Longer Screen Time for Charge Trackers

[SunsetRunner]

I purchased my charge 3 after seeing it would have a Screen Time out Option.  It shipped without one.  Moderator Kate says it’s not available at this time.  The manual is now being changed to reflect that.

I really, really want/need that option.  It was the reason I chose the Charge.  That and my 50’s year old eyes.  The current screen only stays on for 3-4 seconds.  That is a very short amount of time.  I have to repeated tap the screen to read a text that comes in.  IF we are going to have the ability to get notifications, we need the ability to read them.

Please Fitbit, give us the option that was originally in the manual to change the screen time out.  The Versa has it, so I know it can be done.

Moderator edit: Title

[fitbelle1957]

PLEASE give us a longer screen timeout option!!!! I'd just be repeating what others have already sais, but I agree that the 3-4 second display is almost a dealbreaker for this fitbit.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, totally agree with the topic starter.

The timeout is way too short for me.

It should be configurable.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, thank you for reaching out to FitBit, as always we're ready to help you will any issues you might have.

Unfortunately, the FitBit Charge 3 is just a dick. And we don't even like it. We pretend it's something else, so when we often resolve issues satisfactorily, we send you links to things that simply do not work. We're an efficient and helpful company here, and it has nothing to do with Google buying us out, saving our bottoms and giving us the much wanted - not needed - revenue we had always anticipated.. I mean, almost 2.1 billion? haha, but still.. we're here to help.

You can keep the screen on longer, if you tap the screen repeatedly using both hands. This is the official Fitbit stance on the matter.

Thread closed.

[Michael_L_Mille]

Thread closed? Are you with Fitbit?  Excuse me but the screen is way too small to accommodate two hands. Also repeated tapping keeps the screen live only as long as the tapping is continued. So I’m sorry but I do not understand your answer.  Michael Miller, M.D. Board Certified, Clinical Informatics 

[SunsetRunner]

Yes thread closed.

I might not work for fitbit, but I'm the **ahem** closest you're going to get to a REAL answer.

lmao... yes, those tears are the same as mine...

Oof, yo out bested me.. I didn't read everything clearly. **ahem**, **ahem** it all !!! haha

Officially, not a fitbit consultant. M.D.

[Michael_L_Mille]

Well, if the thread is closed, then how exactly is it we are continuing this (somewhat frustrating) conversation.  Actually, I perpetuated this thread out of a curiosity about why this functionality was not included.  I'm apparently not as bent out of shape about this limitation.  For me the Charge 3 offers sufficient usefulness.  I still haven't bought in to a full fledged smart watch, so I don't mind a hobbled device.  All I want are steps, timer, alarm (I don't mind setting it on my iPhone), wx, etc - the things that are available on the Charge 3.  Sure, it would be nice to have more, which could clearly be done.  But I give Fitbit creds for having stood up to Apple (a whole other conversation), at least until a week ago. YMMV

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, thank you for reaching out to fitbit, we're always here to help.

The charge 3 is a nuisance. We don't want to know about it. It's not as expensive as the other devices which we really like and so we just pretend it's a device because that way when we sell them, we can put the money towards the better devices and you know dev support, always justifying their budget. It's not that it's a bad device, but.. we just don't care. So we ignore it. And you. You've already paid, so now you're just annoying.

The Charge 3 has steps, timer, alarm (though you need to sync your device first, which is hit and miss for most phones, and can take up to 15 -20 minutes if you've paired your phone to another device, but we don't care, it's just how we are at fitbit!) and you can even swap your phone faces using our fitbit app. Sure, you only get 12, and none of them are detailed. But if you use both hands while wearing the fitbit Charge 3, you can get something that resembles the clock face of a fitbit Charge 2. It's close, but Barry was tired and he went home early.

We take pride in giving Apple our old cus.. Wait, you said support?  Uhh.. Well then, valued customer. in the coming year, the Charge 3 will have a new feature. It will have a new wrist band. You can choose from certified pink, absolute blue and pedantic black. We value our customers, and thank you for choosing fitbit.

Wrecche... not a real customer supprt agent, or even a real person.

[Oldbobs26]

When will anyone at Fitbit listen to users and resolve this issue. Stop closing item's to say no. DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!

[NoKneed]

I don’t understand the instructions. Do you put the Fitbit on a table and
tap it repeatedly? Both hands at once? Does this change settings?

[SunsetRunner]

Hi NoKneed,

Thank you for replying about "I don't understand the instructions."

