New Simple, Long Battery Life, Clip Fitbit

[KimFu]

If we are trying to get people moving than Fitbit needs a Back to Basics model. The elderly or those who don't want to track sleep, heartbeat, gps, music and that sort of thing really need a quality basic model. This model should have Clip, lanyard option and the hook up for the bands. The step count accuracy of "Fitbit One" was very high. It has been my favorite out of all the fitness trackers I've had. I can't wear bands on my wrist, I never wear bracelets or watches. Those models had to be put in a pocket which was less than convenient. Here is what I am hoping for in a fitness tracker.

1.Accuracy in counting steps 2. Stair climbing counter 3. For the tracker to be small and clip comfortably to the middle of my bra. 4. estimated calorie burn 5. 2 week battery life like the fitbit One. 6. A button to click through the features quickly 7. The clip to come in various colors and at least one clip to be included with the purchase 8. a clock 9. waterproof for swimming

I also think that to improve any current models it would be amazing if we could go to our dashboard and shut off all the features we don't use to save battery life. 

Moderator edit: Clarified subject

[bluepinecones]

Agree. Many of us simply need a good fitness tracker with at least clip on option and have no interest in a smart watch

[JEH1]

Hello @smylegirl ,

Well stated!

JEH1

[maryclaire3]

I'm in complete agreement. Fitbit would gain/retain a loyal base of customers who prefer a clip-on device with an altimeter. The  One is such a perfect device, I fail to understand the remaining behind it's discontinuation. I've been part of this discussion for several years now, not ready to give up hope that they'll bring it back. I'm currently using a One purchased from eBay, hoping it lasts forever!

[HikerJohn]

My One is showing signs of age. My wife's One has stopped syncing (again). I'm looking at replacements but we both found our experience of Fitbit wristbands to be so poor (lack of comfort and a disgraceful lack of reliability) that we're not even considering Fitbit any more.

If something like the One reappears before my One finally dies it may be that I'll stick with Fitbit. The chances of my wife staying with Fitbit are almost zero. And, let's face it, if another company makes a product we like chances are we'll be staying with them and Fitbit will lose us forever.

[GKWtpa]

How hard can it be to offer a clip accessory for a Fitbit model that tracks floors, steps, miles, and calories? The Charge 3 has the features, but no clip. The Inspire offers a clip accessory, but no altimeter. Please let us choose if we want to use a clip some of the time.

Sent from my iPhone

[HikerJohn]

@GKWtpa it clearly can be done because they did it already (they called it the One). I can only assume they no longer want to offer such a device, which begs the question why they don't want to offer a product that was so well loved and just worked.

Many of the reviews of the current range suggest they are plagued with the same problems I had with the original Charge and don't last. I've read more than a few reviews that suggest the purchase price is more of a subscription, where the unit fails around the time the warranty expires and you buy another one. If you think of your $180 tracker as a $15/month subscription because you'll most likely have to replace it in a year's time things make sense. With that world view, a $80 device that lasts for years doesn't generate as much revenue as a $180 device that breaks in 12 months. Presumably these days people just keep buying defective hardware rather than figuring they're done throwing good money after bad and going elsewhere.

[GKWtpa]

Thank you for pointing out the bad reviews. I’ve been so happy with my One, that I trusted other Fitbit trackers would be the same quality.

The more I think about it and consider the features I’ll never use, a clip for an expensive watch doesn’t make sense.



Sent from my iPhone

[HikerJohn]

If my only experience of Fitbit had been with the One I'd be looking at another Fitbit now, even if it did mean a basic smartwatch with the strap removed and a clip botched out of something. Sadly before the One I went through numerous Charge wristbands. I think four failed within two years, and Fitbit's helpful response to the failure of the fourth one was to offer me 25% off a fifth, which brought their price to only about $10 more than a brand new one on Amazon. They apparently couldn't process the notion that when a $150 unit failed, on average, every six months I wasn't really interested in buying another one.

One day I forgot to carry my One during a walk in the woods, but figured when I got back I could manually enter "hiking" as an activity. And I could, but it turned out there is no way of manually entering floors climbed. Fitbit's customer "service" agent offered me the pearl of wisdom to "remember to take my Fitbit with me". Gee, I'd never have thought of that.

With that in mind, I can easily believe the dismal reviews of both the new wristbands and the customer service. I'm increasingly minded to think the product is designed to fast enough that the purchase price is better regarded as a subscription, and the One was discontinued because it didn't generate enough revenue.

