Unable to rename workout type on Fitbit app

[twobirds]

Has the ability to rename a workout type been removed in 4.04?

Previously I've been starting and stopping workouts via the "Martial Arts" exercise shortcut on my Charge 5, and then going into the workout record via the exercise tab in the app and renaming the workout with a custom name to reflect specifically what I had been doing [e.g., "Class", "Form Practice", "Weapon Training", etc.]

Now the only thing that seems to be editable is the start and stop time for the workout.

Is there something obvious I'm missing?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MelvinL]

https://www.techradar.com/opinion/fitbit-as-we-know-it-is-already-dead-thanks-to-google

https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/google-confining-fitbit-makes-financial-sense-but-missed-op...

https://support.google.com/product-documentation/answer/13823068?hl=en

I think this says it all. Fitbit is no longer sold in quite a number of countries around the world. Since Google has bought over Fitbit, we existing users have stuck to it (I even bought a new Fitbit last year when my old one died), even though bit by bit, some features are being removed. Initially those features that were removed are not core features for a fitness tracker, and many of us don't really need them. Maybe it was a transition period for better things to come for Fitbit, since Google is a very smart company. But the time has come, and core features are now being removed and Fitbit is not longer sold worldwide. It is pretty obvious that Google is slowly killing off Fitbit.

Google has 2 options with Fitbit, grow Fitbit by incorporating Google's tech, or use Fitbit's tech for Google's own product line and then phase out Fitbit. Google has likely chosen the latter and sadly, there is nothing much we can do about it. In this case, I don't think Google made a wise choice. Why kill off an existing market, and go about the difficult task of creating a new market later on? Maybe Google hopes that users will transition over to Pixel or something, but that something by Google don't exist yet.

What don't quite make much sense is why spend $2.1 billion USD on Fitbit, only to kill it off. But I think what Google wants is Fitbit's technology, customer base, and the vast amounts of valuable data collected by Fitbit. After which, these technologies will probably go into Google's own product lines such as the Pixel Watch (which is not the same as current Fitbit and not great for now), and then Fitbit will be killed off. It certainly does not look like Google is planning to build-up and grow Fitbit.

With that, we probably can give up hope that things will change for the better for Fitbit, and these lost functionalities are likely not coming back. Using my Fitbit used to be a joy, but it is now a chore to manage and maintain proper data and records. I have waited long enough, it is time to look elsewhere. (Maybe until Google expands its own line of Fitness trackers and watches under its own name, and incorporates everything great about what makes Fitbit great in the first place. But this will not happen anytime soon if it ever happens.)

(Shoutout to Fitbit, Google, Alphabet. Not sure if this post is going to be deleted, but if what I am saying is wrong, then release a statement to let users know of your roadmap for Fitbit. Be open and transparent.)

[mjdmaine]

Yeah, this really sucks now. I read they fixed it for Android so when I saw there was an update for IOS I was psyched and ran it. Now it’s worse than before because the workaround no longer exists.

[mjdmaine]

The Fitbit smartwatches have always been ok, not great but not too bad either. But I always thought they had the best app out there. It’s what kept me as a customer. No more. If their goal was to push us off Fitbit devices and onto Pixel, they’re sorely mistaken, I would NEVER buy their products.

[SunsetRunner]

MelvinL has a pretty solid assessment. They seem to be pushing everyone to
Pixel Watch, which doesn’t work on iOS, and screw all is (formerly) loyal
iOS users. I’m dumping my Fitbit Sense 2 on my husband, who doesn’t care
about workout features, and moving to the Apple SE GPS. I already ordered
it and I pick it up tomorrow. Ten years with Fitbit down the drain.

[mcw53]

Well, that confirms what many of us have suspected (known) for some time.

Notable quotes from the 1st article:

"It’s a familiar story: a successful company is bought by a huge conglomerate and run into the ground, while the conglomerate takes the smaller company's best ideas and products and incorporates them into its brand."

"...it’s sad to see the best Fitbits slowly being stripped of some of the features that made them great."

"Alphabet has shut down the facility for developers to create third-party apps for Fitbit OS, preventing new content from being created for the platform."

"The end result is that customers who made their purchases based on those features now own a device that's fundamentally different from the one they originally bought; and to get those features back they must upgrade to the Pixel Watch, or buy a device from another brand."

"Fitbit will probably stick around in some form for a few years yet, but it’s already as good as dead. Rather than being a picture of health, Fitbit is on life support, waiting for Google and Alphabet to finally pull the plug and harvest what's left of its vital organs."

