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

[Shari55]

I bought the Fitbit charge 3 for my wife as she is active.  I'm also an Engineer and have been one for 37 years.  Engineers need to understand that what they believe may be a good idea, may bomb with the public.  That is the case with the nonselectible timeout value.  Who in gods green earth can read any notifications in three seconds?  This is a very simple SW update and something that Fitbit should resolve immediately.  I have seen this going on for over a year with no end in sight.  If this is the case, I will return my Fitbit for another device that allows the screen timeout to be selectable.  This is the dumbest non-existant item with a FIT device I have ever seen and experienced.

[dave051]

Well said, if you have a Twitter account may I suggest you cut and paste it adding @Fitbit and @Fibitsupport we need to go public with this stuff.

[Rich_Laue]

My thought is that with exery tracker, users have asked for a delectable timeout. The fact I

Is Fitbit added this option to several models. I wonder who is it that felt that people did not want or need a delectable timeout for the Charge 3. What where they thinking?? 

[TripleCreekRay]

Hold the button in for a few seconds and then tap the "Screen Wake".
Get Outlook for Android

[Sammie1966]

This whole item has a bad smell !!
Its is not going to happen ! Fit bit wil not fix this for us ! Go to every media you can find ( #fitbit) and stalk this company !
Help other people not getting ripped off and warn them about the bad custumor service

[Pop-Pop-Moose]

I too would like a longer display screen time. Almost 60 and need a little more time to focus my eyes sometimes. When I'm walking I use a cane so stopping and tapping, or even turning my wrist multiple times, when I need to see the display, is extremely counterintuitive and bothersome. If I could hook my fitbit to my computer and hack the firmware, I certainly would! Please fix this. It's terribly inconvenient and not addressing it is terribly disrespectful of your customers.

[KJF11]

This is one of those issues that every single user can see but seemingly nobody at Fitbit. 3 seconds is a ridiculously short amount of time to view any information. I’m not a software expert but surely it is incredibly simple to change that one little setting in an update. However, I can see from all the comments and how long they date back that our wishes are falling on deaf ears, very disappointing.

[Garyk10]

I would venture to guess that nobody at Fitbit has read any of the threads.  When you ask them a question, they push you towards the "community" so they don't have to deal with you.
That's not the way it use to be.  I was a very early adopter of their product and any questions you asked were promptly answered.  I even lost my fitbit ultra and asked about getting a replacement as I didn't need the charger.  Hell, they sent me a new one at no cost.  That's customer service.  When I asked years later about buying new clips for it the sent them a no cost.  Again great customer service.  Now they won't even let you ask a question that will get an answer.

[Rich_Laue]

The developers do read many of the posts on this board and I'm noticing many requested features being addressed. The latest one was within a week with the low battery notification now coming at a rediculous 50% 

What I don't understand about this short time out is that it feels like Fitbit is playing games with us. 

Why do I say this? 

With every tracker released we find this request. The Blaze, Ionic, and both Versa's have already had the option of a variable time out. 

What made Fitbit think that the Charge 3 doesn't need this feature? 

From day one we should have had the ability to choose a timeout duration. 

[whybenorm]

It was SUPPOSED to have this feature.  It was listed in the description and included in the manual. It's one of the reasons I bought the charge 3.  Someone at fitbit decided to ship the product with it NOT available on the product.  As you said, it should be a simple fix, it is already in their other products, it was supposed to be on this one, what's the holdup to finishing the job and putting it on our product?!? We may never know judging by the response of fitbit.  I just had mine replaced due to the white line issue and when they say they're sending you a new fitbit, they mean it.  Just the body in a little plastic bag. Not even a new bad for the inconvenience of having to replace a defective product.  And no, the new one doesn't have an adjustable screen time either.

[DGP9999]

I stopped using my Charge 3 because I am an EMT/Firefighter and I cant take a pulse or respiration reading because my fitbit times out to quickly. Since it doesn't have a secondhand it is impossible

 for me to wear anything but a conventional watch. Would be nice to also have a timeout setting for the screen. My fitbit has been sitting on my nightstand for 6 months now completely unused for this reason.

[Clgberg]

Really nice watch faces SunsetRunner! We would need a longer screen timeout for these, so let’s get both Mr. Fitbit designer...3-4 seconds aint cutting it!

[SunsetRunner]

I just got the Charge 3.  I too am seriously disappointed that I can't change this setting.   I can't understand why it's not my choice to trade off a bit of battery time to get a usable display.

[Yahgiggle]

The screen time is way to short it's the most stupid thing with charge 3 also the timer goes blank when timing or using the stop watch, really not smart, do I have to hack this device or are you going to solve this problem 😡

[Clgberg]

After reading many suggestions regarding the same missing feature, you have me wondering..what does it take for a change in the operation of a Fitbit to happen? Giving us longer screen time, however it’s executed, seems rather trivial. But instead all we seem to read here is “lets see what the community thinks”. The community is asking for your understanding and action. Instead we aren’t seeing either, just more questioning. What requests are you working on, seriously?

[Pop-Pop-Moose]

Sadly, I don't think they're working on very much. At least not where Charge 3 users are concerned.

[Norman88]

I totally agree that control over screen and timeout duration needs to be included as an option. For me, even the clock disappears too quickly. 

There’s a trade-off in battery life, I’m sure. Fair enough. But please give users some control. 

[SunsetRunner]

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 on the way!

[Osotoh]

Having heard nothing from Fitbit despite repeated posts, calls to support and even twitter, I have decided to follow booklikeabook's lead and bought a Xiaomi Mi Band 4 for $35.99. Will let the community know how it works. So sad that after 4 Fitbits over the years, I have to move on. FItbit, please show you care about your customers and at least respond if you cannot fix this simple and critical feature.

[Garyk10]

Where did you purchase it?

[AdrianCezar]

Hi, I'm a middle aged bloke and it takes my eyes a couple of seconds to focus on the small display on the Charge 3. Is there a way of getting the display to stay on longer as by the time my eyes have focused it's gone off?
Thanks
Cezar

[AdrianCezar]

This product, Charge 3, was double the price of Garmin Vivosmart 4 but with a low soft and very limited options, the display time of the display is insufficient I will return it. After 6 years of Garmin user I appreciated that you deserve a chance but I am disappointed. A lot of noise for nothing .

[SunsetRunner]

I purchased it from Kohl’s at the end of last November.

Sent from my iPhone

[SunsetRunner]

Gearbest

[Bp9]

They’ve let this fester long enough and it’s unlikely there’s a technical reason. Some pm made a bad decision so they could claim some battery life number and they have their resources on making something else.

I regret buying at launch with this broken and trusting they had will/resources to finish the product after launch. Lesson with companies like this is if it doesn’t work for you just return it immediately, you can always buy another one if they fix your issue in an update. This either will get them to lengthen QA before the next release or spend more time working out non advertising driven requirements up front.