[glitterleos]

Hi, not a fan of the wristbands, would love for Fitbit to make a tracker that can count steps, sleep and floors climbed that can clip on. 

[Odyssey13]

Hi @glitterleos  the Inspire has an optional clip so you can wear it on the wrist or put it in the clip. Have you seen it?

[glitterleos]

Yes but it doesn't track stairs climbed and that's a feature I would love to have

[DavideFitbit]

Hi @glitterleos, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback about the possibility of having clip-based Fitbit than can track steps, sleep and floors climbed, this feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here as it is currently marked as "Reviewed by moderator".

This helps maintain the Community and the Feature Suggestion board more organized. Thank you for sharing your ideas in the Community. 

[jkahne]

There has been a long running thread of many many people asking for just this - for a very long time.  I've been using a Fitbit One since 2012 and would like to continue.  I need all the functionality of the One (steps, stairs, calories, miles, sleep) but have a watch so anything that requires a wrist is a non-starter.  

We've sent community requests and not all that long ago a few people even sent requests along with some interesting analysis directly to exec's at Fitbit. 

I am surprised to see a moderator act like this is the first they have heard of the issue - it's been ongoing for quite a long time. 

Now that Google has bought Fitbit (privacy issues anyone) wonder if there is a desire to reintroduce a product people want - but because it's in my pocket, not as noticeable/sexy to the world. 

[AuntieS]

Fitbit even helps prove our theory of the inaccuracy of a wrist tracker and the need for a clip on.  Just watch some of their commercials.  Especially the woman on a bike in a spin class.  Wonder how many steps she is logging.  

[JAFO]

I lost my One this weekend.  I got home and the belt clip was attached to my belt, but the One was missing.  I was very sad as I've been using Fitbit since 2/2010.  I started with the Classic, upgraded to the Ultra, and bought the One my Ultra took a dive in the pool.  Last week I finally passed 15M steps.  And now I'm not logging any.  I've looked at the Inspire to use in clip-mode, and I may end up having to buy that as a stop gap.  But it doesn't count floors and by all reports, the battery life is pretty terrible.  Even after 5 years, the battery life on my One was stilll pretty good.

Add me to the list of people who want a clip-on tracker.  Your roots.  All of your long time customers started with one.

[AuntieS]

I found the original list of reasons for the revival of the One.  I will update it to include reasons why the Inspire is not a replacement and then share with everyone to see if there is anything else they would like added.  Have no problem emailing the execs again to let them know we have not gone away.

[AuntieS]

Below is the original email I sent to executives at Fitbit on the communities behalf.  I have updated with the fact that the Zip is now no loner available and feedback I found on the Inspire.  Please feel free to let me know if anything should be added and I will be happy to send again.  Feel free to send it as well.  The more of us emailing corporate, the better our chances.

I am writing for the general community of Fitbit One users.  We are a loyal group and very upset and frustrated that you have decided to retire the One.  Yes, you can look at the community boards and see that there are not many of us there.  But, many threads have been merged, closed or removed for one reason or the other.  There are also thousands of loyal One users who are not on the boards for many reason; they don’t know about it, someone is posting for them, or they feel that it is useless.  I speak for a family of five loyal One users (I am on the only one who posts) and know that there are many more out there like me.  There are also many people who have given up on trackers after their One’s have died or gone to Apple. 

After going through the posts that are still available to be viewed, I compiled the many reasons why we want/need a clip on tracker.  This list has been shared with the community and they are in favor of me sending this list along and sharing our voice to those who may be able to make a difference. 

We would appreciate your consideration by reading what we have to say and reviving the One.  Or something comparable.  Wrist based trackers are simply not accurate and for the reasons listed below, just don’t cut it.  Neither does the Zip as a clip on which has now been discontinued.  Fitbit, you now really leave us with NO option for a suitable clip on tracker.  At least not one from your company.

