Incomplete RUN map on Android app but no issue on PC Dashboard

[SomeBitFit]

Win10_PC_ Fitbit DashboardAndroid phone ver9RUN map is incomplete on Android phone but kilometer markers still show for missing track. For example, a 9k run, the track of my run will show a red track starting at the 5k mark till the end of the run but the kilometer markers up to the 5k are still there/  All data from the start to end is available. Now if I open  on my PC the Fitbit Dashboard, the whole RUN is on show. I assume that all GPS co-ordinates have been uploaded via phone so cannot understand that the PC dashboard is unaffected 

The issue is not evident on all runs.

Any ideas ?

Fitbit Charge 5/Android Ver 9

Bjorn

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity.

[charleskn]

Hello @SomeBitFit That the map is correct in the web dashboard, we know that the GPS data is on the Fitbit servers. This means there is an issue with the app. I would start by force quitting the fitbit app, and then clearing the fitbit app cache, in the phone's app settings. Hopefully, on re-launching the Fitbit app, the run should show the entire GPS track.

[SomeBitFit]

Hello charleskn. Appreciative of your help however an uninstall/ install of the android fitbit app including cache/data removal still resulted in not showing the entire GPS track on android phone .This procedure was repeated twice including a reboot of phone. Its the lack of consistency of the problematic issue ie web GPS track matches android app track and on other occasions the android GPS shows a missing part of the  track but still shows the kilometer markers. Any further ideas ? Would it warrant a "support" response ? 

Fitbit Charge 5/Android Ver 9 

Installation source: Google Play Store

[charleskn]

So Android version 8 and above is supported, but there are some devices that are not considered compatible. What type of mobile device do you have?

Reference: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/technology/compatible-devices

These are my thoughts:

• When you say Win10 PC dashboard, I assume you mean the browser/web dashboard, and not the unsupported Win10 Fitbit application. Correct?
• Because you can see the entire GPS track on the web dashboard, we know your tracker correctly recorded the GPS track, and synced that data to the Fitbit servers.
• Inconsistent display of data on you mobile app could mean that:
  • There was an issue collecting the data from the servers, so the cache is bad, and the app consistently displays the same bad track on the same specific sessions.
  • There is an issue with the app connecting to the servers and retrieving the data from the backend

So I am wondering:

• Are you only seeing issues with the GPS track data, or are you seeing this with other data?
• Is it only GPS track data?
• Does the problem change from one session to the next? Meaning, does a session that displayed incorrectly at one time, then display correctly later, and a session that initially displayed correctly does not display correctly later?

[SomeBitFit]

Hello charleskn,

In response to your questions;

• "Are you only seeing issues with the GPS track data ?". Data apart from the actual run track is accessible eg pace/hrt .
• "Is it only GPS track data? "  Correct
  
• "Does the problem change from one session to the next?" No , the run track on the android does not get corrected at a later time
  

I've examined the TCX file for yesterday's run which clearly indicates GPS data is uploaded to server without any GPS co-ordinates missing however the android map track shows half of the run track missing.

I assume that every time I access the android Fitbit app to retrieve a map, Exercise> Run> Run map that the data is from a Fitbit server. As you have stated "There is an issue with the app connecting to the servers and retrieving the data from the backend "

I am now seeing a delay to retrieve map/s from server. I currently cannot load my latest run map on the phone.Map window opens as grey screen  with the loading red circle as per image below.

Fitbit Version: 3.72 ( I've cleared cache/data for this app a couple of times and re-installed app)

Android Version 9 ( Updates: current )

Note: Charger 5 GPS and not phone GPS used for tracking.

[t.parker]

@SomeBitFit this is another issue with the Android app. The app seems to get in some kind of deadlock when it loads maps. The only way to stop it is to force stop the Fitbit app (you don't need to reinstall, just force stop from the phone settings->Applications menu). I've been seeing this issue on and off for months on two different phones (Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy S22+). If you go back to the main screen and re-enter exercise tile you'll probably see this (nothing loads anymore, only force stop helps).

 

[SomeBitFit]

Run say for "Today" still in deadlock when map is uploaded from server after Force Stop. All other maps have loaded with DEFAULT, HEART ZONE & PACE data.

However uploading Maps to android phone from Fitbit server without lossing sections of a run track is still an issue.

[RodrigoMFitbit]

Hello everyone!

@SomeBitFit Welcome to the forums. @t.parker @charleskn Nice to see you here, thanks for your help and sharing your own personal experience. 

@SomeBitFit Good thing is that the GPS data is being tracking correctly. Given that the Fitbit app is up to date, please be so kind to provide me with the model of your smartphone, as that is the only detail we are missing. I would suggest you to try logging out of the Fitbit app and then back in. Taht way all information will be loaded onto the app again. Check the exercise tile afterwards. In the meantime you can check the maps in the PC dashboard. 

