RESOLVED: Android users unable to sync after Samsung Update (8/8/17)

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 09/19/2017: 

Hi, Samsung users! It's great to hear you are backing to syncing your Fitbit trackers. Since many of you have confirmed the newest Samsung update for Verizon users on a Samsung Galaxy S5 resolved this syncing issue, I'm going to close this thread.

Please check out this link here on the Verizon website: Samsung Galaxy S® 5 Software Update. They state this update included:

• A fix where the device was unable to connect/pair with some Bluetooth devices.

Thanks everyone for your cooperation while a fix was put in place. If you are not a Samsung Galaxy S5 owner and were not affected by the update from 8/8/17, then give our standard troubleshooting suggestions a try. If anything new pops up in the future, please make sure to open a new topic. 

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Fitbit Update: 09/14/2017: 

Samsung has released a new system update that contains a fix for this syncing/pairing Bluetooth issue from the last update. If you see the update available for your device, please update your phones. Let me know how it goes! I will be around. 

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Fitbit Update: 09/07/2017:

Hey, Samsung users! Thanks so much for patiently waiting while our team investigates this problem with the last Samsung OS update from 8/8/17. I really appreciate the cooperation and willingness to help from everyone. The investigation is still ongoing and continues to be top-priority for our engineers. Thanks for your help while they work hard to have a fix soon! 

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Fitbit Update: 08/24/2017:

Thanks to everyone who has added additional responses! At this point, we have gathered enough information for our engineers to research. It is no longer necessary to provide information about your Android Device/Network. Thanks so much for your cooperation as the Android team keeps investigating what caused this syncing issue with the Samsung update. I'll be sure to keep you all posted!

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Fitbit Update: 08/17/2017: Hi everyone -- Several Android users have reported that their trackers are no longer syncing with their Samsung mobile devices since a Samsung update.

If you're experiencing issues, please provide me with the following answers to the best of your ability so I can get this information over to our Android team who is currently investigating the root cause of this:

1. When did you begin experiencing these syncing issues?
2. What make and model mobile device do you have (Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, Note 6, etc)?
3. What Android OS are you currently running (go to this link from your phone's internet browser to find out)?
4. What phone provider do you have (Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc)?

Please copy and paste the above questions and your answers into the response.

I appreciate you all for helping out with getting me some answers as well as your continued patience. As a temporary workaround, please sync with an alternative supported device or computer. I promise we are doing everything we can on our end to get you all back to syncing. More updates to come!

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Fitbit Update: 08/10/2017:

Hey everyone! Thanks for reporting this syncing issue since the Android update from 8/8. Our team is currently investigating and I will provide an update when I have information available. In the meantime, I recommend syncing with another mobile device, or through a computer. Thanks again for bringing this to my attention! 

[Urthmothr]

1. When did you begin experiencing these syncing issues? Today, the first time I've tried to set up my new FitBit
2. What make and model mobile device do you have (Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, Note 6, etc) Galaxy S5
3. What Android OS are you currently running (go to this link from your phone's internet browser to find out)? Android 6.0.1
4. What phone provider do you have (Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc)? Verizon

[Urthmothr]

I could not sync with my computer, either. Got an "unknown error" message.

[donnafogle]

That's what I have been told on 2 occassions

[Buckleys3]

Yes but I lost half my tiles especially the # of steps tile

[ReverendNewman]

I don't even try anymore. I don't know why anyone else is. This is a bug that is just not being fixed. They still have version 2.56 up on the Play Store. So how do u update an app without a new version? No matter how many times u uninstall and reinstall, it's still version 2.56. Just be strong and remember this. Don't ever, eVer buy a FitBit product again. They obviously don't stand behind thier product.

[ReverendNewman]

1. When did you begin experiencing these syncing issues? Today, the first time I've tried to set up my new FitBit
2. What make and model mobile device do you have (Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, Note 6, etc) Galaxy S5
3. What Android OS are you currently running (go to this link from your phone's internet browser to find out)? Android 6.0.1
4. What phone provider do you have (Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc)? Verizon

How many times is FitBit gonna keep asking people this stupid repetitive question. After a month and thousands of people responded, they should have enough overlapping  answers. 

[Slambo]

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@ReverendNewman wrote:

I don't even try anymore. I don't know why anyone else is. This is a bug that is just not being fixed. They still have version 2.56 up on the Play Store. So how do u update an app without a new version? No matter how many times u uninstall and reinstall, it's still version 2.56. Just be strong and remember this. Don't ever, eVer buy a FitBit product again. They obviously don't stand behind thier product.

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And to top it off. there has been absolutely no technical pass down to the consumers in regards to the progress. So i guess it's safe to say that there has been no progress. All we've heard is thank you for your patience and we're working on it.

