Why are the calories in not immediately updated?

[Dave_M_G]

When I input calories in the Fitbit Android app, in the "Cals in vs. Out" page, the total under "Today" does not immediately update to match the sum of all the calories I've entered.  It takes some time to finally register new calories added, based on some random circumstances that I can not understand or anticipate.

Even after the total calories updates on the "Cals in vs. Out" page, when i go back to the Apps home screen, the section that says "XXXX calories in", will still not have updated. Sometimes it never updates until I close the app completely and restart it.

How can a program have so many references to what should be a single variable so that they don't all update as soon as a new number is entered? It's simple math, it is hard to imagine a simpler task for a computer program to do.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Dave_M_G. I'm glad to see you here in the Forums.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the Fitbit app's performance. Our team often receives the Forums to work on our products based on the feedback posted here and deliver what our users want and need. While sometimes the app might take time to update your details due other factors, such as internet connection, it shouldn't take too long. However, since you continue having this issue, I'd recommend to try the following steps:

1. Log out from the Fitbit app.
2. On your phone's settings tap on Apps > Fitbit > