FitBit Aria Scale Update: New Software Upgrade Brings Better Support For Wireless Weigh-Ins

It’s almost like FitBit and their Aria Scale know your New Year’s resolution before you make it. FitBit has released a software update that includes better support for its Aria Wireless Scale. WMPowerUser.com got the inside scoop on the new FitBit update, which allows users to see their Aria weigh-ins inside the FitBit App.

With this move, FitBit will be able to more easily integrate users’ Aria data into their application, something similar apps like S-Health and MyFitnessPal already offer. While this process is often far from seamless in any app, it can be set to happen automatically, thus removing the need to make sure you’ve tracked your data each day or every few hours. The Aria update also includes a number of bug fixes and performances improvements, which is to be expected with any new software release. Like its competitors, FitBit also allows the user to track daily steps, caloric intake from food, and their BMI (Body Mass Index).

Aria already syncs automatically with the FitBit app, and also displays a check mark to confirm when the sync process is finished successfully. All a user needs to do is ensure that the FitBit and Aria Scale are connected to the same network and step on it to weigh themselves. The weight should be displayed in-app as well. Since measurements need to be consistent to be valuable, Aria also offers an insights to the trends in a users’ lifetime weight gain or loss over time.

The most obvious competitors of FitBit and Aria are, of course, apps like Apple HealthKit and Google Fit. These applications have been introduced as full-on health measurement tools from the get-go, making it a bit harder for a relative latecomer like Aria to compete with them.

Even with this disadvantage in mind, though, FitBit has managed to become a dominant force on both iOS and Android devices, and was the most downloaded application on iOS devices this holiday season. FitBit has also led the way for other wearable health-tracking devices such as Microsoft Band, Apple Watch, and Android Gear.

With this new update, FitBit may have the traction to compete against them as it becomes more tightly integrated with other things like Aria. Currently, a wide range of apps including MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper, and EveryMove work with FitBit, and the armband’s official website offers developers opportunities to make apps that work with FitBit as well, so there may be quite a few more in the future.

Christmas came early for us! We're both rocking new Fitbit Charge HR's along with the Fitbit Aria scale. -Josh pic.twitter.com/GcIPAyIRv6

— JonesFitness (@jonesfitness_) December 21, 2015

The FitBit app is available on Android, Windows 10, and iOS, but it isn’t clear whether the update will be available for any OS other than Windows 10 as of now. As well as better Aria integration, the FitBit update also includes a host of new features. These include the ability to track sprints in real time and more accurate heart rate measurements.

On iOS, users with Do Not Disturb activated will not get notifications on their FitBits. Furthermore, when iOS users turn their devices on Do Not Disturb, the FitBit device will stop notifying the user as well. This feature isn’t yet available in the Android FitBit app but is promised for the near future. What do you think of Aria so far? Feel free to let us know if it’s helping you with your health goals and if you want to continue using it in the future.

[Photo by Simon Lees/Getty Images]