First, you must be wearing the FitBit device in order for the function to work. Using both hands, tap the screen.

If you need any further help, please reply to this thread, and someone will happily guide you through the process.

Thank you for letting us help.

Warm Regards,

wrecchenotanemployee.

[Suprmn12]

I just upgraded from the Alta to the Charge 3, and being visually impaired, the screen doesn't stay on long enough for me to see everything that comes on the scree . It would be amazing to have the option to extend the display time if needed or wanted. 

[Sammie1966]

Read the other comments in this feature and return while you still can , fitbit is never going to fix this failure !! The charge 3 is useless whitout !

[techsavynomore]

I find it funny that when i dont want to see the time it pops up (at night while sleeping) when i want to, it is like a fight with a cat to take a bath. 

[Suprmn12]

I don't have that problem. I only have 10% of my vision so it takes me a little longer to find what it says on my watch. By the time I do find it, it's going dark again. Very frustrating for me. 

[SunsetRunner]

He's lucky if he has the option to return it. Most of us, unfortunately, will be left with an unsupported (was there ever any support, really?) which will be left off any support forum or updates, in favour of the more expensive devices that even now, are the only ones being supported with any effort. I mean, one of the links for the Charge 3 in a thread marked as resolved, took me to a page for two different devices, and had no mention of the Charge 3.

Never trust a company with a wide range of devices from less expensive to very expensive. The less expensive ones are just pocket money for developers and support to continue to improve and support the more expensive ones. I've seen it time and time again with the likes of Samsung, lenovo (Motorola) etc.. Hook you in with the name, just to snatch the low hanging fruit, and then drop the core on the ground, no support, just promises and smiles.

And now that google are in on it, 100% we've been used and treated like nothing more than detritus.

If you think about it from a company perspective, it's good marketing to sell expensive toys to fund your real projects. A bit of mass advertising, some features that you think are good, only to be sold something that fails to meet those expectations, and then you're left staring at a closed door...

it's like apple selling an apple sx+plus... a $300 iPhone.. grabs you in, but doesn't do anything more than a $70 Huawei. And you can't connect it to any apple devices because it's not supported for compatibility purposes.. god I hope I've not given them any ideas....

Hey big rich companies.... stop being shifty. It's really ugly.

[Echor36]

I just bought the charge 3 yesterday and already regretting it just because of the screen timeout. Please fix this. I need to have it on during my workout 

[Return3]

Return it while you can!

Zero support for for this product!

Did I say return it while you can?

Well RETURN IT WHILE YOU CAN!

[Sammie1966]

I agree with @Return3
RETURN your device !! Fitbit wil NOT fix this problem !! NOT EVER !!
C3 is useless without !!

[yhw22]

It can help to extend battery life escpecially during sleep nobody will want to have it auto turn on.

[CopelandMatt]

Some of us actually do. We just want the OPTION.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi CopelandMatt,

Thank you for reaching out to the Fitbit community. I've passed this comment on to our IgnoreTheCustomerTeam.

However, unfortunately, the feature you request is unavailable for the Charge 3. I have asked our engineers and they say that the Charge 3 is incompatible with any changes to this feature, due to us not caring about you and not wanting to bother. We're sorry about that not sorry. lolz. We're super rich now.

I hope this answers any questions you have, and if you need any further help, please feel free to head on over to the google forums, where they will also ignore you. Though they won't even pretend to have any support, they'll just pretend there was never a Charge 3 in the first place. Now I am off to sip margaritas on a sun bleached isle somewhere far away from you and your petty needs.

Yours sincerely,

wrecchenotanemployee.

[caven]

As a person with a disability (inability to move smoothly & quickly) I need a screen-timeout of about 10-seconds. I believe I get 4 or 5-secs at most currently. Currently, the Charge3 <without> a screen timeout option is not truly 'workable' for many in the disability-community. Thank you for  considering adding a variable screen-timeout option (and perhaps then being closer to compliance with US ADA regulations). 

[Yarpy]

Well, a year later and nothing. Not holding my breath that any Google engineers will come in to save the day. When my Charge 3 dies, no more FitBit for me.

[MLMnth]

I agree that it would be helpful to be able to adjust how long the screen stays on. I can read the screen without my readers on, but by the time it's in focus, it times out. The device isn't much good if I can't read it. So far, this is my only complaint, but it's a very impactful one. Please consider adding this feature. 

[Sammie1966]

Read all the above ! This is going on longer than one year !! Fit bit will NOT fix this . They are not responding at all !!!
Return while you still can !!!