Fitbit to bring new useful features to its Fitbit and Fitstar apps

Fitbit is bringing some enhanced features to its apps – both the Fitbit app and the Fitstar Personal Trainer app – and you’ll be able to interact with other Fitbit users as well as access personally tailored insights.

Fitbit has been rather busy lately: a few months after the announcement of second generation Fitbit devices, the company announced its acquisition of Pebble. Well, now it’s time for some software updates, it looks like. Fitbit has announced at CES 2017 that it will be adding some nifty new features to the existing Fitbit and Fitstar Personal Trainer apps as well as bringing new fitness features to the Fitbit Blaze.

As for the Fitbit app, there is a brand new section called Community. As the company explains, “Fitbit has designed a more engaging social experience with a new Community section in the Fitbit app that offers more ways to connect with others for support and inspiration as you progress along your path to better health.” Essentially, it’s where you can connect with other Fitbit users – whether it’s your family, friends, or strangers – and motivate one another, similar to what New Balance has included in its RunIQ smartwatch.

The Community section will consist of Feed, Friends, and Groups:

• Feed lets you share inspiration moments from your daily routine with other users, including exercise summaries, badges, trophies, photos, etc. You can also read content written by Fitbit’s health and fitness experts and discover workouts led by the most talented trainers in your area.
• Friends lets you connect with your friends and family as well as other Fitbit users across the world. You can compete with your Friends by sending direct messages and motivate one another by encouragement.
• Groups is where you discover and join communities of like-minded people to help support and inspire you on your journey. There are over 20 groups related to fitness, nutrition, wellness, and weight loss.

As for the Fitstar Personal Trainer app, the company has redesigned the experience, so now you have:

• Access recommended workouts based on your daily activity tracked with a Fitbit device, or from the new “Guidance” tab coming soon to the Fitbit app.
• Two new certified personal trainers, Adrian and Lea, will guide you on your fitness journey. You decide who motivates you more and swap between the two as you see fit.
• Customize your workout soundtrack with Fitstar Radio, which offers a variety of popular music stations from Pop to Hip Hop, to motivate you while you exercise.
• Redesigned look and feel provides a fresh and inspiring exercise experience that you can view on any format, from mobile phones to the latest high-def TVs.

The app is also getting a new Personal Goal Setting, giving you a step-by-step guide to help you achieve your goal. It defines your objectives and gives you personalized recommendations.

Last but not least, Fitbit Blaze will be getting a software update which will let you access Cardio Fitness Level – a snapshot of your cardiovascular fitness based on VO2 Max – as well as guided breathing sessions which are not too different from Apple’s offering. The Community function will be available for Fitbit users across the US in March and will roll out to the rest of the world later this year. Personal Goal Setting will be available worldwide this month, and the Fitbit Blaze update is coming to everyone in February.

Are you a Fitbit user? How useful will these updated features be? Let us know by leaving a comment below!