The redesigned iOS Fitbit app is rolling out!

[LizzyFitbit]

Hello everyone!

I would like to announce that the redesigned Fitbit app starts rolling out today! This new app will help you reach your goals, and bring the health and wellness information right on hand.

Check out our latest blog for how to get the most out of the new app. 

Note: Please be patient if you don't see the update right away, as it will take some time to roll out completely.

Happy stepping!

[Bug25]

I’m moving too. My Fitbit charge 5 can’t hold charge. It dies and goes blank after about 4 hours. It was at 50% yesterday and I put it on charger and it said it was 92%. Then rapidly changed to 86%.  Within 30 minutes it was at 100%. I think it’s finally kicked the bucket. I have an iPhone so I won’t be getting the charge 6. Looks like I’m moving to another smart fitness watch for sure. Google sure trashed its reputation. Wouldn’t buy a pixel watch for all the tea in ….. the world.  

[Sineadalice]

Totally agree

I've stopped using it as it's a maze. Ever since friends cut off I've not been using it. I didn't like the other app either they moved too as groups too big and impersonal.

Big mistake fitbit/Google

[SunsetRunner]

My Sense is still counting floors but I don’t know how accurate it is. 

[jrain]

Could you please roll it back? I‘m sorry to say that, but after ages using Fitbit devices I‘m about to change. The only reason is the UX and poor usability of new App. 
Any plan for improvements in next releases?

[alexVArunner]

I came here just to say, like so many already have, that the redesigned app is horrible. It is almost unusable. Every time I open it, I get frustrated. It is too minimal and puts so much stress on the eyes as I try to figure out where my data is and how to navigate the app's features. Good design makes data clear and engaging. This does the opposite. I have had issues with Fitbit the company for years and this is the final straw. I'm switching when it's time to buy a new tracker.

[mattarosa]

I am absolutely staggered by the disregard and disrespect Google has shown to customers in this forum.  Hundreds of customers on here have expressed dissatisfaction and I have not seen one courteous answer.  Goodness knows how many have dumped Fitbit and moved to other, definitely non-Google products.  Obviously none of this is of no concern to Google.  I am in various Facebook groups which have a combined membership of tens of thousands of people, mostly concerned with walking or virtual challenges.  I lose no opportunity to tell all these people how Fitbit has been trashed by Google.  I expect others are also spreading the word.  But this is clearly of no concern to Google either.  When a company is this arrogant and cares so little for customer satisfaction then, in my opinion, it cannot be a decent company to do business with and I would advise everyone to move on.

[willisbretz]

Without any hint of a response by Fitbit/Google addressing all of our concerns, questions, and complete disgust about the current state of the app in addition to them deleting posts mentioning competitors' fitness trackers from this thread, I have decided to drop Fitbit.  I will admit that the decision was not easy, as I've been a Fitbit user for 8 years.  Ultimately, Google has tied a cinder block to Fitbit and tossed it overboard.  Perhaps, though, that was their plan when purchasing Fitbit.

I've moved on to "A", and to be honest, the grass is definitely greener on the other side.  I resisted the switch because Fitbit's app, in my opinion, was superior to all others.  Take that away, and not much is left to hold onto users.

To Fitbit, thank you for the last 8 years.  Your devices and, even more so, your app pushed me to stay active and healthy.  It's just a shame that you can no longer continue on this journey with me.

[Schleppy]

I HATE THE NEW APP!!!! I’ll tolerate it until my charge 6 dies but I’ll never buy another fitbit. Google is the worst. 

[Clmommsen]

Yes. Exactly. 

[jerms]

Clearly Google has no desire to respond affirmatively to any of its customers concerns, for which I would think 113 pages worth would be sufficient to take notice.  What is interesting is as I have read all 113 pages over the course of the past several months, I don't recall seeing a single positive post touting the virtues of this new change.  The response has not only been overwhelmingly negative, it has been unanimously negative.  How often do you see 100% negative feedback for any product.  It is unheralded.

