General "sync" questions.

[JohnnyRow]

I've been using Charge HR, syncing to PC.  Recently new to smartphone, trying to understand the whole sync process.  I'm figuring there are 3 components: my Fitbitdevice, my Android phone, and Fitbit data servers (I guess I'm supposed to say "cloud" now) storing all my data.  I think "sync" generally refers to the connection between my Fitbit device and my phone. But the fitbit app on my phone must also be transferring my data to and from the Fitbit cloud.  Isn't this also "synching"?  What is the timing of these events? Does it do noothing until it tries to sync to the phone, then also sync with the fitbit database, first downloading data totals to my watch, then continually uploading new  data back to the fitbit database?

  Or do I totally misunderstand the whole process?

[SteveH · Accepted solution]

When you sync via a phone you establish a bluetooth connection between the phone and the fitbit and an internet connection between the phone and the fitbit servers.

Data is synchronised between the fitbit and the fitbit servers and the phone then displays what is currently help on the servers. Data is not held on the phone.

[JohnnyRow]

Thanks Steve. But, I guess as a follow-up, once my phone syncs and the dashboard says "connected", I can see the cumulative numbers such as daily steps and calories being updated. Is my phone, while connected in the app, constantly re-syncing over the internet as fast as every step?  Or could it perhaps just be storing a bit of totals info the phone adds to, until the BLE connection is cut?  I guess I don't really have to know that, but I'm curious how such things work, and, being new to the smartphone world, don't have much feel yet about data usage impact if it is constant updating via internet.

[SteveH]

That's a good question and I wish I could give you an answer. Unfortunately, I have seen a number of posts that suggest different things for this. I'm not sure which is correct so I'm hoping that someone else will chip in to this thread with a definitive answer.

[SantiR]

@JohnnyRow I hope you are doing well! There is an option on the app which is the "Always Connected" option. This option will sync your tracker and the app "live" (as fast as every step). If Bluetooth is disabled, your tracker won't sync with the app. It will keep tracking until you turn it on and sync. You can find these options by tapping the tracker tile on the Fitbit app. Note that having these options enabled will cause the tracker's battery to drain a little bit faster. Check the link provided on @SunsetRunner's post about how do Fitbit tracker sync their data for more details.

@SteveH Thanks for your help! 

Hope my answer helps. See you around!