S10e's GPS Turning Off

[jcf224]

I have a charge 3 and use a Samsung S10e.  I noticed on a couple of occasions last week that the GPS map for bike and walk show as straight red lines on the map when finishing the exercise, one even suggested I had walked a fair distance over a large body of water and ended up in a town at the other side! This has only happened since the latest update on both the charge and the phone. Prior to this tracking activity using the GPS showed a fairly accurate red line route on the map.  I have tried today and started a short walk by waiting for GPS to connect first then setting off. As soon as the phone screen goes off the charge vibrates to show GPS  is off. As soon as  I open the fitbit app the GPS goes on again. Soon as I put the phone back in my pocket GPS goes off. So it is not staying connected unless I keep the app open which isn't practical at all. This worked fine prior to updates and I have not changed any settings on the phone or the app so don't know why this problem has suddenly occured. When walking or cycling I can't keep the screen on on the phone and the app open obviously. It should stay connected during the course of the exercise. I've looked at various settings and all seems ok so can't understand why this is suddenly happening.

Moderator edit: Clarified subject

[IevaĢ]

Phone Huawei P10

Android version: 8.0

Fitbit app version: 2.93

[SunsetRunner]

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@LanuzaFitbit wrote:

Hello everyone!

Thanks for continuing to share all of your experiences on the situation.

I'd like to ask all of you that are experiencing this issue to share the following information:

• The phone that this is happening on.
• Then Android version that the phone is running.
• The Fitbit App version that you have installed.

Having this information will be useful to know what might be happening and what is the best way to move ahead.

I look forward to your replies.

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Phone: Samsung S9+

Android Version: 9

Kernel Version: 4.9.59-15540155

Fitbit App version: Version 2.93 (20213390)

I just want to express my view that I am _not_ prepared to downgrade from an uncertified source. please provide a new version with a fix asap - this is going on for too long now.

[just2bhealthy]

Galaxy S8

Android Version 9

Fitbit Version 2.9.3

All GPS setting are set to enable. There is a setting on the phone that allows you to see what apps have tried to access the location services.  Fitbit app was one of them although I don't know if that means anything significant. I went for a run last night and it still only mapped a small portion of the run.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone!

Thank you all for sharing the details that I have asked for. 

I will be passing this information on to the team so that it can be looked into. As soon as we have any news or updates on the situation we will be sure to let everyone know about it.

Feel free to reach out with any questions.

[SunsetRunner]

LG V30+

Android 8

Fitbit 2.9.4

[DebbyPu]

Wow...I thought the link was going to show me how to block other people from getting my info, but guess not...rats...guess I will be returning the new Charge 3 back tomorrow...think I will try the Apple Watch 

[DebbyPu]

Why don’t they fix the bugs before putting them on the market

[jcf224]

In addition to the s10e saga, I changed my phone to a Huawei P30 Pro a few weeks ago. No problems at all with the Charge 3 connecting to the phones GPS and all walk and cycling routes were accurately recorded with a map and red line outlining the route. Happy days 🙂

Now we are back to a situation where the GPS won't stay connected to the Huawei P30 Pro and before the usual battery comments appear, nothing has been changed, all worked correctly until this latest app update. I need this tracker to work with the phones GPS whatever make or model but your updates are causing issues not improvements. Last week the android fitbit app updated to 2.94 and since then the same issue as the s10e has occured. The charge 3 will not stay connected to GPS when the app is closed or the phone screen closes. This is getting ridiculous, this is at least 2 phones that this has happened too and it needs fixing asap so that we can use the fitbit charge 3 with the phone GPS as it did previously.

[SunsetRunner]

@LanuzaFitbit Are there any updates on this issue? May even an ETA for a solution? I'm still having the connected GPS problem with my Samsung Galaxy S7 every time I track my runs. Didn't hear back from your customer support after they wanted to escalate my case to a higher service level. I think all those who are affected would appreciate very much an update from you on this issue! Thanks!

[SunsetRunner]

I would appreciate any information from fitbit. My Charge 3 started loosing GPS while I was on vacation. I had a lot of hikes I wanted to track and no time to deal with the issue so I went out and bought another Charge 3. Same problem. Now I have two trackers that don't work and no idea if the company is working on the issue or not.