I have already made the difficult decision to leave Fitbit once my tracker dies (which, if historical patterns are right, will be within 1.5 years). The decision was easy because of this terrible app update, but it is hard due to the sentimentality of the Fitbit.  I was 50lbs heavier in 2015 and got the Fitbit (I think it was the original Charge) to help me with steps.  I remember my first day getting 10,000 steps I was tired, sweating and sore - did all those steps at my workplace.  Then with the motivation of the cool Fitbit badges, it helped me to really strive towards hitting goals - those badges were so great.  Then the ultimate aid happened - I joined a Fitbit community with other steppers and we had challenges.  They were so fun but moreover, it directly impacted my goal to lose weight.  It became almost a singular focus for me to do these challenges, wake up every morning and at 5am, grab my then grade school child and go walking before work/school.  Over time with these challenges, I started to win them, and at one point, for maybe 2 days in February 2016, I had the highest average steps of anyone in Canada.  By then I had shed my 50lbs, felt superb and was in the best shape I have been in decades.

The Fitibt had other advantages - tracking my water intake, recording my sleep (I have sleep apnea) and throughout it all, it was the ease of the interface that allowed me to easily track and follow my progress.  Now, the one thing that many of us considered the biggest plus has been removed.  Sadly, the one key poairicw differentiator for Fitbit has now been removed, and for what - a completely revised garbage user interface, with absolutely no rhyme or reason for consistency in ease of tracking various aspects of the fitness journey.  Very sad, but as with everything else, life moves on.  It is sad that Google completely destroyed what was once a great ecosystem and community which allowed its participants to achieve positive personal goals towards improving their health, fitness and activity.  I will miss it when the time comes.

[pobox1663]

Well written, @jerms . Fitbit has been a big part of my life too. I have MS and maintaining the ability to walk is my primary goal. Fatigue makes it hard to stay motivated. The Fitbit app became my “life coach”. The detailed data, the colorful easy to read graphs, the motivating displays, badges, and community worked wonders for my motivation. I miss it all terribly. 

[The3dsguy]

I wish that I could find friends and groups easier it would probably help me stay motivated.

[kerrieBBOZ]

@The3dsguy  If you want a really supportive and motivating community you should try the Conquerer Challenges. You can put your tracked activities into the app or manually upload some other progress to a personal goal and when you achieve your goal and selected virtual challenge they send a really beautiful medal. You virtually travel around various iconic world walks or do one of their licenced challenges like Lord of the Rings and virtually travel around Middle Earth, or solve a mystery in a virtual Scooby Doo challenge. You also pass milestones that trigger the company to resource tree planting or plastic cleanup. And the Facebook group is really encouraging and positive. You can join smaller training groups as well. So far I’ve virtually swum the English Channel, and virtually walked the Flower Route in Netherlands, the Ring of Kerry in Ireland, AngorWat in Cambodia, the Nakasendo Trail in Japan and I enjoy going onto street view to poke around what I would be looking at if I was really there, sometimes taking my street view avatar off to side trips and local attractions that appear on street view. And if life happens and you have to extend your goal you can, so that you don’t get too demoralised if you are forced to fall behind for some reason. I currently half way around the Ring Road in Iceland. But it really motivates me to get out and get some exercise when I either see how far ahead of my goal I am, or start to fall behind. I’m not employed by them, if I sound a little too enthusiastic, I’m just hooked on them! I have linked my Fitbit tracker but they take most of the major brands. My family are mildly amused at my growing medal collection, but i do find it really motivating. I’ve lost weight and managed to drag myself out of the COVID lockdown doldrums over the last couple of years largely thanks to these virtual challenges. THEIR support is fast and helpful as well…….

[giorgiorello]

The complete app rewrite is clearly a botched dev project. Someone has have to have the guts to either roll back or somehow try to fix everyone of the ridiculous number of bugs, glitches and errors.

It’s not just that the UX is just unusable compared to the old app but it’s also filled with bugs. What were you thinking? 

[c.Helbig]

AGREED!! I am so sad about these depressing colors! It feels like I’m stuck at the office when I’m trying to get in my workout. 

[Seaturtle7]

Are these challenges in Fitbit or outside challenges?

[klodloft]

Criticism from users is important to app developers, and they usually take feedback into account to improve the user experience. Therefore, if you have specific suggestions or concerns regarding the design or functionality of the Fitbit app, it is best to contact support or send feedback to the developers.

[c.Helbig]

When I did try to contact them to ask if there was any settings I could change or if I could give feedback, they sent me here. This was the exact link they told me to use to voice my concerns. 

[SunsetRunner]

Hope this helps.

[Aegina]

Hi Bill, can you please tell me where exactly the feedback feature is? I went to account settings and to the help & support section, but i see no feedback button. All i get is the “customer support” tab or the “forum” tab snd the forum tab brings me right back here. Please let me know where it is, thank you in advance Bill.