Charge HR requesting location to be turned on to sync

[leeblack83]

anyone have issues with the fitbit android app now requesting for location to be turned on on the phone to sync the charge hr, i have never had to enable location (GPS) before only bluetooth

[Arrendalek]

AMEN!

[MarvKirsch]

Thank you for replying, I should have researched the issue more. I learned that it was a chance with the new OS, oh well. Happy stepping

[BrisbaneJen]

Hi. I too have experienced the issue with the fitbit requiring my location to be on to sync with an android phone. However I have found that when I set an alarm or turn it off the fitbit will sync to my app without the location on and I get all the stats from the fitbit updated. If it is truely a google issue why is it I can get the sync to work this way without location and not by normal syncing?

[ErickFitbit]

@BrisbaneJen Do you have a USB wireless sync dongle plugged into a computer with our Fitbit Connect software?

Also, what version of Android are you currently running on your phone? You can use this tool to find out by visiting the link from your mobile browser.

[emseepee]

I just did that and it worked! Awesome. I also hate the location being on - sort it out fitbit!

[emseepee]

I hate the location being on. It drains the battery and it is too Big Brother for me. FitBit needs to sort this issue out. Changing the alarm syncs without the location being on, so that's what I will have to do until this issue is sorted out. Come on FitBit, you can do better than this!

[Lucus16]

Yes it does work, but we shouldnt have to. yet Fitbit feel its acceptable
to lie to us and blame google?

[Leonard000]

I understand the 'marshmellow requires...' answer BUT.. that rings hollow as my pebble smart watch syncs to the same phone on bluetooth without location services just fine. 

so it's not "marshmellow requires..."  it's something with how fitbit implements its sync. 

other smart devices (like the pebble watch) don't seem to be having this issue. 
at least mine don't. 
fitbit HR going into a drawer, since pebble tracks similar stats, lacking HR. 

but I'm not going to bother to leave my GPS on all day just to get my HR. 

so.. 😛

[CindyFitbit]

Thanks for joining us here @emseepee @Lucus16 @Leonard000, welcome! We really appreciate your feedback, rest assured we are always working to improve the Fitbit experience. Remember you can always check Android official information about this. 

Happy stepping! 

[RonDog]

Yep.  Blaze with Galaxy Note 7 - Android 6.0.1.  When I turn the ALARM on and/or off, the devce syncs without an issue.  

The real issue here as stated above, is that FitBit doesn't want to fis their code make the change available in a firmware update.  

Come on FitBit.  I like so many things about my Blaze, step up to your responsibility as a manufacturer.  

RonDog

[Tm8trent]

Ya I am pissed. I hate location services on unless I'm using GPS as well. Nobody's business where I go. Since this update I am seriously tempted to toss all this **ahem** in the ocean and buy a flip phone

[StormStrikes]

While it may be that Android Marshmallow started this, Fitbit can also work around it if they really wanted.

I can manually install an older version of Fitbit to my S7 Edge and it works just fine without any location services on.  It's an older U.I. but works perfectly.  The issue is I cannot keep that older version as it eventually automatically updates to the newest version which, of course, requires location services to be on.

So Fitbit is not being straight forward in blaming Google for this, they are just doing so to take the easy way out.  Clearly, it's not JUST Google.

It took me forever to decide on buying a Fitbit.  I have had one now for about a month or so (Surge) and shortly after getting it, I upgraded my phone and now I cannot sync without location services on?  Really?  I have to take the extraordinary steps of downloading and installing an older version of the Fitbit app to side step that.

I'm sure some of Fitbit's competitor fitness trackers work just fine on Marshmallow without the need for location services.  Perhaps it's time to investigate which and go with one of those.  

[Arrendalek]

Oh, they'll let you go! It's not worth the engineering cost outlay to
redesign the software, I think.

My worst concerns were battery drain, and I have not experienced that. A
check off the app battery drain shows GPS only intermittent.

However, they say that this method is easier than registering separate
trackers. How many fitbits do most people own?

I went back to using my tracker after my battery drain test, but I decided
against buying the blaze. I'm not going to support fit bit if they won't
support their customers. I'm eventually going to migrate to another vendor.

[scl205]

I am sure fitbit is "selling" our data and locations would make it worth more for targeted ads. This is my last fitbit. First the backs fall off then the batteries will not hold a charge and now this? Totally disgusting.

[EdsonFitbit]

@RonDog @Tm8trent @StormStrikes @Arrendalek @scl205 Thanks for taking a break from stepping to visit the Community. I really appreciate your feedback about the new requirement of having Location services On in order to sync your Fitbit trackers with Android devices. I've forwarded your comments to the engineering team. If any update is available it will be communicated as soon as possible.

If you have any concern regarding the privacy of your data, I would recommend checking out Fitbit Privacy page. It provides information about how Fitbit handle your personal information.

Catch you later. 

