Pulsing heart icon in the new dashboard is broken

[ChasBFit]

Before the current "new dashboard", the pulse rate of the heart icon (❤️) in the dashboard was the same as the Fitbit measured rate.

For example, if the indicator said the heart rate was currently 80 bpm, then the heart icon would pulse 80 times per minute. If it is at 120, then the icon would pulse 120 times a minute. And so on.

Since there is sometimes an (totally understandable) large difference between the actual pulse rate that I can take using my fingers, and the rate that my Fitbit device is registering, it was VERY USEFUL to quickly take my pulse while looking at the app icon. If they were both pulsing at the same rate, then the Fitbit reading was accurate; otherwise, it is not (because sometimes it gets a bit out of sync).

Now however, the heart icon ALWAYS PULSES at 60 bpm. So if I want to verify the accuracy of the reading, I can't use the app. Instead I have to close the Fitbit app, open my timer app, and count my pulse for 30 seconds.

This is ANOTHER EXAMPLE of how really weak this new dashboard design is. Can't begin to say how disappointed I am.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @ChasBFit. Welcome to the Community.

Thanks for taking the time to share the behavior of the new dashboard on your phone. I understand where are you coming from as the information recorded by your Fitbit device should match with the Fitbit app after syncing. I'm sorry that this isn't the case, and let's work on this together. Before anything else, make sure the Fitbit app and your Fitbit device are updated to the latest version. Also, if you've not done so, please give a try to the following steps:

1. Log out from the Fitbit app.
2. Force quit the Fitbit app and reboot your phone.
3. Log back in and check the heart rate data.

Let me know how it goes!

[nujol]

This is a universal fault with the new dashboard that others have mentioned. Instead of actually showing high quality data on the dashboard it’s now silly cartoon like versions, and this failure to show heart rate pulsing like it used to, coloured coded etc is a failing of the dashboard nothing to do with sync etc. 

[ChasBFit]

@LizzyFitbit :

You misunderstand my complaint; and your modified title for this thread does not reflect what I was commenting about.

The App is correctly synching with my Fitbit device. That is not a problem.

In particular, the NUMERIC bpm value displayed in the Dashboard is equal to the NUMERIC value displayed on the Fitbit device, as expected and desired.

And when the NUMERIC bpm reading displayed on the Fitbit device changes, these changes are accurately reflected in the NUMERIC value displayed in the New Dashboard. So that is all working correctly!

However sometimes, (as with all devices of this type whether from Fitbit or Apple or Garmin), the NUMERIC value displayed on the Fitbit device (and, therefore, on the New Dashboard) is clearly incorrect.

I might be walking and glance at my Fitbit and, based on my experience, expect to see a bpm of 100 or so, and instead it reads 140 bpm. Since the syncing is working correctly, then it also the case that the App would also read 140 bpm at such a time.

Now, this can occur for any number of understandable reasons, and is not something I'm complaining about! Sometimes what appears to happen is that the underlying sensor algorithm (probably based around a phase-locked loop or PLL) tracks on some harmonic of the heart beat signal which can be quite "noisy", and the Fitbit then reports a value which is a rational multiple of my actual pulse rate (say, 6/5).

This is to be expected! It's a noisy signal! The Fitbit is loosely contacting my skin and shifts and moves as I do; so there is some smoothing algorithm that understandably can get out of sync for a minute or three. This is not what I complaining about!

However, when this does occur, I like to be able to quickly check the accuracy of the reported NUMERIC value - whether it be on the Fitbit device itself, or as it is displayed on the New Dashboard - so that, for example, I can keep my heart rate within a desired range during exercise.

Are you with me so far?

Now, in the OLD dashboard, this was a simple task. Why? Because in the OLD Dashboard, in addition to showing the NUMERIC value for the bpm, it ALSO engaged in "pulsing" (making larger and smaller) the heart shaped icon (❤️) AT THE SAME RATE as the NUMERIC value.

So, if the Fitbit device would read a bpm of 100 bpm, the Dashboard would also show the NUMERIC value of '100', AND in addition, the heart icon would "pulse" 100 times a second as well. If the Fitbit device would show a bpm of 120; then the icon would pulse 120 times a minute. And so on. That's not accidental, it's a design decision that was made for the Old Dashboard - that the ❤️ would pulse at the same rate as the NUMERIC value displayed.

