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Android phone's battery draining with new Fitbit app

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‎10-01-2023 05:27 - last edited on ‎10-02-2023 08:57 by Fitbit Moderator

‎10-01-2023 05:27 - last edited on ‎10-02-2023 08:57 by Fitbit Moderator

With the new version of the app which also is a downgrade this version uses more than 50% of my battery in 1 day. Before the new version this was only 2-3% in one day. They have changed something in the app that does this and needs to be solved quickly otherwise it cannot be used anymore as my phone has to be charged every day.


Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

Best Answer
15 REPLIES 15

‎10-01-2023 13:48

‎10-01-2023 13:48

I have a Charge 4 which was working fine until suddenly battery drains entirely from 100% to nil in less than 4 hours.  Seems too much of a coincidence that this started to happen around same time as the app update.  Fitbit better fix it soon otherwise I'll be buying a Garmin.

Best Answer

‎10-02-2023 09:00

In response to Moceanwise

‎10-02-2023 09:00

Hi there, @Marcelh1970. @Moceanwise Welcome to the community forums.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention and just to confirm, is the issue you're reporting related to your phone's battery and not your Fitbit device? If that's correct, please let me know the model and OS version of your phone. These details will help me to further investigate this situation on my end.

Best Answer

‎10-02-2023 09:27

In response to LizzyFitbit

‎10-02-2023 09:27

Hi,

as mentioned already it is my phone that is draining this fast. It is Android version 12 on Samsung A42.

Best Answer

‎10-02-2023 12:07

In response to Marcelh1970

‎10-02-2023 12:07

Hi there, @Marcelh1970.

Thanks for confirming the requested information. Let me share that this issue has been escalated to our team and they're currently working to identify a solution.

I'm sorry for any inconvenience this has caused and rest assured I'll update this thread as soon as I receive more information from them.

Best Answer

‎10-04-2023 13:29

‎10-04-2023 13:29

I totally agree. The android Fitbit app upgrade was forced upon me, and ever since it is draining my phone. I only use this phone for Fitbit and a diabetes sensor app - the latter has not changed lately. This is all due to the Fitbit app. I would love to be able to revert to the old app - considering I never even activated the upgrade. I will be abandoning Fitbit permanently for one of the competitors really soon if there is no fix, because I need to know my phone will not die considering I rely upon it to manage my type 1 diabetes.

Best Answer

‎10-07-2023 15:57

‎10-07-2023 15:57

The update is draining my Galaxy 21 Ultra+ 3 times faster than normal. It is the only thing that has  changed on my phone.

Best Answer
0 Votes

‎10-10-2023 11:20

In response to LizzyFitbit

‎10-10-2023 11:20

I have the same problem with my Samsung Galaxy S9 running Android version 10. The app has used 25% of my phone's battery. At 2pm I am already down to 18%. Before the update my phone's charge would last all day!

This app update has been a total disaster in so many ways. I really hate it. I was planning to get the Charge 6 as soon as it came out because my Charge 4 band is breaking. But now I don't know what to buy because the app is so bad. And I'm a premium user who has had Fitbits since 2014. Such a shame.....

 

 

Best Answer

‎10-11-2023 10:42

‎10-11-2023 10:42

Marcelh1970 -
From other Forums, it has been reported that the GPS stays on 24/7 now whether the app is in use or not.  This is what apparently is draining phone batteries.  
Best Answer

‎10-15-2023 10:41

In response to LizzyFitbit

‎10-15-2023 10:41

This is happening to many owners of Charge 5 and quite naturally we are all sad about the battery draining but what is Fitbit doing to satisfy their customers. Apologies is not enough since I've only had mine for 5 months and it was ordered on Amazon.  This will be my last Fitbit I will be purchasing.  35% is not a reason to gain brand loyalty 

 

Best Answer

‎10-23-2023 10:07

‎10-23-2023 10:07

I know there are other posts regarding the Fitbit app draining one's phone but I never had this problem. Now after I linked the app to Google it accounts for 30% of the power consumption on my Galaxy S22 Ultra! My rule of thumb is to always try to be the last person to make these switches and let others be the guinea pigs. I broke my rule and now I squeaking. 

Is anyone else having this issue?  

 

Best Answer
0 Votes

‎10-29-2023 11:15

‎10-29-2023 11:15

Since the new app, I see this quite often on my Samsung Galaxy S22+:

Screenshot_20231029_181302_Gallery.jpg

This appears under power consumption diagnostics.

No problem with any other similar apps like Garmin Connect, Suunto or Polar Beat/Flow.

Best Answer

‎10-30-2023 16:40

In response to Triletics

‎10-30-2023 16:40

Hi everyone, and welcome to our new members.

Thanks for the additional information, and the screenshots provided. This issue has been escalated to our team so they can further investigate, as well as identify a prompt solution. I understand how you're feeling and appreciate the time taken in sharing your feedback. Rest assured that I'll keep them informed of the impact this has caused, as well as update this thread once I receive more details from them.

Best Answer

‎11-22-2023 07:24

‎11-22-2023 07:24

Same issue here. On my Pixel 7 Pro, the Fitbit app uses 25%+ of the battery regularly even when I'm not wearing my Charge 5 and I have restricted the app to not work in the background. That's way too much and I'm seriously considering uninstalling the app.

The battery consumption is because the Fitbit app is constantly trying to track me with Optimizely, a service that collects user data to monetize it so the app is always trying to send my personal data to the service and that's what's using a lot of my battery.

See the screenshots, I have installed DuckDuckGo's tracking protection and you can see how many tracking attempts it has blocked from Fitbit, almost 20 per minute which adds up to thousands over days! It's by far the largest culprit of all the apps I have on my phone, more of a reason to uninstall it.

 

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Best Answer

‎11-22-2023 08:10

In response to ceppm

‎11-22-2023 08:10

@ceppm - My battery drain on both the Sense2 and my phone has increased significantly since the new app has been installed.  I didn't think the GPS on all the time was doing what you have shown though.  Leave it to Google to ruin a good app just to get tracking information to sell your data to other companies and probably spammers / malicious intent companies.  I have already jumped my wife to another platform by buying a Black Friday deal from a G competitor.  I will follow suit as soon as the correct deal comes up with the same G company.  I thought though when you loaded the new app it does not load unless you allow GPS to work 24/7.  I will have to look into how to restrict it also. 

Best Answer

‎11-23-2023 10:21 - edited ‎11-23-2023 10:25

In response to ceppm

‎11-23-2023 10:21 - edited ‎11-23-2023 10:25

@ceppm 

This is correct. I also have the DuckDuckGo app that has the service above, called Tracking Protection, that runs in the background of your phone. Some examples: 

108 tracking attempts from Evernote

9 tracking attempts from ESPN

41 tracking attempts from Patreon

34,389 (!!!) tracking attempts in the past 24 hours from Fitbit


34k! It is sending these tracking attempts second after second, and I think is likely what is responsible for the rapid drain of my phone battery. 25% of the battery's charge has drained solely from the Fitbit app, when I am not opening Fitbit and have every setting possible to limit background data usage, battery usage, GPS off, app sleeping, everything is restricted attached to the Fitbit app. Yet it still drains the battery like crazy. 

I think it is these Optimizely tracking attempts trying to send your data back to Fitbit/Google servers every second of the day that is the culprit.

Very longtime loyal Fitbit customer for over 10 years. I think I'm done with Fitbit. The app itself is so bad I can't look at it, I don't open it or want to look at it anymore because they ruined a good design; looks awful now. Basically Google has done everything they can to ruin Fitbit goodwill with its loyal customers. Sad state of affairs. 

Best Answer