Fitbit watches get their first free update of the year, and even better is to come
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Quick Summary
Fitbit has released an update to its fitness trackers and smartwatches that will display status indicators as soon as you turn on the screen.
And there's another even bigger feature reportedly coming that's great for sleep too.
We love a software update – whether it's to our phones, tablets or smartwatches – they generally bring a few extra features that make the overall experience better. There's little to complain about there.
The latest devices to get an update worth talking about are Fitbit's Charge 6, Inspire 3, Sense 2 and Versa 4. With the update, the fitness trackers and smartwatches will all display status indicators when you turn on their screens, allowing you to quickly see various details immediately.
The status indicators include a battery icon when your Fitbit device is critically low, a phone with a line through it when your Fitbit device isn't connected to your phone, a moon when sleep mode is activated on your Fitbit devices and an icon to show when do not disturb mode is on.
The update also brings new Bluetooth security features, as reported by 9to5Google. It's said that the Fitbit app will prompt you to forget your tracker and reconnect to benefit from the improvements.
That's not all that's coming to Fitbit devices in the future, though. In a separate report, 9to5Google also revealed that Fitbit Labs is preparing to offer a new "Sleep Need" feature that will give you your "ideal bedtime and wake up times".
The feature was discovered through an APK Insight, and so isn't confirmed by Fitbit as yet. But if it does arrive, it looks like the Google-owned brand will attempt to offer a personalised sleep schedule.
Also according to the report, the new function will incorporate three aspects, which will include you answering a few questions during the day about how you feel at different times. It is then said to use your responses and data to detail how much sleep you need every night. As 9to5Google says: "You'll get a personalised bedtime and wake time recommendation to help you get the sleep you need."
It's said there will be morning, midday and evening surveys, with the midday option asking about your energy levels. The feature will then apparently tell you how much sleep you need, detail your sleep debt and give an explanation on how it came to the calculation.
You will need to wear your Fitbit device for five days to get more accurate data, and once your bedtime and wake up time is calculated, the app will recommend changing your alarm to reflect what has been suggested.
As mentioned, there is no word on when this feature might appear as yet. It is claimed to have been found in version 4.37 of Fitbit for Android, but it's not currently live in the app, so fingers crossed for this one.
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