Turn on location to find your fitbit?

[Dobbs33]

With the new update sync keeps asking to turn on location to find my fitbit - why?

Fitbit HR's work with Bluetooth and therefore do not need to know my location in order to sync and this has always been the case in the past.

Is Fitbit now tracking my location everytime I sync?  I've not given Fitbit permission to use location information so why does the app need it to sync???

Please advise.

[troj]

Now that I have had time to do a little more research, I would like to share an observation... In testing competitive products, it has become clear that "Location Services" does NOT need to be turned on to find and sync data from a bluetooth device. Many other competitive products have the ability to sync without ACCESS FINE LOCATION services on current releases of the Android O/S.

From my perspective, the question remains... When will Fitbit address this?

[USAF-Larry]

I don't think Fitbit will be able to "address" changes Google made in Android 6.0 Marshmallow, @troj, but since Fitbit does not ask for my location information, I never worried about it.  Which "compettive products" did you test, and with which phone operating system? How did you test them?

[troj]

Motorola Droid Turbo 2.

System version 24.31.22 (Android 6.0 Marshmallow)

Garmin Approach X40 with HR monitor

Syncs all fitness data with Location Services turned off.

[SunsetRunner]

The only current tracker with built in GPS is the Surge. Several other trackers allow you to use your phone's GPS to track your location for a workout and later display a map of your run/bike on your dashboard. Turning location services off would disable that feature. If your tracker does not have this feature to begin with Fitbit does not use location services. Everyone gets the same app regardless of what tracker they are using. Permissions utilized by the app depend on what is needed for the tracker to fully function.

Note, the Garmin Approach X40 has a built in GPS chip.

Also note, starting with Marshmallow you can turn off specific permissions in apps in the phone's settings. I believe iOS already had this feature.

[Rich_Laue]

@troj if an app does not ask for the devices BT MAC address, then no the location does not need to be on. 

Fitbit set the servers up to identify the data based on the MAC address after the data is delivered to the server.. This allows the fitbit Connect software to sync any tracker that it sees. 

Needing the location services on does not mean that fitbit requests the location. This was added by Google to close a security hole that was found in the BT stack of Lollipop and earlier. 

Fitbit really does not care and is simply telling you that for you to sync, your operating system wants this service. 

For security purposes it really makes no matter, both Google, your cell carrier, and 911 will no where you are location services or not. 

You also gave up your privacy the day you first logged into the internet. 

[netrunnr]

to whoever posted the fake gps app thank you. you have solved a multitude of problems for me.

to those of you who think this is a google problem, do some due diligence and realize it is not it is a fit bit problem, I do not even need location services to get directions on my google maps. I just plug in to and from and it downloads a route for me. educate yourselves more, use more critical thinking, stop being so trusting and realize that someone somewhere has a marketing connection to google which gives them your data somehow. if you think fitbit can not fix a WORD in code from Fine to Coarse you are much more naive than you should be in this day and age.

[Rich_Laue]

@netrunnr and tyat is something people dont understand, both google and your phone company can find you without location. 

Do you want to know where you where a year ago?

[netrunnr]

first, google can not track me that easily. I rarely use non-rooted google/iOS devices and when I do not want to be tracked I simply turn the device off and have a little privacy pouch (basicaly a copper box) it is fairly simple to drop off the grid with a bit of knowledge.

secondly, this however, is not about dropping off the grid, this is about someone setting up a marketing deal with google and refusing to own up to that fact. our data is our data. it says so in their agreement. someone somewhere is using our data and selling it or marketing it or using it for google advertising purposes. none of the other tracker companies need location access to sync. my bluetooth headphone does not need it. my CAR does not need it. obviously someone somewhere is using fitbit users for some reason whether it is beta testing, or writing a thesis or whatever, it is done without our permission etc. and THIS is the issue.

if you are one of those people that says "well I do not have any thing to be afraid of so I am ok with the government invading my privacy" then you are basically saying "I have certain rights, given to me by the founding fathers - and I am ok with losing those rights." well, I have nothing to hide, I do not have a battery problem either, I do however - have issues with someone using my data without my permission. I do have issues with someone invading my privacy. I do have issues with not being told what they are doing with MY data - and MY information. so honestly, you are really missing the point here which is FITBIT does not NEED location services enabled to sync the device, they WANT it enabled to feed information to a third party. this is ultimately the issue.

