Ace and Amazon's Kindle Fire Tablet for kids

[Roni_S]

My 9 yr-old has a kids edition of the Fire Tablet and would be able to use it as a device (instead of my syncing on my own phone which is very annoying) however, the Fitbit app in the Amazon store hasn't been updated since December 23, 2017.  Any plans to release an update which includes the family account? 

[HeatherDillon]

I was wondering the same thing. We spent a long time trying to figure out why the family account doesn’t show up on my boys’ kindle fires. I hope they update soon. 

[Roni_S]

@HeatherDillon, I am starting to think this is more of an Amazon issue since the Fitbit Android app has indeed been updated recently, and yet it's not available in the Amazon App Store. 

[LZeeW]

@Roni_S  @HeatherDillon  The app is developed and updated by Fitbit.  I did a little searching and the Kindle isn't listed as a supported device any more.

@KateFitbit  Am I correct with my search results?  Will there be an update to the Kindle app?  Did Fitbit unceremoniously drop all support with the Kindle?  It seems like something that should be maintained if there are kids with Kindles who are too young for smartphones.

[Julia_G]

I don't think that the Fire tablet has ever been a Fitbit supported device, but agree it would be great if a kid's tablet could be.

[LZeeW]

This is a very intriguing issue.  There is definitely a Fitbit app in the Amazon Kindle App Store.  I searched through some rather old posts and found posts where users said they were syncing devices with a Kindle Fire.  Kindles are definitely not supported devices.

I read somewhere that the Kindle OS is an "un-googled" version of Android.  Apparently there are ways to put true Android apps on a Kindle.  I certainly don't know how to do this as I am an iOS user.  The other hurdle is that syncing requires Bluetooth 4.0.  There could be a hardware issue.

[Julia_G]

@LZeeW, yes, there is certainly an app on Amazon, and my understanding is that you can indeed use the Fitbit app on various Kindle / Fire devices to view your account. No intrigue at all there, and nothing new.

Fitbit did not "unceremoniously drop all support".

Viewing is not the same as syncing. The Fire (or any Kindle either) is not listed as supported, and I don't believe they ever were supported.  Although a few users have reported intermittent syncing, and there may indeed be work arounds, Fitbit does not add products to its supported lists until they are fully tested and confirmed to work consistently.  Since 2015 the Fire has used Bluetooth 4 and 4.1 LE, which are the relevant protocols; nevertheless, it seems they do not sync reliably, if at all.

Agreed that that would be a welcome update for many users, especially children with the kid's version.

[Roni_S]

@LZeeW yes, there is a way that works! My husband used this method to get the actual Android app on our kids' tablets: https://www.howtogeek.com/321474/how-to-get-sideloaded-apps-to-show-up-in-freetime-profiles-on-fire-...

@Julia_G, now they can both regularly sync (an Alta & an Ace) and participate in challenges without any issues.

Maybe this will help someone else.  It was just a matter of getting the actual updated Android app on there and visible in the kid profiles.

[Julia_G]

@Roni_S, many thanks for that!  I have seen posts in the Community that sync was a pissibility with the Fire tablets, although they have never been officially supported.  Great to have a link to help others.

I hope the kids are enjoying their new Fitbits and all the Challenges.