The Fitbit Community is a gathering place for real people who wish to exchange ideas, solutions, tips, techniques, and insight about the Fitbit products and services they love. By joining our Community, you agree to uphold these guidelines, so please take a moment to look them over.
It would also be very good for the Versa so you don't need to see your phone every 5 meters and just follow the maps that is in your wrist (a good example would be while you are on the bike with the versa, that you can not take out your phone from your pocket), way more convenient, even though you still need to bring your phone.
This was a major feature of my pebble. Check the Nav Me app on the pebble store. It cost, like $3 or something, but has been worth way, way more. I would gladly pay again if someone were to develop a similar app for the FitBit OS.
I didn't reply fast enough for my last feature suggestion
I want turn by turn navigation, in order to safely navigate runs in unfamiliar cities. Seeing where I've already been is cool and fun, but knowing where I'm going to go, or at least how to get back would be EVEN BETTER, especially since I got the Ionic for the ability to not carry my phone.
Having the ability to download a section of map or something (like how google maps will allow you to download for offline navigation use) and have the ability to get Turn By Turn navigation (not just an image of a map) would be incredibly helpful.
I didn't mean turn off or on navigation, or track where I've already been, I mean tell me where to go. Sorry for the confusion and essentially a double-suggestion, but I wasn't clear enough and the comments got locked before I could clarify.
Good idea, thanks for taking the time to share it with us. I think the would be very useful. Specially when running in unknown places! Keen to hear what others think?
for me it would be sufficient to see a map similar to the Strava map during my excercise. This way I could alway see which broad directions I have to take to get back to my starting point.
I'm v. much in favor of this idea. Even if it's just a matter of downloading a local map (similar to the way you can get a city map via Google Maps) to the phone, it would make things much more pleasant when running -- or even walking -- through unfamiliar streets.
I have a very old samsung watch from at least 5 years ago that displays turn by turn navigation from google maps. Easy peasy, I'm not understanding comments about how that is too much to ask..i guess when i bought the versa i just assumed such old technology would be available.
Did the Samsung have built-in gps? There may be additional hurdles with the connected-gps of the Versa (using phone gps). There is a third party map app that uses google maps, but it doesn't have much functionality and is slow. As you stated, this sort of thing has been around forever, and seems like an obvious app to include, so maybe there is some limitation that prevents its use here.
I talked to the developer who wrote NavMe for the Pebble and he said he had planned to port it to the FitBit OS (Ionic specifically, but the Versa is the same software) but found it didn't have the necessary ability to get real-time updates from phone to watch: 5 to 10 second delay when a new email comes in is not a problem; 5 to 10 second delay while driving means you just missed your turn. Also, unlike the Pebble, it doesn't seem to have a guarantee of notifications: it could send the next turn but the watch may never receive it and there's no way for the app to know in order to try again.
These are valid issues that would prevent navigation on the Versa/Ionic, or at least render it potentially very frustrating. Until the developers add a "SendNotificationToWatchRightNowIDontCareAboutBatteryLifeJustDoItAndTellMeIfItFailedForAnyReason()" function to the API I honestly don't think it's going to happen.
For me it's really sad that fitbit bought over pebble last year and is not making use of its technology. As my pebble fades out and is unable to use the 3rd party apps, I hope fitbit includes its features soon. Especially the real-time Google maps navigation like nav me on pebble. #isittoomuchtoask
In my humble opiniom this functionality is must-have for a top class smartwatch. I was not satisfied with Vivoactive 3 unresponsive touchscreen but now after 3 days of expirience with Versa my impresion is that this is a nicely packed but only a shining gadget.
Another example when I was driving my car I launched the Bike app. My heart rate was like 66, when the speed rise to 60 km/h my heart rate was 122. I was just sitting and driving
Hi everyone, thanks for this suggestion. There is currently a way to get navigation instructions with vibration alerts on the Ionic and Versa. Under 'notification settings' in the Fitbit App, enable 'background navigation instructions' and make sure Fitbit notifications are enabled too. When you launch Google maps from your phone (be sure that your phone screen is turned to off/sleeping for this to happen), you should start getting text push notifications on your watch.
If you want to see a map and your live location, there is an existing third party app for this (search 'maps' in the Fitbit app gallery).
for me it is the same - I really like the fitbit versa. My boyfriend has it and is happy. But I need a smartwatch that does the turn by turn navigation (Like google wear has the app for google maps). And unfortunately the versa does NOT have it. So the declaration of it being an existing feature is unfortunately wrong. We tried the 'workaround' posted by the moderator, but it just does not exist on his watch.
So could someone please remove the tag existing feature?
I would like to get direction instructions on my watch as a notification from google maps. I've tried what LizFitbit said but still no joy. Would be a really usefull feature for walks and while driving.
Several more weeks on and this is still incorrectly marked as an Existing Feature. Either revert it back to Reviewed status or properly explain where this notification option is, because I still don't see it.
@LizFitbit Like others, even I cant get this step working "Under 'notification settings' in the Fitbit App, enable 'background navigation instructions' "
It would help immensely if you can provide more detailed instructions.
I definitely would appreciate this feature for my runs and bike riding.
If you have an Ionic, you could try Waypoints, the just released Navigation app from DrRobin. You can have 4 routes of up to 20 waypoints each and get distance a bearing towards the next waypoint. It doesn't display a map, just your heading, speed and direction/distance to your next waypoint. You get a buzz on your wrist when you reach your next waypoint and it automatically selects the next waypoint in your pre-defined route. Give it a try, it is free for 30 days and only $1.99 after (discounts available).
I wanted to buy the Versa as I thought that it is already possible to see the map on the screen and navigate. Of course the google maps navigation would run on my iphone. Instead of constantly using my phone I thought I could look at the Versa to see the map and directions.
Is there any smart watch out there which is able to navigate me through the cities? Thanks
Join us on the Community Forums!
Community Guidelines
Learn the Basics
Join the Community!
Not finding your answer on the Community Forums?
Go to the Help Site
Contact Support