Charge 2 GPS distance inaccuracy after 2.66 - RESOLVED w/ 2.67.1

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 3/12/18

Hey, there!

I wanted to check-in with everyone as it seems that GPS distance and accuracy has improved with version 2.67. Thanks for letting me know that its better!

Today, we released the Fitbit for Android app version 2.67.1. Please update the app and let me know how it goes with this version. As always, we recommend updating whenever there is a new app version released as this ensures your tracker works as expected.  

If this continues even on the latest version, I'll need to gather some more specific data from some of you to pass this along to our engineers. Thanks for all your help and cooperation! 

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Fitbit Update: 2/21/18

Thanks for all the responses! 

As mentioned, this issue with Connected GPS has been escalated to the appropriate team for investigation. I would really appreciate everyone's patience in the meantime. When a fix is in the works, I'll make sure to update you all here. Stay tuned for any updates! 

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Fitbit Update: 2/16/18

Thanks for all the great information, everyone! I have merged in some additional threads to get one unified conversation. 

I really appreciate you all taking the time to share the details of your current experience with Android app: 2.66. I understand how important accuracy is to all of you. This has been escalated to our team for review! I will provide updates here in this thread when more information becomes available. Thanks for your help. 

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 Hi, everyone!

Thanks for reporting and bringing this to my attention. Sorry to hear that you are all getting inaccurate distance measurements after recording GPS Runs with your Charge 2. 

Please help me narrow down and confirm the following:

-Did this issue begin with the last Fitbit for Android app version: 2.66?

-Is this distance discrepancy also happening with Mobilerun or only when using Connected GPS? 

-Which error message are you seeing on the tracker, if any? 

If you haven't already, please try a restart and take a look through this help article for more troubleshooting suggestions. Let me know if this changes anything or the same issue persist! 

[NicciE]

Any update as to when the problem will be fixed. It's been almost 3 weeks that my gps has been way off accurate. Currently my fitbit is not fit for the purpose that it was bought for and is pretty useless to me at the moment. 

[Pineda23]

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active | Charge 2

It's funny you mention Fitbit telling you "engineers are looking into this issue" bc I just got pretty much the exact same response today, which then told me to see this forum here now. Here's the link where they told me the same thing.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge/GPS-map-inaccurate/m-p/2573593#M73751

Been having the exact same problem. Go out for a run, but my distance is pretty much cut in half. Been in contact with fitbit who claimed nothing wrong on their end, even after being presented with all of the evidence from the different forums discussing this issue, and being shown maps of how inaccurate the device has become ever since this issue began with the app (see below screen shots of the same route run before and after the app started to malfunction).Before app issue

After app issue

[MelleKing]

Seems the problem is reproducible.

When I start a walk, and the Charge 2 can directly sync with the GPS on phone the tracking goes all right.

GPS tracking okGPS tracking wrong
However when the Charge 2 does not immediately see the GPS Phone, it says 'check fitbit app'. If you don't do anything, the Charge 2 will later see the GPS Phone and will display 'Ready!' on your wrist. In this case the GPS tracking is very wrong as seen in second picture. The GPS track is clearly totally off, even with fantasy zigzags. 

Should be enough evidence to be reproducible by developers, I guess, for a good firmware update?

[Crazy-Fritter]

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@foofarleywrote:

@HeydyF @AlessFitbit

I love my Charge 2 and Fitbit app.  They are integral part of my health, fitness, and training regime.  I am a software developer so I understand that bugs happen and sometimes get out in to the wild.  
For me personally, the state of the Fitbit app under v2.66 rendered it useless to me.  It provides false information that completely throws off my ability to train properly as well as presents the potential to cause injury.  

v2.66 transformed my Charge 2 into a simple wrist watch.  I was prepared to purchase a new fitness device from a competitor until I figured out how to downgrade.

It baffles me why Fitibt is resistent to provide loyal users like myself the ability to apply an easy, temporary fix, such as downgrading to 2.65.1. 

