Mobile data usage increased - RESOLVED 7/13

[EdsonFitbit]

Update 7/13/2018: This issue is now resolved, please ensure you are on the latest app. Thanks very much for your reports. I'll be closing this thread for future replies. 

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Fitbit Update 07/11/2018: Thanks for your ongoing patience as we worked to resolve this issue. We released an update to the Fitbit app for Android, version 2.74.2, that we believe addresses any remaining concerns related to this issue. Please update the Fitbit app as soon as possible.

In addition, all of your Fitbit data synced and remained secure during the issue and none of your data was sent anywhere else. We take our obligation to safeguard your data very seriously and are sorry for any concern that this error may have caused.

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Fitbit Update 07/09/2018:

Great news, everyone! Today we released the Fitbit for Android app version 2.74.1 to all users. This app version released improvements for the issue you are all currently experiencing with an increase in your phone's data usage. Please update the app as soon as possible!

Please let me know how it goes after updating the app. I would like to hear you all confirm that your data/battery usage levels have decreased. 

Thanks for all your help and cooperation! 

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Fitbit Update 07/08/2018:

Hi, everyone!

Thanks so much for your reports of this data/battery issue on your Android devices. 

Our team is still actively investigating the cause and we will keep you updated with any new information. We really appreciate your cooperation in the meantime and hope to get this resolved soon. 

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Fitbit Update 07/06/2018: 

Hey everyone -- First off, thank you for all of your reports. We are working to resolve an issue which can cause the Fitbit app for Android to consume a large amount of mobile data. In the meantime, uninstalling and re-installing the Fitbit app may help resolve related loading & crashing issues. Thanks for your patience!

I will make sure to keep everyone updated on this issue when I have something new to share. Thanks for your patience, more updates to come soon.

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Fitbit Update 07/05/2018: Community members have reported an increase of mobile data by the Fitbit app on Android devices.

I've made our Android team aware of this and they are currently working on getting this issue resolved. When I hear an update on the status of this issue, I will make sure to let everyone here know what I hear.

Thanks for your reports and continued patience.

[Leonneke]

In my play store I still can find only the previous version of the app (2.73). See screenshot.

When will the fixed one be available in Europe? (Netherlands)

[Paul201065]

Just got 2.741 app update this morning says its a temporary fix .im from the uk.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @Leonneke,

i'm from Austria and got the "Update" in the playstore - but in the playstore that was still 2.73 shown up. Anyway i've made the update and in the app info i see the 2.74.1 (and also saw the text "This applies a temporary fix to the battery and data usage issues.")

So if you are able to press  update - you will get the new one.

Regards

Aerofluxx

[wollid]

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@EdsonFitbit wrote:

Fitbit Update 07/09/2018:

 Great news, everyone! Today we released the Fitbit for Android app version 2.74.1 to all users. This app version addresses the issue you are all currently experiencing with an increase in your phone's data usage. Please update the app as soon as possible!

Please let me know how it goes after updating the app. I would like to hear you all confirm that your data/battery usage levels have gone back down to normal.

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As I've written yesterday on my beta experiences, this is too early to start cheering. I went back to Fitbit app version 2.72.1 and disabled updating. I don't want to waste my time on beta testings where nobody listens and the feedback function is broken.

[wollid]

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@BillyGardiner wrote:
I'm thinking that the 2.74.1 that is on the play store is a different build
from the version that was on the beta build.  

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Then, please go to Account- Help in the Fitbit app and have a look at the version number. Tell us. I've had 2.74.1 (3193292) beta.

//edit: At least, on play.google.com they tell the truth, this is a temporary fix:

Spoiler

WHAT'S NEW

This applies a temporary fix to the battery and data usage issues. A more comprehensive fix will follow.

 I think I better stay with the old app, until next release.

[Leonneke]

Ah yes, i see. Thanks!

[Pandabelle]

I installed the new version and it wiped all of my fitbit activity data!!!!!

It wiped even more of my activity data than the previous version wiped. Now I can't see any of my history - just today's activity.  This problem gets worse every time I reinstall. 

[John_West]

I've been having the same issues as everyone else in this thread - massive battery drain and 700mb mobile data use in the last fortnight.

Just found a really effective fix - I uninstalled the Fitbit app and returned my Versa! 10/10, would abandon a poorly implemented product again.

[wollid]

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@John_West wrote:

Just found a really effective fix - I uninstalled the Fitbit app and returned my Versa! 

Now I know why my like-new Versa was sold that cheap on Ebay.

[Manning11]

@RobertoME

The data usage and background data usage is not normal for this month. Fitbit has finally decided to review and attempt to fix the issue. 

Will fitbit be reimbursing users who've now incurred data overages due to the product/app issue? 

