Incompatibility of Android Phone

[brunel]

I purchased a fitbit charge 4.a few months ago.  Today I discover that fitbit has updated the app and arbitrarily decided that I may no longer sync my charge 4 to my phone because the phone has android 7.1.1.   Am I supposed to throw away a perfectly useable phone because it is has been deemed incompatible by fitbit? This is monstrously dictatorial on the part of fitbit.  I do not wish to change my phone.  I am incandescent with disbelief that this sort of behaviour can take place.  Had I known that there was a possibility of this happening I would not have bought the device - it is now unuseable.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and formatting

[Odyssey13]

Hi @brunel  the minimum system requirement for the Android system changed quite a few months ago. Unfortunately, there is no way to get the older version of the app. With any technology, we need to upgrade in order to use the newer features. When television went digital, those with analog sets had to get a converter box in order to receive the digital signal. As cellphones go from 3G to 6G, certain features won't work unless we buy the newer phones. I have an Android 9 and realize I'm going to need to get a newer operating system in a few years. Windows is killing support for Windows 8 in January. Technology changes and if we choose to use it, we need to stay current and safe from viruses and such, too. 

[BraulioFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community, @brunel. Thanks for your assistance, @Odyssey13.

@brunel The minimum requirements for the Fitbit app to work properly changed a few months ago as you can confirm on our website. It's not Fitbit's intention to leave your Charge 4 unusable or forcing you to buy a new phone but, as @Odyssey13 mentioned above, technology changes and in order to keep the app working properly or offer new features, your phone must have Android 8 or above installed. I see where your frustration is coming from and I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

See you around.

[brunel]

I have just looked at the charge4 on the fitbit website.  Under specs/ syncing it states........

'Syncing with MacOSX12.2 and up, iphone5s and later, Android 7.0 and later........

Looks like false information to me.

I bought my charge4 on the 17th June 2021 and I did check compatability before I bought it yet I am now told that it was at this time that fitbit changed to Android 8.

[Rich_Laue]

An older phone will continue to work as long as the fitbit app is not updated.