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! 

[AlessFitbit]

Hi, everyone! I wanted to clear up some things.

Yesterday, 2/27 we started rolling out Fitbit for Android app version: 2.67. If you don't see it available in the Google Play Store yet, it will be there soon! Please note, our team is still looking into this issue with Connected GPS and Charge 2. This version does not contain any specific fixes, there are other improvements and bug fixes that were made in this version. If you all see improvements with this version for your Connected GPS activities, please let me know so I can make a note of it. 

When I have more details for a fix, I will make sure to include them here in this thread. Thanks everyone for your patience! 

[PWBar]

 I got an auto update to 2.67 this morning.  I am on android in Calif.  It all looked good on my run this morning.

[Chris-Leighton]

Getting exactly the same issue. Not measurng distance correctly (by some 20-30% short), messing weekly numbers up and fitness score going backwards! Really frustrating and makes the fitbit pointless really...

[kimbee383]

Any update on the status of a fix?

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@AlessFitbitwrote:

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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Any updates?  I had this issue twice this week.

[SunsetRunner]

Mine has updated to 2.67 but haven't been able to test it yet due to the snowy weather.  I'm off a walk now so will let you know. :snowman:

[TravisH]

got the update today--fingers crossed!

[Palmes99]

Why is the update not available to everyone yet? I'm getting really frustrated that it's taking so long to fix! 

[AmandaTexas]

I, too, am having this issue. The map on my FitBit LOOKS right, but the mileage is all wrong. It's showing I run 2.5 miles when it's actually >6 miles and similar discrepancies like that. At first I thought I had gotten really slow (from 9:30 to 14:00/mile) somehow, then I realized it was the map/GPS.

I thought maybe my FitBit had gotten damaged and the GPS syncing with my phone no longer worked, so I used my Best Buy protection plan to get a whole new Charge 2, and the new one has the exact same problem.

It's extremely frustrating as I'm trying to train for my next half marathon in a few weeks. 

[tlr3]

After the update, distance was still wrong, but not nearly as wrong (off by .02 miles per mile instead of  .2 miles per mile). Based on one 5 mile run, will update if this changes with further runs.

[Aelizl]

I downloaded the new update last night. I haven't been able to run, yet. However, my charge 2 just informed me I climbed 75 flights of stairs today. The most I've ever climbed is 19, so I'm gonna go ahead and say there's still a problem. 

I got my charge 2 for Christmas, so I've only gotten a little over a month's worth of use out of it before it began malfunctioning. Is there any hope on the horizon?

[AllSpark]

Me too, can now see v2.67 on google play

[DNotice]

For those wondering, 2.67 doesn't fix anything. I ran another side by side comparison with Strava after updating to 2.67 and fitbit failed again. First a walk in which it didn't connect at all, then a run that it didn't start collecting GPS data on until about a mile into it, and even then it's calculations were off. Why we can't simply downgrade to the last good version is beyond me. I will say this though, I'm really enjoying Strava! 

[CJBrunner]

Mine is even worse! It now making up pace and distance I haven’t done! 

I use map my run on my phone too and ifotbit was way  out I even doubled checked it by plotting route -have a half marathon on Sunday I need this fixed! 

[KSS1]

Yep, the incorrect distance is still there. Syncing with the app seems to have improved but that's of little consolation when we can't accurately track our running/walking using the device. I've switched to map my run for tracking.

My wife got a charge 2 for Christmas and has returned it as 'not working as advertised' since the opportunity for Fitbit to address the issue has been a month long. She got a Garmin device as a replacement. My Fitbit is just over a year old, I'm thinking of switching to Garmin too. Annoying.

[JimP1097]

I am using the Strava app - I had connected it to the fitbit anyway... 

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@KSS1wrote:

Yep, the incorrect distance is still there. Syncing with the app seems to have improved but that's of little consolation when we can't accurately track our running/walking using the device. I've switched to map my run for tracking.

My wife got a charge 2 for Christmas and has returned it as 'not working as advertised' since the opportunity for Fitbit to address the issue has been a month long. She got a Garmin device as a replacement. My Fitbit is just over a year old, I'm thinking of switching to Garmin too. Annoying.

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[Thejay]

The new firmware 2.67 helps my charge 2 work well.

[tlr3]

further update: on pixel 2, the distance is off by about .01 miles per mile (instead of .1+ miles per mile) when i run normally with my pixel 2 and headphones connected. i also ran 4 miles with my daughter, which meant running very slowly and without headphones. that was tracked completely correctly. of course, this is still not acceptable--but i thought it would offer in case it helps in tracking down the problem.

[RobertoME]

Hi there Community friends!

Thank you for keep reporting the behavior of the app regarding the incorrect distance with Charge 2. As it was mentioned in the previous post by @AlessFitbit, the version 2.67 available now in the Google play store, does not include a fix specifically for this issue. So if the issue continues despite you have updated your Fitbit app, rest assure our team is still looking in to this to roll a fix in the future.

@CJBrunner, I saw the issue has gotten worse for you. In your case, tried to reset your Fitbit app after the new update. Log out from your Fitbit app and go to your phone settings. Access to the App manager option and look for the Fitbit app in your downloaded apps list. Once you are there, clear the app cache and data and proceed to "Force Stop" the app. Finish the workaround by restarting your phone. When your phone has initialized, go back to your app and try again.

Stick around for more updates and thank you for all your patience while we work on this.

[Raz124]

An update since the app was updated to 2.67. Only three rides so far but each of them has been recorded as the same length as they were by Fitbit prior to the 2.66 app update. The distances are still generally recorded as approximately 5% shorter than the Strava equivalent - but this is consistent with performance prior to v 2.67, and frankly consistency is a good thing after the last month! 

No jaggies to report on the three rides to date on 2.67 either. 

I realise that 3 rides is a very small sample, but given that every ride on v2.66 had jaggies and was 20-50% out on distance I can objectively report an improvement in v2.67. Not sure whether all issues ironed out for all, but it's a step in the right direction. 

BTW in case it helps, I'm on a Moto G5 plus with Android 7.0 and I kill apps and load Fitbit app and attempt sync before pressing the button to start the connected GPS ride. I also disable wifi and I have permanently disabled battery optimisation on Fitbit (and certain other services that I thought might be contributing to flakey app>tracker connunications...

[CJBrunner]

Mine has got worse since the update. It’s now not uploading to strava at all and when I try export the data file then import it it states it has no data. There is no gps being recorded at all. Any advice on anything I can try to rectify it? I have a half marathon on Sunday I need it working.

i tried revoking connecting and reapplying it made no difference