My data jumped almost 2 GB in a few days, and even after I restricted usage of the app.  Even on wifi the usage has skyrocketed. 

I expect some sort of compensation to pay for users who've incurred overages and would appreciate a reply back. 

I've emailed separately the details of my phone but am running android oreo 9 on Samsung 7 edge - my firmware and fitbit app are all up to date. 

Thank you 

[MasterSTIN]

Same here started last week i have removed the fitbit app from my s8 all running ok now i will wait till they update the app before i reinstall

[Rckclmbr]

Same here Note 8, uninstalled app.  Using my Garmin exclusively

[Nulwoning]

There is a update version 2.74.1

[MasterSTIN]

Ok installing latest version of app see if its fixed battery drain issue.

Justin Mawer

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Blizzke]

I've uninstalled it and I'm not going to install a fixed version that says "Temporary fix, more comprehensive fix will follow later".

The app drains the battery so fast that my phone ended up with less charge this morning than last night after having wirelessly charged the entire night. I disabled the "all day sync" before going to bed in the hopes that would be the solution but it was clearly not.

I didn't even realize that mobile traffic would also be an issue... Just discovered that I can forget about using any more mobile data this month, as the app used up 3.5GB already. Nice, very nice.

I wonder if there's any testing and QA being done before a new version is released...

[Paul201065]

So far after  reinstalling new updated app 2.741 battery using around 1% an hr and 16mb of data in about 5hrs.im uding fitbit ionic and s8+. And 5% battery drain on watch in 7hrs now down to 95%.

[Blizzke]

Why is it even using an average of 3MB data per hour? You have to sync a lot of numbers to get to that rate...

If you look at it extremely simplified: If it syncs your heart rate and steps every minute, assuming heart rate can be an unsigned byte (0-255, higher than that would be unlikely I think) and steps would be a unsigned integer (0-65534), then it would have to sync 3 bytes every minute, that's 180 bytes per hour. Even adding a massive overhead for the syncing traffic, other stats like stairs etc as well, that amount of data is simply ridiculous. Notifications don't sync to fitbit (or at least I hope so)... so where is that usage going?

[Colinm39]

@Paul201065That battery life is excellent.. My phone is 2 years old and before the Fitbit battery issue I was using about 3%/hour of battery.. Just over a day.. (Probably the 2 yr syndrome for Lithium Ion batteries).

for me, App V2.73 caused massive battery drain and heat, upgrading to V2.74 stopped that issue, but the Mobile data issue remained on my Ionic..  Now with V2.74.1 we will see on my Sony Xperia..

The Mobile data used by Fitbit is 1.22gb and 43% of my monthly billing allowance..  I'm keeping track of the actual usage now,,,+

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@Paul201065 wrote:

So far after  reinstalling new updated app 2.741 battery using around 1% an hr and 16mb of data in about 5hrs.im uding fitbit ionic and s8+.

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[Colinm39]

@BlizzkeI agree with you in your post.. But there is the triangulated syncing.. From your Fitbit to the phone/server and back to the phone..

I cannot get Fitbit to tell me the sequencing.. because it's obviously using the phone as a conduit, off to the server and back to the phone..Because the tests I have done the accurate data like sleeping, steps, RHR etc are all on the server well before the phone, and can be, in my testing, up to 5 minutes later on the phone..

With "always connected" set we will always see the steps and HR..  it makes me wonder if many of the syncing issues are the journey around the triangle..

So where is all this data going to and from..

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@Blizzke wrote:

Why is it even using an average of 3MB data per hour? You have to sync a lot of numbers to get to that rate...

If you look at it extremely simplified: If it syncs your heart rate and steps every minute, assuming heart rate can be an unsigned byte (0-255, higher than that would be unlikely I think) and steps would be a unsigned integer (0-65534), then it would have to sync 3 bytes every minute, that's 180 bytes per hour. Even adding a massive overhead for the syncing traffic, other stats like stairs etc as well, that amount of data is simply ridiculous. Notifications don't sync to fitbit (or at least I hope so)... so where is that usage going?

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[Blizzke]

Multi-device syncing is not something that should increase the traffic a lot. Every device that can deliver fitness data to the fitbit servers probably gets a unique ID when you log into your account. Every time a device sends data to their servers the data gets merged into your account by the backend.

At that point the device can also ask the server if any new data was received from other devices since the last time it connected (it should probably be part of the backends' receipt confirmation to limit the amount of connection). If so it will fetch it.

If handled properly software wise, this should not increase the data usage that much. I mean, I can see a usage of a couple of Kb's every minute. For 3MB/hour+, it would have to send almost 52kb of data every minute, that's simply too much for a glorified step counter IMO.

Of course, this is probably still a way oversimplified view, but still.

In any case, this is off topic obviously and that wasn't my intention, scuzzy.