[Lucus16]

Absolutely love how the above posts, have proven that Fitbit purely lies to its committed customers! 

Please remove the totally pointless and irrelevent location services requirement

[ubelong2matt]

Some of these posts are borderline silly.

1) Fitbit didn't break anything, Google did when they lumped permissions belonging in one group into another. The previous versions of the app worked because of the way the Fitbit synced back in that version. Fitbit changed the syncing method with the new version. When Marshmellow launched Google changed how that syncing worked and what other services were required and thus now requires location services on addition to Bluetooth.

2) Nothing happens over night in business and since the newer version of the Fitbit app launched before Marshmellow it is entirely possible that Fitbit knows of the issue and is working to redesign the app and firmware to sync in a better way. However, modifying a major corporate application requires development, testing on multiple devices, consistency QA between other, non-Android versions of the app, and a repeat of all those steps until the product is ready for deployment. Unlike you changing your underwear daily (I hope), changing the app and pushing a new firmware is not as quick. Be patient and quit with the threats.

3) Your device will sync automatically without location services on. Simply go into any of the places such as the food counter, water consumption, and etc. When you go out of that section it will have synced. I have the Charge HR and love it. I haven't had the location services on since day 1 and it syncs anytime I open the app. It can take about 3-5 seconds as someone else mentioned. It also won't sync back-to-back unless you trigger something on the backend like, maybe, the alarms.

Bottom line is, you all show your ignorance as consumers and as device owners when you bash a company for a problem that a) has workarounds, b) wasn't really their fault, and c) doesn't have an instant, easy fix. If you're worried about it just turn the location services off until you want to sync, turn it on, sync, then turn location services back off.

Be patient and be kind to the poor mods who have to put up with threads like this. They aren't on the dev team and coming from IT I can totally understand when they don't have any response but, "we will pass it on." I'm sure it will get fixed.

[MarvKirsch]

Finally, an intelligent and useful reply, thanks 🙂

[Arrendalek]

Thank you for your detailed response! A couple of caveats however.
1. No one from Fit bit has acknowledged the issue, and it is an issue from the consumer perspective. No one has said that they are working to address it, and that leaves the consumer feeling ignored, and of little value to fitbit . The company that made the fireworks phone jumped out in front with an explanation and a promise to make things right with their consumer and nobody is panicking about it.

2. Tried your synch work around with the app without success. It may be a firmware version or hardware difference in our equipment.

3. We are ignorant. I can fix the heck out of an a.c. unit, but I just want my tracker to work without having to toggle features on and off just to see my average heart rate. 🙂 you know, like it used to do 🙂

Thanks again for your response!

[ubelong2matt]

But they did acknowledge it when they posted that the issue was due to a change in the Marshmellow permissions.  They just didn't give the response people were expecting, it would seem.  I guess everyone expected an apology, a vow to "make it right", and a fix within days of the problem.  I doubt the mods here have information about what development is taking place.  They can convey a request for change in the syncing process but the device limitations and the permission changes by Google could be limiting factors that prevent changing this on existing devices.  It could be possible that future devices won't sync this way and we may all be stuck with this thanks to Google, not Fitbit.

Speaking of that, perhaps people with this issue should direct their betrayed loyalty toward Google, who made this type of Bluetooth synching require location services be enabled.  I doubt Fitbit is the first and only ones affected by this (not strictly speaking of wearables, mind you).  Maybe that was an oversight by Google and future OS changes will correct it.  I'd venture a guess that people with devices that aren't running Marshmellow don't have the issues.  However, since I don't have a non-Marshmellow device to test, I cannot confirm that.

As for your device not synching the way I suggested, I think that could be a device issue.  I only have experience with my Charge HR and my gf's Flex.  She thought the same thing, as she saw the error about location services being off, and believed she could not sync her device.  However, I showed her that it would sync correctly but could take time, 5-seconds or more, with her device.  As I mentioned, also, you can't sync back to back using this method from my testing.  Opening the app, navigating to something, and going back to the dashboard works the first time in X minutes but it doesn't work immediately if you try again.

You have a leg up on me with A.C. units, for that matter.  I wasn't meaning to imply that you or anyone else is woefully ignorant but when it comes to this issue there have been some very "demanding" posts of Fitbit; demands to fix a problem that they didn't create and would take time/engineering to accomplish.  Try the workaround again and give it time,  go into something in the dashboard (like the food logging section), use the back arrow at the top-left, and wait a second to see if it says the app synced "a moment ago."  Obviously, you need your Bluetooth service to be on, at the least.  Be patient and ensure your device and app are updated constantly to ensure if/when this is fixed it will update accordingly.

Also, it's worth noting on the side that Bluetooth doesn't use much battery life.  After having mine on for a week straight I notice no more or less battery consumption.  I, however, don't have the constant sync feature enabled for my device.  It only syncs when I open the app.