Fitbit fans are already reeling from a succession of questionable Google decisions, from the redesigned Sleep page to the app’s major redesign last year. But a new announcement may prove be the final straw for many – Fitbit has announced that it’ll be axing its popular web dashboard.
The news came on June 11 in a Fitbit Community post, where the company announced that the web dashboard – which lets you check stats and create custom meals – “no longer be available” after July 8. Instead, all Fitbit users will need to use the app’s dashboard feature instead.
Fitbit pre-empted some protests from its fans by stating that “we know change can be difficult” and that “we appreciate your patience as we build Google Fitbit to be better than before”. But many users are understandably a little miffed about losing another feature in Google’s big shakeup.
On the Reddit’s Fitbit subreddit, many have complained that the Fitbit app isn’t a true replacement for the web dashboard. Some of the benefits of the latter include easier data entry on desktop, the ability to copy and paste data from other windows, and some features that aren’t available in the app.
These missing features include the ability to add missed workouts and easily create custom meals. “This is the change that cuts the deepest,” complained Reddit user ‘tandyman8360’, while ‘zoo-music’ (who says they use the dashboard every day) states that “when my Fitbit dies, I’m changing to a different brand”.
Should you stick with Fitbit?
Google clearly has a plan to stamp its mark on the Fitbit app and make sure everyone in the ecosystem is using it for tracking their fitness and health data. The axing of the web dashboard is another disruptive step towards achieving that, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that Fitbit trackers are doomed or not worth buying.
We recently saw the launch of the Fitbit Ace LTE, a smartwatch for kids, which shows that new trackers aren’t a thing of the past. Meanwhile, there are also rumors that Fitbit could be planning to make a smart ring to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
Many longstanding Fitbit users will understandably feel stung by Google’s recent decisions, with many feeling that their experience has been downgraded rather than modernized or improved. And there are now some good alternatives among the best fitness trackers, from the likes of Garmin, Xiaomi and Apple.
But we remain fans of the Fitbit Luxe and the software experience still offers plenty of features, even without needing a Fitbit Premium subscription. With the likes of the Versa 3 and Charge 6 also still solid buys, and the Google Pixel Watch 3 en route, the Fitbit and Google ecosystem still has plenty of life in it yet. The question is whether you’re prepared to put up short-term software disruption or the ever lingering threat of the Google Graveyard.
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mark.wilson@futurenet.com (Mark Wilson)
