Any thoughts on the FITVII Slim Fitness Tracker?

Seeking Advice
1

I’m seriously thinking about getting this fitness tracker, but I have one big concern: it might scrape my personal data, especially messages, and that idea creeps me out.

I don’t fully understand how it works, but I read somewhere that if it only uses Bluetooth, it might just store the data on my phone. However, if it has an app linked to it, the app might be scraping and sending my data.

I’m not sure if the FITVII falls into this category, so any thoughts on that would be really helpful.

I mainly want it for controlling music and counting steps. Also, I’m looking for something slim and good for smaller wrists, which it seems to be.

2

Most smartwatches need an app to set them up, and you usually need the app to see long-term data. The watch typically only shows real-time data (starting from midnight) and maybe some basic trend data for the last 7 days. Also, the watch has a limit on how much data it can store, often around a month, before it starts to overwrite the old data (but you can’t access older data directly on the watch). For most cheaper watches, the data needs to be synced with an app to get processed on a server, which sends the data back to the app. This happens in many cheaper smartwatches too.

There are exceptions though, like Android wrist devices (which run a more basic version of Android and don’t sync with your phone). If you use a Garmin watch, you don’t have to use an app to set it up, but you won’t get access to extra features like notifications, weather updates, and calendar info. You can sync Garmin watches to your PC or Mac using Garmin Express, or even set them up directly on the watch itself (though it’s a bit of a pain). If it’s a Wi-Fi enabled music watch, you can sync it to Garmin’s servers, transfer data, and view it through the app. However, most of Garmin’s data is processed directly on the watch, so you can still use it, but some more detailed data might be missing unless synced through Wi-Fi.

With cheaper watches and some big brands like Huawei and Amazfit, you’re sending your data to China, unless the brand is one that doesn’t have any Chinese connections. While we hope they aren’t scraping your data, there’s no way to be 100% sure.

As for music controls, most watches can handle it, but they might not work great unless the app is good.

Steps? All of them should do that.

If you’re worried about wrist size, just measure your wrist with a piece of string and check the size against a ruler. Many brands list the wrist size in the specs (leave a couple of millimeters on each side).

Also, check out posts from u/EskeRahn, as they have a list of smaller and thinner watches. Most of the smaller ones are in the 40mm case range. The smallest is the Garmin Lily series unless you go with a fitness tracker, which could work for music control and steps.

3

@Finley
There are a few of the basic Chinese models that can be used without a smartphone.
Most will need a phone for the initial setup (some won’t even start without it), and many can’t adjust time without a phone. But some can work by themselves, though you should be aware that the time might drift if you go for the cheaper models.

4

@Abi
Which ones are those? I don’t care much about time drifting, as long as it can control my music and track my steps.

5

Rye said:
@Abi
Which ones are those? I don’t care much about time drifting, as long as it can control my music and track my steps.

If you’re okay with using an app for initial setup, it really opens up more options. You can also prevent the app from accessing any personal data.

One option to check out is the H06, which can be used completely on its own. It has some reviews here.

6

A lot of apps can be prevented from using the internet. The app might complain, but it will still work.
If you don’t want the watch to notify you about incoming calls or messages, you can revoke its access to contacts, calls, and messages, which is a smart security move.

But honestly, you can be sure that Google and Apple are collecting your data anyway, along with agencies like the NSA. So, don’t think of your phone as a secure device.