I have factory reset my phone and it made no difference. I did notice that the app does not have the "Keep-Alive Widget" option anymore. I have a backup phone with app version 2.9.3 on it and that has the keep alive widget and works fine for connected GPS.

When my tracker changes back and forth between Connected/Connecting is it connecting and disconnecting from my phone or GPS? From my observations I am leaning towards GPS.

[annchristin86]

Almost same problem, here I get no maps at all! I shows the map at start up, but nothing get's saved.

Phone: Galaxy note 9

Android version: 9

Fitbit version: No idea, but last update accoring to play store was 22. May 2019

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone.

Thanks for sharing your feedback on the matter.

Please know that our team has been informed of this situation and it is being looked into. As soon as we do have any updates we will be sure to let everyone know but at this moment we do not have any news to share.

Thanks for your patience and understanding. Feel free to let me know if there is anything else I can help you all with.

[SunsetRunner]

How long exactly does it take to have your engineers replace the bit of code they inadvertently deleted? As a software engineer myself, it would be unthinkable that any of my software would be released with such a severe bug that has obviously gone untested and unnoticed. I don't know where you are based, but here in the UK, there is such a thing as a product being fit for purpose. My Charge 2 was bought less than 6 months ago, specifically to track my daily steps and map my walks. As it stands, it is NOT fit for purpose and I'm on the verge of demanding a refund in full and taking my money to one of your competitors.

An estimated timeline of when this fix will be released is required now please.

[DebbyPu]

Hi guys..I am not a part of this Fitbit controversy. I am in agreement with everyone because I too have this problem. Yesterday I took my dog for a walk. Since I cannot use my right are to hold the leash, I have to use my left and my Fitbit is on the same wrist. Well, the watch kept stopping and it is NOT keeping accurate accounting for the walk...I’m so ready to get a refund or exchange...exactly-money before customers. Should have gotten an Apple Watch instead!

Sent from my iPad

[Niast]

Hi all.

My story: I have samsung S8 (android 😎 paired with Inspire HR and it works perfect during my bike rides.

Few days ago i decided to use my new S10+ (android 9) and had a problem.

1) GPS turned off with screen off until I enabled notifications permissions for fitbit app (all necessary location permissions were given of course).

Now it works but tracked distance is wrong in comparison with Strava or bike comp.

You can see that track is not smooth. It looks like an update interval for connected GPS data is too big or there are some accuracy issues

Compare with track from Android 8.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone.

Thanks for sharing your feedback on the situation.

Please do know that we take all comments seriously and that we will be letting everyone know as soon as we have any updates we will be posting them publicly. At this time we do not have any timeframe as to when an update can be expected by we will be sure to keep you all posted.

Thanks for your understanding.

[DebbyPu]

One way you can make this problem right, is to give us an option of either receiving a new device OR give us a two year warranty at no cost. The months are ticking away.  At the rate FITBIT is handling the situation, many of us will have no warranty left AND no working FITBIT. I believe this is a fair solution to an issue that none of us were aware. 

FITBIT company sold defective devices in order to compete with similar companies before testing the software completely. FITBIT is the benefactor with profits and the consumer is the loser. Personally, in my opinion,  FITBIT needs to be turned into the Consumer Affairs so that action can be taken

[SunsetRunner]

In regard to the issue i've noticed that the Fitbit app produces a pretty accurate GPS plot even with the ongoing issue as long as any other gps tracking app is active simultaneously. I usually track my hikes (not my runs) parallely with another app ("Komoot") and as long as I do that, Fitbit tracks the hike quite accurately as well, even if the spinning bar indicating lost connection is showing all the time on my Charge 2.

So just a wild theory based on this obeservation (@LanuzaFitbit might pass it on to the developers working on the issue) : Maybe the Fitbit app in its current version is not able to keep the phone's location services (i.e. GPS) alive in the background by itself, but is able to access the gps data if and when a different app keeps gps alive in the background. 

[Ssteininger]

Phone: Pixel 3

Android version: 9

Fitbit app version: 2.94

Looking forward to any updates or solutions.

[SunsetRunner]

How do I get my money back? I've purchased two of these and my wife has one. None of them work for their intended purpose. I've have tracks for everyday from 2008 until I purchased the fitbit. Now I have inaccurate guesses that my watch makes and no idea how my running is actually going. Please advise us how we can return these and get our money back. Thank you.