Lock Touchscreen to Clockface

[Thob86]

I'm finding over the course of the day and while sleeping my Surge's touchscreen becomes switched from the watch face to one of the other screens. It would be very helpful if there was an ability to hold down one of the physical buttons to lock the touchscreen on the watch face and repeat to unlock. This would prevent accidental navigation away from the watch face. Please consider adding this functionality in a future firmware update. Thank you.

Moderator Edit: 

The latest Surge firmware update added a function which reverts Surge to its clock screen after 15 seconds. Some users would prefer to continuously view another data tile, such as Steps, Heart Rate, or Distance. This is no longer possible for more than 15 seconds outside of starting an Exercise log.

This existing Feature Request represents a good solution to the issue, and I encourage anyone who might be interested in this new feature to vote or comment in this thread.

[mbielik24]

FYI - Everyone should send a message to https://contact.fitbit.com demanding they fix this ASAP.  I wrote them a while ago and they didn't say anything except the watch face default was requested by users.  I wrote again telling them how many people on this forum are annoyed and as a company looking to go public, they should care about what their users think about an update that interferes with the product.  Below is their response and they said they are working on an update to fix this but we need more pressure on them so they can do it sooner.  

Here's there reply.  

Thanks for getting back to us.

We aware about the frustration this new update has caused. Allow us to tell you that we changed the feature due a lot of request in the community that would to have clock always displayed on the screen. In this moments we're working in the updated that is going to fix this situation so the people who don't want the clock on the screen will be able to change it. We're don't have an specific date for the release of the new update, but we're working for a solution as soon as possible.

Please apologize for the inconvenience that this update has caused you, we appreciate your patience in this matter.

Please let us know if is there anything else we can assist you with, we'll be glad to help you. 

Sincerely,

Edi R and the Fitbit Team

[duongpink]

I agree to have lock screen function but not lock touch screen.

[GaryTX]

Yes, user selectable locking of any screen of the user's choice would be ideal. 

[feehowell]

With the new update I'm quite happy for the watch to default back to the clock screen after 15 seconds. BUT I would also like to lock the screen on the other features if I choose to. At different times I would like to keep an constant eye on my heart rate or calories burning for example.

Someone above suggested a double tap to lock a particular screen. This sounds like a good suggestion.

[Paul57]

Let me add my voice to the chorus saying this "bug fix" was a horrible idea. I bought my Surge last week after reading an early review that said the display would remain indefinitely on the screen you select.

I hope the developers learned a larger lesson. Never, ever, change or take away functionality because some users don't like it. That's not just bad; it's evil. There are other users, maybe more, who like it the way it is. Let them at least keep that option.

[CalifGramma]

I waited 8 weeks for Fitbit to communicate about the HR option.  I returned my Surge and Charge HR this morning.............  

[demon803]

I am so frustrated with fitbit
You would think they would have done a survey before making this change

C

[Scottysize]

 @CalifGramma, did you email them with the problem?

[Scottysize]

FitBit needs to understand that we are not wanting an enhancement, we want them to fix it.  We really need to continue emailing them with this problem and let them know it's not an enhancement!  Please fill out a trouble ticket, and let them know that they “Broke” the device with their “Update” and you want it fixed ASAP.  It’s been months and they haven’t done anything about this issue.  When I emailed them they told me to keep posting in this enhancement request.  It’s NOT an enhancement!  Rise up people and let them know that they need to repair our watches!

[Scottysize]

I sent them another email.  This makes my second now.

It’s been months since you sent out an update that broke my Surge!  I’ve emailed you once about this and the community is posting furiously on your forums regarding the last Surge update and the fact that it took away the ability to stay on the selected screen.  When are you going to fix this mistake?  We want an update to correct this.  It’s NOT an enhancement request that we are making.  We want you to fix what you broke!  Do not tell me to submit an enhancement request for something that I already had prior to your update.  Fix it!

[magnoliawhisky]

My Surge is doing fine. I'm not in disagreement with the lock screen though. But I'm personally not having any problems with my Surge.

Sent from my iPhone

[murrishmo]

I think at this point we should start flooding their Facebook wall. Link
this thread so they can see that we have already posted to their
"suggestion" community but we need to get this fixed ASAP. Companies will
be moved to act more so when a presence is made on social media because
they want to maintain a good image. I'm going to post this link on Facebook
and Twitter and and ask that you all do the same. I guarantee that will
expedite the update.