Steps not counted with a wrist tracker

• Those walking and texting
• Pushing a stroller/carriage
• Carrying bags
• Mowing the yard
• Hanging on to your backpack
• Carrying files and laptops to and from meetings around the office
• Carrying a child
• Walking the dog
• Riding a bicycle
• Construction (carrying lumber, ladders, shingles, etc.)
• Picking fruits/vegetables
• Coaches running up and down court with the whistle in hand and at the ready
• Carrying boxes/pushing a dolly
• Purse hanging off arm
• Treadmill users who need to hold on
• Those using walkers or canes
• Holding hands
• When it is cold out and your hands are in your pocket
• Some forms of dancing with limited or no hand movement (Irish Step dancing, line dancing, Salsa, ballroom, etc.
• CARRYING ANYTHING

Steps counted with a wrist tracker when they should not be

• Doing dishes
• Knitting/quilting/sewing
• Yard work (Gardening, cutting trees, scooping leaves)
• Putting on lotion
• General cleaning
• Carpentry/trades (flooring install, decking, plumbing, electrical. mechanical, Etc.)
• Cooks (line, prep, etc.)
• Factory line workers
• Cashiers
• Those doing physical therapy for upper body

Those who cannot

• Veterans or others who have lost limbs
• Those with limited mobility to their arms
• Those in the medical profession
• Those working with hazardous chemicals
• Laboratory workers
• Allergenic reactions
• Not work appropriate in the corporate world
• Health/hygiene issues (work and non-work related)
• Those with medical issues/needs (nerve/pain, chemo, radiation, etc.)
• Factory workers
• General health issues
• Safety issues

Those who will not

• Have many fashionable watches prefer to wear instead
• No desire to have something on wrist
• Does not wear jewelry
• Not professional
• Doesn’t  work with formal attire
• They are not attractive
• Want something discreet
• Don’t want tan lines
• JUST DON’T WANT TO

Reasons not to get the Zip

• Does not track stairs
• Bulky
• Always needs batteries
• No sleep tracking
• Inferior product
• NOW DISCONTINUED

Reasons not to get the Inspire

• Does not track stairs
• Problems tracking sleep
• Hard to read screen
• Screen freezes
• Poor battery life
• Have to buy separate clip

Loyal One users

• Wear it 24/7
• Buy them as gifts
• Tell others about it
• Don’t hesitate to purchase another one when lost

Thank you for time your time and we would greatly appreciate a response which I will be happy to share with the community.

Best Regards,

[HikerJohn]

The thing with telling Fitbit that "We haven't gone away" is that it isn't true. My wife has gone away. Her One was intermittent for a time and finally died. She wanted another tracker. The One is no longer available and reviews of Fitbit watches (paired with our personal experience) is that they are junk. Her new Garmin arrived today. Chalk one up for a customer Fitbit has lost forever. If her Garmin is any good, when my One dies I'll join the ranks of people who have gone away, and left the Fitbit community for good. 

We're just two people, but we're two customers who are very likely to not only leave the Fitbit community but, if we like whatever non-Fitbit products we find, will encourage others to join us. 

[AuntieS]

@HikerJohn I totally agree with you.  Once my Fitbit dies, if there is not a suitable replace for the One, then I will be leaving as well.  And yes, I will be telling all my friends about the great new device I end up with.  I will try and capture this somehow in the letter.  Please let me know what your wife thinks of her Garmin as I was looking at that for when the day comes.

[maryclaire3]

Hiker John, was your wife able to find a clip-on Garmin tracker? If so, I'll be anxious to hear how she likes it. I'm on my last One - the ones on eBay have gotten too pricey for me. Hoping I can keep this One out of the washing machine!

[HikerJohn]

Maryclaire, the one she has ordered (not here yet, so can't say if it's any good) is a Garmin watch. We both prefer the clip-on device like the One but can't find anything available that looks like it's any good. Fitbit watches get such dismal reviews we figured we might as well set fire to $150 as buy one, so we jumped ship.

If she likes her Garmin chances are I'll get something similar when my One finally packs up. The advantage of a watch with a removable band is that I can probably turn it into a clipon device with a little ingenuity, even if backed up by a chain so it can't get dropped and lost.

[Katekenn]

I have no desire to wear anything on my wrist. My old clip-on Fitbit has a ruined screen so I can only use the phone app. I’m willing to give Fitbit more $$ for a new one but they don’t have anything for me in their current line up. 

[Lovestofly]

I jumped ship and got a Bellabeat, it doesn’t track stairs so that’s annoying, otherwise I like it...As an added bonus it includes meditation. I’m still encouraged to take stairs over elevators, because I get more steps. 

I did order the inspire because it was on sale, with a clip, when my Bellabeat dies I will try it. I’m hoping it lives up to the one but we’ll see. I loved my one so so much! 

[Odyssey13]

The Inspire has an optional clip. Did you see it?

[HikerJohn]

For me the Inspire is a non-starter because tracking stairs isn't something I'm willing to lose. Some knucklehead at Fitbit decided people don't care about stairs. Looks like it's a decision that will cost them customers.