Spartan update complains

kriskus

Some really cool stuff from the past:

https://www.facebook.com/Suunto/posts/10153965137237621

Quotes:

“In our continued commitment to keep you informed of updates coming and scheduled for the Suunto Spartan,we wanted to share the current status of the Spartan Gets Stronger development roadmap”

“We also need to delay the scheduled October 26th [2016] update (Sport mode customization, training plans to your watch and more) to later this year”

“we are making progress and remain confident and committed that the Spartan solution will deliver on its potential”

Looks like the person handling PR has since left the company - I haven’t seen any such announcements for a long time now.

fejker

@kriskus they are eating their words and not keeping promises “Spartan Gets Stronger”.

Good thing we got sport mode customization. /sarcasm

jsuarez

@fejker said in Spartan update complains:

@kriskus they are eating their words and not keeping promises “Spartan Gets Stronger”.

Good thing we got sport mode customization. /sarcasm

You mean that feature that if you use SuuntoApp then you loose the ability to sing with Movescount and therefore the web frontend?

I’m still sticking to movescount’s sports customisation for that very reason.

fejker

@jsuarez said in Spartan update complains:

@fejker said in Spartan update complains:

@kriskus they are eating their words and not keeping promises “Spartan Gets Stronger”.

Good thing we got sport mode customization. /sarcasm

You mean that feature that if you use SuuntoApp then you loose the ability to sing with Movescount and therefore the web frontend?

I’m still sticking to movescount’s sports customisation for that very reason.

No, no, I am talking about the first iteration of the sport mode customization that we got about two or three FW updates into the release of the watch - remember how there was no way to change the actual displayed parameters on the sport modes, not even in Movescount?

jsuarez

@fejker I wasn’t there back then. I became a Suunto user in Nov 2017. Just when everything started to get shitty. LOL

zhang965

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Spartans have not got the FW, again!

jsr184

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos I have some concerns whether it’s worth to keep my SSSWHRB or just consider switch. I got my watch in December 2018 and since then a few good things happened. I’m quite patient if there’s any development going on but here it looks like not much more has been planned for Spartan line. I’m quite happy but I miss certain features like structured workouts, proper multisport mode, daily HR data to view. I know some things can be solved on the SA level, others onl the FW level. There are still some bugs in the FW, like the one that sometimes the watch freezes saving the activity, I need to reboot the watch on “Saving” sceen but then it looks like everything stays synced, so no big deal, no data lost yet or the altitude is kinda wrong (after tracking the activity, it goes up over time even if I don’t go up) or HR is rather… not functioning as expected . Now, SuuntoPlus is quite promising but again, not coming to Spartan line. If I get another Suunto watch I’m afraid that after a year it will become obsolete, too (just my luck) Since xmas is coming I’m just wondering whether it’s worth to give a hint to my wife to get me Polar or Garmin as next watch or it is worth to stick with Suunto and wait counting that Spartan still may shine a little brighter?

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@jsr184 Hi, I do undersand well.

I might need your help here though. IF the watch gets stuck in saving mode, please conncect it as soon as possible to suunto link and press send logs and pass me the log id.

I want this issue fixed that people report and that fix I WANT TO PUSH TO COME AS AN UPDATE to spartans with no promise. I want to try.

jsuarez

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos
Hi Dimitrios. What about the other concerns? Should we expect any communication regarding Spartans going forward or the web frontend? I am really feeling bitter these last few days, just like other Spartan users.

sebaor

When I bought my SSU it was mainly for Movescount that I found fantastic Before the SSU I had a Fenix 3 but I don’t really liked Garmin Connect. But I really liked the possibility do program complex intervals on the Garmin Connect. I have waited for this option for the SSU but it never comes.

I hesitate to bought a new S9 but I’m really disappointed with the SA and mainly by the fact that it’s not possible to creat complex intervals.

So now that it seems clear that we will not have any new improvement on SSU I ordered a Polar Vantage V. Mainly because of the possibility to create complex intervals and Polar Flow.

auxina

I used to have a Polar M400. Now I have an SSU.
I am satisfied with my SUU but Polar software is very good.
I miss Training Plans, complex Intervals, putting more data screens in sport profiles, …
I also miss Polar’s website to analyze the workouts.
Now I am obliged to use other websites.
(Runalyze is very complete).
I am satisfied with my SUU but I do not recommend it to anyone, I think that Polar and Garmin have many features that people appreciate (even if they are not really essential).