[Rich_Laue]

I have no idea what marketing your talking about, 

See https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Android-App/Android-syncing-Permissions-Location/m-p/1622501

Its very simple, Fitbit setup the server to look at the Bluetooth MAC durring a sync, Therefore the app needs to know your trackers MAC. Google closed a security hole and requires location services to be on, before it sends tye MAC to the requesting app. Fitbit does not ask for your location, you sound smart enough that your able to confirm this.

If Fitbit wanted to see your location, would you not think they would also require location services to be on in Windows and iOS devices? They don't 

[Chris1971]

It is odd that NONE of all my other Bluetooth devices need this...none keyboards/headsets/HDs none...maybe Fitbit should find out the magic they use and just use that....

[USAF-Larry]

@Chris1971, none of those devices sync to your phone, they simply use Bluetooth communications and do not handle any data streams.

[netrunnr]

my phone syncs via bluetooth to my tablet, and tablet syncs to my computer, and to google photos via bluetooth and web. somehow that does not need location services. my weatherbug syncs to NOAA via wifi and bluetooth and does not need location services.

basically it is just one word of code they have to change - FINE location to COARSE location and that is the magic that solves the problem. 

Moderator edit: Word choice

[USAF-Larry]

That is fine, @netrunnr - I am sure many hungry lawyers have looked at why Google made those changes to patch a security hole in thier OS (it wasn't Fitbit that made that change). There is a big difference between all of data communications mentioned, and syncing a device with its app. 

[ALitBitFit]

When I purchased the fitbit almost 2 years ago I did not recall agreeing to
all these new rules. The orginal app I thought was invasive enough. Having
to give up more data was not part of the original agreement. I think fitbit
should allow users to use previous versions of the apps. If it causes
issues with newer features I could live with it as long as it allows me to
sync and view my data. I would a absolutely prefer a stand alone version
but I am dreaming there. If they keep changing the rules does the user not
have a right to say NO? Otherwise could we not ask for a refund because
they sold me something and providing me with something else?

[USAF-Larry]

@ALitBitFit, it was not changing the Fitbit app that required turning on Location Services, it was a change to Google Android 6.0 operating system. Google implemented that change to correct a security hole in their OS.  I am curious, though, what is invasive about the app?

[Rich_Laue]

@netrunnr NO it is not just ine word of code they would have to change

First Fitbit would need to come uo with a different way to identify the tracker

Next a chunk of the fitbit server would need rewriting

Then the apps for Android, iOs, windiws phones,, the Win10 app, and fitbit xonnect for Windows and Nac would all need to by modified.

Possibly also the Connect software would lose the ability to sync any tracker it may comunicate with.

The Title  of this  thread is also wrong, it is lication services that needs to be on, not location, since Fitbit does nit aak for tour location during a sync.

As for Fitbit being invasive, why doesnt Fitbit require locatuin services for any sndroid before Marshmallow, ios, or wondiws ohones.What is it about Marshmallow and Nuget that is different. I can only tell you about Android, and the wide open high security risk in BT, that was closed in Marshmallow and above. 

Remembwr it is nit Fitbit thst made this decision but Google.

If an app needs to identify a bluetooth device by uts Mac, Google now requires Location Servuces to be on, only to save your sorry phone from being attacked.

I know very few people that do al the syncing between phones tablets and computers, most just let Google do what it does best and do the sync over the net.

All my photos, notes, web shortcuts stay synced between the phone, tablet, and my Linux computer, all done seamlessly through the cloud

@ErickFitbit does a very good job of explaining why location services needs to be on in the main thread on this subject.

[netrunnr]

yes they would have to rewrite quite a bit of the server code. garmin does not require it, nor does apple watch or samsung watch. interesting that they put this code in there. hmmm.... makes me wonder why. basically what those of us who are sick of turning location services on are asking for is a rewrite of the code so that it works properly and is not a hack. something that is scaleable and not made for one OS version. they have coders, why is this a problem?  I understand the problem fully. better than most. it really is a simple change in code. simple ≠≠ easy -- I also understand that. so when I say simple I do not imply it is easy to do. but it is simple enough.

[Karenka]

Even though this decision was not Fitbits, now that you know people don't want it, are you going to go to Google and ask why they decided this?

[Karenka]

Works well.  Thanks!

[Booger234]

Nope, its still in my cupboard


Sent from my Samsung device