Google’s haste to consolidate Fitbit into its ecosystem has resulted in thedemise of many handy features on older models, including the ability to download music from Pandora and Deezer. Last month, Fitbit revealed that users would soon be unable to join group challenges with other users, as the “Adventures” and “Challenges” features wereset to get the ax. That time has finally arrived, and Fitbit has pulled these features from its fitness app.
The company’s software has now dropped this long-standing community feature along with open groups (via9to5Google). It’s a bold move for Google, given that these popular modes were among Fitbit’s bigger selling points, long before it was acquired by the search giant.
Challenges, in particular, were a staple of Fitbit’s app for more than a decade, and grew to be one of the most coveted features of the platform — nearly every other smartwatch brand conjured up their own versions of it. The experience was later enhanced by the arrival Adventures, which incentivized users to explore and unlock virtual courses in popular destinations like California’s Yosemite National Park, while completing their step goals.
The removal means that any trophies or virtual rewards received by users after completing those challenges are now gone as well, unless you downloaded your data before today. Open groups have also vanished. Unlike invite-only closed groups, open groups allowed anyone to send a request if they wanted to take part in communities with a common interest. These groups could once be found by going to “Groups” in the Community tab, but that is no longer the case.
When it announced plans to shutter these modes, Google noted that they had limited use. Meanwhile, Fitbit explained that this move is part of a wider effort to enhance the user experience in the app by providing the best fitness features using Google’s tech.
If you’re particularly feeling the impact of this loss, it’s still possible to create a closed group with your contacts and one-up your friends on your leaderboard to earn badges. you may also connect with other users in the Fitbit Community via its “Health & Wellness” forums.
