size needs to be bigger and brighter. Please please update the HR. 

[NYCTD]

Adding my name to this looooooong list of complaints about the teeny-tiny font size of the Inspire. The icons take up too much valuable space. Give me larger stats (steps, cals, HB) with a smaller icon. I, too, will follow this thread closely to see if FitBit plans to eventually help us out. If not, I will return mine as presently, it's pretty aggravating.