[MarisaT]

I just wanted to vent about it taking over a month to resolve the synching issues with The Galaxy S8/+. Really makes me consider switching to another tracker. Oh and the lack of updates on the problem is just really poor customer service. 

[Raeline]

This may not help many of you, but thought there might be a few it might help.  I realized I had an old Samsung S5 that I had replaced.  I just kept it to use as a media player with a Bluetooth speaker.  It occurred to me that that the old phone had not had an OS update for quite some time.  It was still able to connect to the wireless network, so I went to the play store and downloaded the fitbit app and setup the flex without any issues.  I can do steps and it is synching interactively again as I do my steps.  After doing this, I am confident this as a Samsung OS update issue, and not a fitbit issue.  If there were only an option to back out the last OS update.  Hope this helps someone.

[Guppyfish]

My fit bit Charge IT stopped synching a few hours prior to my Samsung update on the Galaxy S8+. I have check Bluetooth which is not able to find the fit bit and restarted phone, fit bit and nothing working.  Left message for customer service 24 hours ago and have heard nothing.

[Guppyfish]

I just tried once again to synch my fit bit Charge IT to my galaxy 8 phone by restarting the fit bit and then turning my phone off then on.  It did a partial synch so I tried again and now they are in synch.  Why after 2 days I have no idea especially since I have tried the same thing earlier without success.   Hope this helps someone 

[Guppyfish]

It's HR  not IT.  My phone auto spelling.  Sorry

[ReverendNewman]

I'm not letting fitbit off the hook. It's still thier responsibility to make sure thier product works. Ur telling me there is no communication with Samsung, Verizon, etc that "hey guys, we're pushing down an update in a few weeks, be prepared."? Fitbit should be more proactive!!!

[ReverendNewman]

I just posted this all over Facebook:

Anyone considering buying a FitBit Fitness tracker, dont. Especially if u have a Samsung/Android phone. The Tracker hasn't sync'ed in a month and all FitBit is saying is "they're working on it." It is happening to thoudands of users. Do no buy!!!!

[Dave-in-Decatur]

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@ReverendNewman wrote:

I'm not letting fitbit off the hook. It's still thier responsibility to make sure thier product works. Ur telling me there is no communication with Samsung, Verizon, etc that "hey guys, we're pushing down an update in a few weeks, be prepared."? Fitbit should be more proactive!!!

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Assuming Samsung actually did this (and we have only Samsung's word for that), is Fitbit supposed to change how its app communicates with Bluetooth so that it will work on Samsung's broken update--and then not work on other phones? Or somehow work on all Android phones, whether they follow Bluetooth standards or not?

For that matter do you know (any more than I do) what Fitbit would have to do to be "proactive" and make their app work on Samsung's broken operating system? Do you know whether it's even possible?

Suppose a gasoline manufacturer sent an e-mail to car makers and said, "Starting in two months, we're going to be putting an additive in our gas that will cause many engines to sputter and die." Guess it would then be the automakers' responsibility to be proactive and retool their engines to run on that gas and that gas alone?

[Dave-in-Decatur]

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@ReverendNewman wrote:

I just posted this all over Facebook:

Anyone considering buying a FitBit Fitness tracker, dont. Especially if u have a Samsung/Android phone. The Tracker hasn't sync'ed in a month and all FitBit is saying is "they're working on it." It is happening to thoudands of users. Do no buy!!!!

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Will you follow that up by recommending other trackers that are syncing on Samsung phones? To me, it seems more reasonable to say that this is not a time to buy any tracker if you're going to try to sync it to a Samsung Android device.

[Nimix]

 Is there any update from Fitbit on the progress on solving the issue though? Frankly, Samsung isn't going to fix this (even if they "broke" the Bluetooth communication channel with Fitbit) because they're not going to do this for one app. At least it won't be urgent to them. But this kinda makes it really difficult to use my fitbit at all otherwise!

[Slambo]

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@Nimix wrote:

 Is there any update from Fitbit on the progress on solving the issue though? Frankly, Samsung isn't going to fix this (even if they "broke" the Bluetooth communication channel with Fitbit) because they're not going to do this for one app. At least it won't be urgent to them. But this kinda makes it really difficult to use my fitbit at all otherwise!

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Even though it appears that Samsung initiated this, Fitbit unfortunately still has to deal with it. All of my other Bluetooth devices have worked fine since the Andriod update on 8/8/17. It's just my Fitbit devices that can no longer sync using Bluetooth.

[ReverendNewman]

Hahahahha. U don't think Samsung is gonna take ownership of this, do u? Onot one way to find out. I'm gonna buy Samsung's Fit Gear 2, try to sync it up in the parking lot, if it don't work, I'm gonna go right back in the store and return it. I will be the Guinea pig for everyone. LOL

[EnolaC]

So I bookmarked this post hoping that would allow me to follow it and get an answer when available.  As a new forum user where do I go to find bookmarked forums?