What you need to know
- Fitbit Charge 5 started receiving a new update rollout from the company.
- The new update brings the 'Find Phone' feature that works via app and Bluetooth.
- The feature was exclusively available to Fitbit smartwatches before.
Fitbit Charge 5 appears to be getting a new important feature with the latest update rollout. The update will now bring the 'Find Phone' functionality to the company's cost-effective fitness tracker — launched last September. Note that the feature was earlier exclusive to Fitbit's smartwatch product portfolio.
First spotted by 9to5Google, the new update bearing the 1.171.50 version is rolling out to users sitting on 1.149.11 firmware starting this Monday. The report further mentions that the new feature sits between Screen Wake and Water Lock options.
The enabling process involves Fitbit Charge 5 users swiping down the clock face and tapping on the new 'Find Phone' feature. It is said to instantly emit a loud noise on the phone that the fitness tracker is connected to, which is seemingly convenient. Users further get an option to 'Cancel' the alert if they find their missing smartphone. The report also notes a similar feature has been available on previous Fitbit products like Sense, and Versa 3, to name a few.
If users want to utilize the new feature, there are specific requirements that they need to match. It includes the paired device and the Charge 5 to be close to 30 meters via Bluetooth. The phone further needs to have the Fitbit app running in the background.
The previous version, 1.149.11, has brought access to users'
heart for atrial fibrillation (AFib) on the Charge 5. While the new version gets the 'Find Phone' feature, it is still unclear what the other features or bug fixes it brings to the table. 9to5Google also points out it is not clear at this point whether Fitbit has fixed phone connectivity issues that users have reported earlier. The changelog is yet to be released by Fitbit. However, expecting some bug fixes next to improvements is pretty evident.
Overall, it is good to see Fitbit bringing some exclusive features to its Charge 5 fitness tracker. It is one of the best fitness trackers that is available to purchase. It takes on Fitbit's own Versa 3 smartwatch — you can find our comparison amongst the two we did recently.