@t.parker Have you experienced the same issue recently? Does it always get resolved by force quitting the Fitbit app? I used to have that issue (loading map, but complete map was showing) in a Xiaomi device, but ever since two updates ago, it is no longer an issue. 

Have a nice day!

[t.parker]

@RodrigoMFitbit at least a few weeks if not months. I replaced my phone two months ago and old phone had very same issue so it gives at least 2 months. I have theory that it deadlocks when trying to load several maps at the same time. I use GPS for every run/bike so expect that there is a race condition issue when trying to acquire some data in parallel. The symptom like that is typical for deadlock (and randomness of it indicates that, too). Force stop always fixes issue but this is because it kills the process. Quitting the app by swiping it off does not always kill the process so locked thread is still there. That's why eventually it shows the screen I posted above. I could run it in the debugger but nobody pays me for that 😋

[RodrigoMFitbit]

@t.parker Thanks for the swift reply. I appreciate the explanation and your opinion on this matter. Yeah, I agree. It happened when I had several maps loading. I stopped tracking GPS since I actually did not need it and was draining my battery. I will keep on tracking with GPS and try to replicate this. 

Thanks again. Have a nice day!

[SomeBitFit]

Hello RodrigoMFitbit

"provide me with the model of your smartphone"

I have noted in Fitbit Setup Requirements that the Xiaomi Mi 6 exhibited compatibility issues BUT this is a Xiaomi Redmi 6 

Specification Xiaomi Mi 6 (Android v7.1.1 (Nougat) , Xiaomi Redmi 6 (Android v8.1 (Oreo)

[charleskn]

@SomeBitFit The Android app v3.73 is currently rolling out. That might, or might not, assist with this issue. Keep an eye on the app store for updates.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Android-App/Android-Fitbit-app-3-73-is-now-available-01-09-23/m-p/53...

Thanks @t.parker 

@RodrigoMFitbit t.parker had this issue with Samsung S8/S22, so this wouldn't appear to be an issue with SomeBitFit's Xiaomi device.

[SomeBitFit]

@charleskn'The Android app v3.73 is currently rolling out. That might, or might not, assist with this issue.' We live in hope

The duration to load my run Maps [Exercise Run> tap>Run MAP] seems to have resolved itself BUT the incomplete tracks of my recent Runs remains  an unresolved issue.

I've worn the Charge 5 since 1st Jan without issue using the same Xiaomi phone to upload data  but the issue became evident a week ago, 6th January.

My procedures have not changed within the last 2 weeks.and nothing occurred a week ago, within my control, that may have caused  this issue.

Prior to using the Charge 5, I was using a Fitbit Surge without these type of Map issues.So if I was draw any conclusions, I'd discount the phone as a causative factor.

As @charleskn  has highlighted, the server has uploaded all the GPS data so that the web Dashboard maps represents my actual run and also supported by checking tcx file if there were any lost GPS data segments and there were none.

Download the same GPS data to the android app and the maps are corrupted, missing track segments.

Thanks for the support @charleskn @RodrigoMFitbit @t.parker 

[charleskn]

@RodrigoMFitbit what are your thoughts on escalation / resolution?

[SomeBitFit]

@charleskn @RodrigoMFitbit @t.parker  : Update 14 Jan '23 , Run Maps on the online web Dashboard and Android app are both normal for today only. Previous run maps on android still have the missing sections on the android app.

At this stage Fitbit version 3.72 is running, ver 3.73 is still not available.

I have initiated a case with Fitbit support recounting all of the above. If you are interested I am more than happy to keep you all updated on any progress.

Thanking you all for your support.

[charleskn]

If there is a resolution, please do post here. I am interested to see what that would be.

One other thought. Are you running any proxies, VPNs, etc that might affect your web traffic?

[SomeBitFit]

@charleskn"Are you running any proxies, VPNs, etc" No IP address masking of any form.

[RodrigoMFitbit]

@SomeBitFit @charleskn Thanks for the reply. 

@charleskn You are right, I do not think it is related to the Xiaomi device. 

@SomeBitFit In this case I recommend you keep in touch with support. They will provide you with a resolution. I appreciate your patience. 

Have a nice day!

[SomeBitFit]

@RodrigoMFitbit @charleskn @t.parker 

Maps and data of today's run offer conflicting information. Below are maps of the same run shown on

• Fitbit on Android
• Fitbit online dashboard 
• Google Maps.

I download the .tcx file and imported in to Google maps. What surprised me was that the tcx file didn't show a complete run.

You'll see that on the Fitbit online dashboard there's a run that starts and finishes about the same point.

On the android map there's section missing,distance markers (1,2..4Klm) are shown but no track.

GPS co-ordinates obtained in .tcx file show only a track which was missing in the android map and not the whole run.

AndroidWeb_Dashboard

[t.parker]

@SomeBitFit interesting. Is there any chance you could share this TCX file? I would like to check its validity. The Fitbit's TCX file has <distance> tag in which is updated regardless the GPS data. I'm curious however what happenes between those waypoints that don't appear.