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Actually it's absolutely ridiculous, and is one of the contributing factors that is going to be the downfall of Fitbit 👎

I've never seen a company so determined to fail 😨😱😕

[JimP1097]

Synching has also been problematic, and the battery usage seems to have increased as well.  

[br350]

I returned mine because the accuracy (both pace and distance) was so off it was crazy.  It was only remotely accurate for brief periods of time.  Someone said in another thread on the forum that for true step accuracy, you will never do better than the Zip.  Yes, I know, I know...it is lacking in SO many other features, but the truth is, it's a very accurate step counter!  I've had a Zip in my repertoire for many years and despite being easy to lose/misplace/etc it has stood the test of time in terms of accuracy.  I know it is not meant for a serious runner or athlete, but wrist-based tracking is always going to have its issues.  

[SunsetRunner]

Strange enough....
My wife also pointed out that instead of weekly charging we now need to charge two or three times a week.



Brendon Scott
Advanced Life Support Paramedic

Medical Practice Registration numbers:
HPCSA: ANT0010634 (South Africa)
HPCNA: PME00026 (Namibia)

In God we trust

[PWBar]

Noticed that I got a Fitbit auto update this morning.  Just went for a 2.5  mile jog.  Connected GPS appears good to go.  Pace was right, distance/time was right, and map looked normal--no skips, no jogs.  I don't know what the release number is.

[TravisH]

I'm eligible to return this through march 9th so hopefully they get this settled before then. I find it hard to believe that a team of engineers/developers who do this for a living are actually working on since there's no solution after weeks and weeks. 

I would LOVE my device if it was actually accurate.  I love the data that it could potentially provide. Just so much of it depends on accuracy of the GPS connected function.

Since the stride is calibrated based on gps, is this also messing with step count even when I'm not connected for gps?

Also the cardio fitness relies on GPS for the score. 

UGH

[JimP1097]

Well it *was* accurate until a couple of weeks ago.  

Apart from borking the GPS, draining the battery, and messing with the sync - is there anything else that this update has achieved?

Does anyone know what issues the update was supposed to address?  It seemed fine to me - but I generally keep my apps up to date anyway.

[RkbCA]

@PWBar:

Yes, looks like 2.67 was just released. Looks promising. 

[tjmyc]

Just checked my PlayStore and 2.66 is still showing, so not sure where the info re an update is coming from? Also I'd like to think that the moderators would let us know pretty quick, though they seem to be keeping a pretty low profile ...

[tjmyc]

I now see that Aless has posted on another board, looks like 2.67 was released yesterday, I might wait a bit before I update and see how you guys get on!!

[Treb]

Play Store is also showing 2.66 for me. Anyone manage to get 2.67 and test it yet?

[Raindeer]

Really? Look it up in the app! The suspense is killing us! 😋

[AllSpark]

I can only see 2.66 in my play store...

[Shakeyt]

Maybe they've pulled 2.67 as it didn't fix the issues we're all having. Why they don't pull 2.66 and revert back to 2.65.1 though is what I don't understand. I had to go outside of Google play to find it which is risky. I tried clicking on the link the moderator put out for 2.67 but it only goes to 2.66 version. At least 2.65.1 works though so have that until a fix is released. 

[PWBar]

The auto update I got this morning was to 2.67.  As I said before, on my 2.5 mile run Connected GPS worked just like it should.

[TravisH]

I'm not able to access 2.67--for the people who were able to update, are you using android, and are you in the US?

[Marc_PL]

Ok so I followed the link that @AlessFitbit posted to download 2.67 using my mobile and it still came up with version 2.66.

However, when I clicked on the same link using my laptop it showed 2.67.

I decided to chance it and installed the latest version available on Play Store and 2.66 was installed.

Needless to say I have removed 2.66 and yet again reinstalled 2.65.1 until such time as Fitbit get their act together on this.