[Pakadd]

That used to work but no longer does with the latest update.

[Rod_O]

Hi,

Unfortunately this doesn’t work in my situation. Exercises which have been
auto-recognised by the app have the pencil icon on the web site, and can be
edited. However if I'm going for a run I manually start the exercise using
the ‘Start Exercise’ button on the app; it defaults to ‘Walk’ (as it always
did) and I change it to ‘Run’. On completion, the app has changed it back
to ‘Walk’ (this started happening a couple of months ago) - so, until a few
days ago, I’d use the work-around to correct it.On the web site, manually
created exercises don’t show the pencil icon in the web site, and so can’t
be edited - see screenshot. The elliptical workouts were (correctly)
auto-recognised, and are the only ones I can edit.

I don't use auto-recognise for runs because the timing won't be as accurate
as starting the run manually - although now that the app only times them to
the nearest minute I guess that doesn't help much any more anyway.

What a joke. Google really are taking Fitbit users for fools. And if they
think they can gradually herd us into the Pixel watch ecosystem, I think
they'll find they're very much mistaken.

[Rod_O]

See screen shot - only auto-recognised exercises are editable.

[mjdmaine]

Thanks. So this is on the website dashboard, do I need to open the website everytime I want to edit an activity? We used to be able to do this on our phones.

[Jen005]

Unfortunately only way to do it now is by going on their website and going under activities on your dashboard. You can edit from there but it’s a hassle when it once could be done right on the app. 

[Jen005]

I use my phone to do it, on the website. It’s just ridiculous that they’ve changed all this and made it a hassle. 

[mdb3491]

Everyone needs to go to the app store and rate it base on their current experiences.

[SAB2000]

Yes unfortunately

[mjdmaine]

I reviewed the app on the App Store. Here's what I said:

So disappointed

I’ve had a Fitbit since they first came out. I got an Apple Watch at one point because they were approved for AFib detection before Fitbit came out with the Sense. I then bought the Sense. I wore both for months. The Fitbit wasn’t as accurate with heart rate nor with steps. But I decided to stay with the Fitbit and sold the Watch because I liked the Fitbit app better and I wasn’t tied to a particular brand of phone. But last September Fitbit came out with an update that eliminated the ability to edit the category of exercise. This feature was essential if you want to track your different types of activity. Fortunately another user, unsurprisingly NOT Fitbit support, came up with a workaround. Though not convenient, at least it could be done on the app. Recently another update was released and the workaround doesn’t work any longer! Again another user discovered that you can log in to your account on a browser and change the activity category there. So yes, this works, but it is very inconvenient. I am so disappointed with Google/Fitbit. I learned they brought back the original feature for Android but not IOS. I feel as though they’ve abandoned me and others running Fitbit devices with an iPhone. I’d give zero stars if I could. ☹️

[mcw53]

Hey @Rod_O 

I manually start my Walks and Runs on my Charge4 for the same reason you start your activity on the app; accuracy. Starting it on your fitbit allows you to select your activity (e.g. Walk, Run, etc.), thereby eliminating the need to change it later. Also, you can get the accurate activity duration (h:mm:ss) on the fitbit.com dashboard. Having to get your activity duration on the dashboard is a PITA compared to the manage/review data workaround and the pre-google app before that, but you can use this until they fix the app or you buy a fitness tracker from a company that understands fitness.

[Crawl]

I am in total agreement with you. Why did they change something like this. I was using the back door way to change exercise type and now that doesn’t work. ☹️😡

[Bert_Wagner]

Well, that was a poor and uninformed answer. The app does NOT allow the type of exercise to be edited. This is a MAJOR PROBLEM and has been complained about for the past 5 months. (Inspire 2, Version 20001.124.84). 

[SunsetRunner]

My Apple SE with GPS came in yesterday so I tried it out today. Lightyears
better than the Sense 2 that I just took off, and it integrates smoothly
with Nike Run and Spotify. Sorry Fitbit. It’s not me, it’s you.

[SunsetRunner]

My pre-selected “run” automatically reverts to “walk” as soon as I finish,
AND you can’t fix it on the app anymore. Also they removed the seconds from
my run, only giving the time in hours and minutes.

[Lazywalker]

Well I’ve just renamed some workouts on the website and suddenly my calories burned went down.  800 calories gone. Don’t know if they’ve done yet another ‘helpful’ upgrade