Pokemon Go Adventure Sync Support

[Android_Squish]

Pokemon Go is soon to roll out a feature allowing external apps (namely Apple Health and Google Fit) to track steps and distance without needing to have the Pokemon Go app running.  It would be great if Fitbit's services could be supported as well.  As it stands, Google Fit and Apple Health do not officially work with Fitbit.

[rodjoh]

Since apparently an actual pokemon go app for fitbit is never gonna happen, this is probably the next best thing. Actually this is probably the better option as they could just sync with Google Fit and exchange data with it. 

We'd have to wait and see how Adventure Sync will actually work in Pokemon GO, but I am also hoping that Fitbit can be used with it seamlessly.

[AlexandraFitbit]

Good idea, thanks for taking the time to share it with us @Android_Squish! We look forward to hearing what other community members think. 

[Backuplight]

Just wanted to comment to add my support to this; I've never much been motivated by the Fitbit app's challenges or adventures, but tie ins with mobile games that have their own incentive for steps is a great thing! The more support for getting our data available for this the better.

Sadly, the issue for syncing with Apple Health and Google Fit has been discussed before and both are flagged as 'Not currently planned'.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Integrate-with-iOS-Health/idi-p/319432

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Integration-with-Google-Fit/idi-p/350820

Both seem like attractive things to add for the community, and while android devices have a free solution to sync their data via third party apps such as FitToFit, iOS only has paid apps.

I'll keep my fingers crossed this is reconsidered in the mean time.

[rodjoh]

Niantic has just now updated the ToS for Pokemon Go and the updates included everything related to Adventure sync, so anytime now we will be able to try this new feature out. I'll make sure to post my findings on here.

[Rizan]

Made a forum account to say this would be incredibly awesome!

I have owned and enjoyed now multiple Fitbit products now over the years, I think you have great products and great support, but I was disappointed to see that this long awaited feature for Pokemon Go is not supported due to the lack of support for Google Fit (in my case). I have played Pokemon Go since day 1 - frankly it gets me outside and walking more than most things - this feature has been something on everyone's minds for a while. It just makes sense for how the game works, but it stinks that my girlfriend and I can't use our Fitbits to hatch some Pokemon eggs!

To Fitbit management:

I know Google is a competitor of yours, but there are MILLONS of Pokemon Go players that have never thought of buying a smartwatch before, but now that this feature is out on Pokemon Go if you don't join in the game you are literally driving them into the arms of Androidwear and Apple Watch. Please support this feature and allow me to refer my friends to Fitbit! My Pokemon group at work is 20 people large and the local Facebook group is in the thousands. We have to talk and coordinate to do raids, I'm sure they will be asking about this!

[Aiiro]

I don't own a fitbit product yet. I'm currently looking for a fitness tracker that supports Google Fit (because it syncs with Pokémon Go - Adventure Sync). If fitbit would implement a sync with Google Fit, I would consider to buy a fitbit product.

As you might know, there is a huge player base for Pokémon Go and they will be interested in buying a fitness tracker. Implementing a sync with Google Fit (and also Apple Health) would bring the opportunity for new potential customers.

The  Adventure Sync feature is active since today in Pokémon Go.

[indigodragyn]

I've had several models of the Fitbit trackers over the course of six years now, and I've been eyeing the new Charge 3. That being said, I also play Pokemon Go pretty avidly, and the lack of Fitbit integration has me genuinely considering the switch to a Google device.

[GregDa]

I’ve been a Fitbit user for years with so many Fitbit devices. The lack of support for Pokémon Go is the number one thing to make me consider switching to Apple Watch. Over the past two years I held that off using Pokémon Go Plus. I really thought you’d add that kind off functionality because it’d be incredibly awesome and cross-platform. Now with PG Adventure Sync, I’m going to be seriously reconsidering my plans to buy a new Fitbit for Christmas or go to Apple Watch. I can’t tell what Fitbit execs’ tone is, but have them look at the PG persistent usage numbers, the current trend download numbers, Niantic’s PG  revenue numbers, and the upcoming release of Pokémon Let’s Go. Have them come to a PG community day and see the happy, diverse, young and young at heart crowd that they could be tapping into. And don’t take two more years thinking about it because Christmas is coming soon.

[Sicaea]

Like others have mentioned, having this feature added to Fitbit would be a game changer. I've been on the fence between getting a Versa or getting an Apple Watch and honestly, the Pokemon Go integrations with the Apple Watch are a big selling point to me. I don't see any reason why Fitbit wouldn't want to partner with Niantic, especially now that Niantic has integrated with Apple Health and Google Fit. Hopefully this integration can be set up soon since it would be a great selling point for Fitbit going into the holiday shopping season AND give current customers a reason to continue with Fitbit products.

[rodjoh]

People have been asking for Google Fit syncing since 2014.   Four years later I doubt Pokemon Go will change Fitbit's mind on the subject.

Which is extremely unfortunate tbh.

[lindahermans]

I'm also thinking of buying an Apple watch instead of my fitbit blaze if fitbit is not able to solve this problem.

How is it possible that the leader in activity trackers cannot find a solution to sync with Google Fit ???????? 

I'm sure that many fitbit users share my idea.  

An unhappy fitbit user

[fistbister]

I will buy my next fitness tracker based on which ones works with Google Fit and Pokemon Go. Please don't make me leave fitbit.

[Skeetergirl]

PLEASE don’t make me quit using my Fitbit in exchange for an Apple Watch just to get my activities tracked!  I’ve even tried the syncing apps and they remove my activity because it is deemed as ‘manually entered’. We really needed this years ago!