So, by using my fingers to feel my own pulse WHILE LOOKING AT the OLD Dashboard, I could verify in a matter of seconds whether the reported NUMERIC value was indeed in sync with my ACTUAL pulse. If the pulse I feel with my fingers is at the same rate as the pulsing of the icon which I see with my eyeballs, then the NUMERIC value is correct.

But in the NEW Dashboard, this CANNOT BE DONE. Why? Because in another example of poor design, the heart icon NO LONGER PULSES AT THE SAME RATE as the NUMERIC value would indicate. Instead, it has been replaced with a graphic that ALWAYS PULSES AT THE RATE of 60 bpm, regard less of what the NUMERIC bpm value that is being displayed. 

So if the NUMERIC value of the Fitbit device says 100 bpm, the NEW Dashboard also shows the NUMERIC value 100; but the pulsing heart will pulse at 60 bpm, even though that is a different rate than 100 bpm. 

And if the Fitbit device would show a bpm of 120; then the NEW Dashboard will also show a value of 120 bpm, but the icon still pulses 60 times a minute.

And if the Fitbit device were to show a reading of 52 bpm, then the NEW Dashboard will show a value of 52 bpm; but the icon still pulses 60 times a minute.

The 'pulses at the same rate' feature has been removed as part of the NEW Dashboard design; and might as well have replaced by a static graphic of a heart, or nothing at all.

And so now, if I'd like to "spot check" the accuracy of the Fitbit device, I have to actually manually count my pulse against a timer - usually, against a 30 second timer. Fortunately, there is such a timer on my iPhone; but I have to stop, switch away from the Fitbit App, setup the timer, and count my pulse for 30 seconds; then multiply that count by 2 to get a bpm; and then compare that to the reading from the Fitbit device / New Dashboard.

This new behavior (the failure to pulse the ❤️ in sync with the NUMERIC value) is a DESIGN DECISION made for the New Dashboard. It's not an accident; and its not a bug. And my objection is not AESTHETIC - I don't actually like the look of the New Dashboard, but what is annoying is the LOSS OF FUNCTIONALITY.

Logging out of the App is not going to fix a poor DESIGN DECISION. Rebooting my phone is not going to fix a poor DESIGN DECISION. Reinstalling the App is not going to fix a poor DESIGN DECISION.

I hope I have made myself clearer! Thanks.

[nujol]

Well now I know that at least I understood you! Another issue with the cartoon design that’s been forced upon us. 

[ChasBFit]

@nujol 

Thanks! I was beginning to think I was going batty in terms of describing the problem... 🙂

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @ChasBFit and @nujol. I'm glad to see you here again. I'm sorry for my delayed response.

@nujol, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts about this situation. @ChasBFit, thanks for getting back and for your detailed explanation. I'm sorry that I misunderstood your inquiry, and I've updated the topic a little bit so others can find this thread and receive a response to their questions.

Regarding to the heart rate icon, I'm sorry that the design was changed and appreciate the time you took to share this feedback with me about the new dashboard. While there isn't an option to roll back to the old dashboard or change the way this icon is working, our team will continue working to improve the Fitbit app and overall environment based on the comments posted in the Community.

If you have another question, feel free to reply back.

[Alex00752]

I also want that pulsating heart back. I have noticed that the feature disappeared from the app itself,but the pulsating icon disapeared also from the device itself. I had a charge 3 last year and had a beautiful heart rate clock face which had a big heart that was pulsating in the rithm of the heart beat, I used that animation as you ChasBFit and it was very useful. 

Since  last year I upgraded to a Fitbit Sense and the only way that I could see the pulsating hart icon was in the Today App going to the heart rate tile. The icon pulsated based of the heart rate bmp. Since the last Fitbit Sense OS, the current version at the posting of this message, the heart icon from Today app is a static icon which doesn't pulsates anymore 🙁 All clock faces from fitbit except one that i found, have ststic heart icons which is not a good design choice 🙁

Hey fitbit please bring that animation back in the app and in the os itself.

I always considered that the heart rate live data comming from the device dose not have a good dedicated screeen like a big hear animation that could beat in the rithm of the heart..

I hope fitbit takes this suggestions in consideration and create more dinamic natural gui elements that ar driven by all sort of dinamic..