[CalifGramma]

@Scottysize  No, I didnt bother to send an email..........  This is a company-sponsored forum; and; if Fitbit doesnt take the time to read and respond to their own message board then why should I take the time to send an email?  I spoke with my wallet when I bought 2 Fitbit products and again with my wallet when I returned them both.  I was also going to purchase a Fitbit for a friend's birthday in August.  That purchase is being reconsidered at this point.  8 weeks is way past a tolerable time for any company to remain silent about an issue like this, in my opinion!

Folks have pointed out that this is not only an inconvience but a safety issue.......  The lack of response bothered me more than the change of features did! 

[Scottysize]

@CalifGramma I get it.  I really do.  I just want them to fix mine and really don't want to have to return it.  We'll see what happens.  Thanks!

[leonrosen]

I tweeted Fitbit about it and they gave me the runaround to comment here.
Nothing more. Sad.

[Michael]

@Scottysize There is nothing for them to "fix" on your Surge, it isn't broken. This was an enhancement that they made at the request of users. (Sure it would have been better to have it be optional, or to add a screen lock function.)

So it is an enhancement request to either make the return to clock optional, or to add a screen lock function.

[Michael]

@CalifGramma I'm not sure why you think this is a safety issue. If it is because you wouldn't be paying attention to what you are doing, running/cycling/etc, while swiping the screen to HR, then you aren't using the Surge as it was intended.

If you go into exercise mode you can have the HR displayed all the time at the bottom, and the HR is the same font size as it is displayed on the non-exercise screens. (If you don't want a log of the exercise you don't even have to start it.)

[CalifGramma]

@Michael.... as i said, the foremost reason I returned both products and will not be buying a 3rd is because of the lack of response from FitBit on this issue......... I preceive it as a safety issue, I shouldnt have to set my "watch" into exercise mode 14 times a day....... which is how often I walk a half mile.  Above all, I am not happy with a company that does not respond to consumer concerns on its own message board after 8 weeks.........

The Charge HR allows users to choose the screen they wish to see displayed 1st....... This should have been done for the Surge......... then most people's needs would have been met.  I retiterate, its the lack of response that concerns me the most........

[AnkerEde]

That was the same reason for me to send my surge back and bought instead a charge hr for 80€ on ebay. It is crazy to claim the surge a " super sport watch" but dont even answear on one of the largest threads in their own forum. Big fail. If the up3 wouldnt be that bad i ouldve already changed to jawbone.

[Will01]

I actually just gave up on the Surge too. I still use it for tracking sleep.
But that is it. I bought a new Apple Watch which is working great. But the
one thing it doesn?t have is the sleep tracking. So I found an app that
reads the data from Fitbit and imports it to the Apple Health app where the
watch stores all its information.

The Surge was great too when it was still useful as a health band. But I
have come close to injuring my self more than a few times trying to switch
over to the HR screen while working out on the treadmill. It is just safer
to use the Apple Watch.

[AZEducator]

I want them to put the fitbit back to the way it was, also. My house is only one floor so I go to a public building to get my 10 flights in.  A building flight is not necessarily a fitbit flight and I want the watch to stay on flight while I am walking up and down the stairs (the tallest building in town is only 3 floors)  But if you were on the treadmill, why didn't you have it in treadmill mode.  Then you could have watched your heartrate with switching the screen.

[AZEducator]

Why couldn't they just leave well enough alone.  Why make it go to the watch automatically, anyhow.  Put it on the function you want.  Not sure why it has to be automatic.  When I purchased it, it was not automatic.  Don't make changes that totally changes the functions from what it was when customers purchased it.

[AZEducator]

@will013  The only thing about the Apple watch is its cost and you have to have your phone with you.  Fitbit works in stand alone mode.  When I go hiking, if I have blue tooth on, which won't work in airplane mode, it totally drains the battery of my phone because I can't get cell service in the mountains.  If my phone has to be connected to the phone, nothing would work once the phone dies.  But I only  have a 4s iphone so I would also have to purchase a new phone.  

[AZEducator]

Am I the only one who doesn't actually care about it being locked on any one screen?  Put it on the screen you want and let it stay there.  This whole lock screen thing is adding a function that isn't even needed.

[CalifGramma]

@AZEducator, I would have been happy choosing my home screen. I am currently out shopping for a new tracker.