I hope Suunto doesn’t abandon the Spartan. Users made a great economic investment and our watch has many shortcomings.

Until version 2.8.24 and 2.8.28 the S and Spartan were supposed to be aligned. Has Suunto changed course?

BobMiles

I’ll just drop that after a major new software release for the FR945, bringing features like pace pro from the Fenix 6 series, just some weeks later they have a new public beta with even more features and latest bugfixes that did not make it to the release.
That’s how it should be. Hope suunto will make some decisions to change course soon, otherwise they’ll be abandoned.

Michał Rudzki

@BobMiles I agree with you, I am really disappointed. I feel like someone tricks me, I bought a premium watch for premium prise and after not all 2 years I start getting information around that all features, bug fixes, and others will go into a new line. And looks like Spartans meets on his way Persian King

auxina

There are people who do not understand our disappointment, especially people related to Suunto and fanboys. But I’m sure whoever bought an Ambit1,2 or 3, knew they had a premium watch. People who have bought a Spartan, we don’t have that feeling.
S9 came out as a Spartan (but with vitamins) and was criticized for its lack of innovation.
The S9 is improving little by little, and the Spartan has been abandoned before being a high-end watch.
I think the people who had an Ambit have a very different experience than the people who bought Spartan. Spartan does not have the expected quality for a Suunto. S9 may become what Suunto should be.

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@auxina hi everyone understands the disappointment even Suunto personel , including me and others.

Its all over all media channels and everyone now-a-days looks at his company social posts or this forum for example…

Fenr1r

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos Not linked to anything in particular - just to take advantage of nearby greco-(helleno-[?])phone: is there an adjective (possessive or ordinary) from “Thermopylae”?

auxina

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos

I participate in other forums and see that there are people who justify all Suunto decisions, so I think there is no understanding.

I know that Suunto looks at the forums, and makes their assessments. I hope you are aware that Spartan has never been a watch that has had a great reputation (that’s why he added 1 year warranty) and that now is not the time to leave it without further improvements.

I think it’s time to add some vitamins that improve the feelings of these users.

bbx100

@auxina I bought spartan baro on sale few months ago, I don’t know the past of spartan line, but seems as it is stopped improving that spartan means spartan in features

auxina

@bbx100

jsuarez

Well, to me, as a Spartan user who paid my good EUR 500 price, Suunto’s disdain has already been enough.

Suunto is a company that manufactures great hardware (my SSWHRB is no doubt great hardwarewise) but heavily neglects the software side of its products. It has rushed the SuuntoApp platform, thrown an alpha state piece of software to its customers (no wonder why MC was enabled for S9 users…), and while the App is now release quality (thank goodness, after 2 years!) its ecosystem is in shambles. I feel it is a company that does not value its good assets and selling points (MCWeb is a great product). And finally it does not show respect to its customers, as shown by the lack of proper communication that cause confusion and grievance to its customers. Customers are more than plain numbers. So, no, Suunto, running polls every couple of months is not listening to your users nor giving them love and care.

To me the events of the last few weeks/months (no FW updates for Spartans without expressly indicating so, no proper acceptance of the wide request for a web frontend, clear rejection of structured training as reflected by the closure of the corresponding thread in the forum and the statement in the SuuntoPlus poll, completely flawed communications such as the November update, and a myriad of other sins) have been enough to make up my mind and change brand.

Yesterday I received my new Polar Vantage V Titan. While the hardware looks inferior (except that it is sleeker and hence better for professional everyday use) and designwise its screens are not as cute as that of Suunto, so far I am impressed by Polar flow and the possibilities it has for training and activity tracking. This is how an ecosystem should look like: Proper web frontend and powerful app, where in both of them most of the features of the watch can be taken advantage of. I have come to understand one remark posted in a review site in relation to Suunto’s watches: Suunto watches watch you train, they do not train you.

Suunto, please, listen: You would have sold me a S9 baro titanium if things had been done right and you had paid attention to those things your users want.

I hope the outlook for Suunto users improves, specially for my fellow Spartan ‘comrades’. It’s tough paying a good chunk of money and feel left out in the cold with no explanation whatsoever. I will keep the watch around in case an unexpected update comes around (ha ha ha) and plan to keep visiting the forum from time to time to see what’s cooking here.

I would like to give special thanks to @Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos for his patience and care for Suunto’s users.