Deborah

[Skyrider]

GUYS, THIS CANNOT BE DONE BY FITBIT ALONE.. STOP COMPLAINING

I'm very disappointed to see so many complaints towards the FitBit and "desire" to exchange it just because it lacks "proper" integration with Google Fit so it can count towards Pokemon GO. THIS IS NIANTICS/POKEMON GO's FAULT, NOT FITBIT. 

While I would love this integration, this is something that can't be easily done by FitBit alone. Sure, they can maybe create some kind of integration with Google Fit.. but then what? It's still a third party integration and the data from FitBit that would be send to Google Fit will NOT be accepted by Pokemon GO.

This is something that Niantic/Google has to accept as well. Barely any of the watches (besides google & Apple Watch) are accepted as actual data in Pokemon GO. 

You can complain about it towards FitBit (though, they should've already added some kind of integration with google fit already) but this is NOT their fault. 

Please do your research first on how PGO gets the Google FIT data.

[Skeetergirl]

It is Fitbit’s fault!  They have made no effort to integrate with Apples Health Kit or Google Fit. 

[Skyrider]

How is it fitbits fault?? Even with Google fit integration, adventure sync still sees it as third party and will not count. 

[lleemt]

It isn’t.  Pokémon Go is syncing only with phone apps.  You have Apple Health on your iPhone by default even if you don’t have an Apple Watch.  Google Fit is the Android app.  

[rodjoh]

Let's chill for a bit here. Noone can "blame" Niantic nor Fitbit for features that have never been promised. This board is meant to suggest new features for their consideration, that's it.

Yes, it is true that fitbit data would still be seen as 3rd party data by Pokemon Go and therefore it would still not count. Ultimately what needs to happen is either PoGo accepts 3rd party data, or natively suport Fitbit data. I feel like Niantic and Fitbit should work together on this at some point.

[DarknessinDepth]

I would love fitbit to support Google fit or even adventure sync directly so I don't have to go through the Google app to do it! This is a feature I have wanted for so long and like others have said it would be opening fitbit up to a whole load of potential customers 

[RianneA]

I would absolutely love for fitbit to sync with S health or Google fit. This game often encourages me to go out and now that there is the Adventure Sync feature, which uses data from Google Fit and the Apple and Samsung equivalents to record steps and provides more rewards for achieving distances walked. So far it only registers distance/steps if I have my phone with me, but sometimes I don't have my phone on me and so having the steps/distance recorded on my fitbit to sync with the apps mentioned above (or to share the data from the fitbit app to these apps) so that all of my activity contributes to my Pokémon Go goals would be amazing. And no doubt it would raise your sales as this game is very popular world wide and now people will be more keen to purchase fitness watches.

[JulieRoo]

Please let this happen. 

I've been wearing fitbit for years. When I started wearing them I was active and  more able. In recent years more health issues have kicked in, some days I don't leave the house. But I will be pottering about at home. If i could get my fitbit to talk to googlefit (and therefore PoGo) it would be amazing. 

Once a week I go to the gym. Walking is hard for me out in the real world, wonky pavements, weather etc. But in the gym I might do a 2km jog on the treadmill, I can hold the siderails when I get weak. I can run with my eyes closed and not worry about falling if i have a migraine. 

Please make the excercise I Can Do link up to googlefit and PoGo - those apps are GPS location based, and have no setting for static excercise. 

[Skyrider]

@JulieRoo

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but even if Fitbit had an official Google Fit integration, Adventure Sync will not accept that data.Simply because it won't allow third party info given to Google Fit.

[Aiiro]

This is not about  blaming Fitbit for anything. This is about requesting a new feature, showing that users are interested in this feature and point out the potential benefit for Fitbit. 

There is a huge interest in a Google Fit integration for years, but it's understandable that there is no real benefit for Fitbit implementing this.

With the new Adventure Sync feature in Pokémon Go there is a benefit for Fitbit, as there is a potential for a lot of new customers and it would also help to keep some customers.

The fist step is Fitbit being interested in such a feature. Once they commit to implement such a feature, don't you think they are able to figure this out with Google/Apple/Niantic? 

I don't see why this feature request should not be considered by Fitbit, just because you @Skyrider think it's not possible to implement it. The feature is only active since a few days (only for L30-L40 players), so why do you think that this is the final implementation?

It could be possible that third-party data will be considered in the future, especially if it comes from the market leader in this segment. There is probably also a way to implement the interface in a way that the Fitbit data is not considered as third-party data.

Also implementing it via Google Fit/Apple Health is just a suggestion as it seems the easiest way (and would also benefit users not interested in Pokémon Go), but it's probably also possible to have a direct interface between Fitbit and Pokémon Go.

[Skyrider]

@Aiiro

I never claimed it is impossible to implement it. 

I merely made that post because people are upset and wanting to return the Charge 3 Device just because it lacked a "syncing" function to Google Fit so it may count to Pokemon GO's Adventure Sync. Yes, Fitbit should include the syncing feature to Google Fit, I have no clue as to why they are refusing to do so because who cares? People already bought the fitbit device, so why would they care what app is being used for the data?

My "goal" of my post is to remind people that even WITH a syncing to Google fit function it still will not count towards your steps in Pokemon GO as that is not up to Fitbit at all. Yes, this might change in the future. But as it stands right now, this can't be entirely blamed towards fitbit at all.

[MrGlenn]

I was pointed to this feature suggestion from another post and it would be great if it becomes possible to sync fitbit fitness tracking to pokemon go!

Right now it already works with Google Fit (step count+calorie burn), but that's only when I have my phone in my pocket.

Having it sync with daily fitbit stats would be a welcome feature!