Dear Strava Product & Engineering Team,
I am writing to bring a major user experience gap to your attention regarding device identification on Strava activities, specifically for athletes using hardware via third-party sync applications.
Right now, millions of users record activities on popular hardware like the Redmi Watch 3 Active, but because they sync through third-party companion apps, Strava completely overwrites the hardware brand with the software's name. This creates a frustrating disconnect for your users.
Here is why resolving this should be prioritized in an upcoming update:
Brand Pride & Social Proof: Strava’s core identity is built around sharing achievements and gear. Athletes want to showcase their actual watch brand (e.g., Redmi) on their feed. Masking the hardware behind generic software tags dilutes the visual appeal of the activity feed.
Standardized Metadata Integration: Modern .FIT and .GPX files already contain distinct manufacturer and device_model data parameters. Competitor platforms successfully parse both software and hardware tags—Strava has the technical capability to easily prioritize or extract the hardware tag.
High User Satisfaction Impact: Resolving this issue does not require rebuilding app architecture; it simply requires updating the file parser logic to read the hardware array when available, or giving users a toggle under "Edit Activity" to display their hardware.
Implementing this small change would immediately boost satisfaction for a huge segment of your global user base who use budget and mid-tier smartwatches via third-party bridges.
Please pass this request to the lead product manager for device integrations. We would love to see hardware brand prioritization included in the next patch release.
Thank you for your dedication to constantly improving the athlete experience.
Sincerely,
[Tyronn]
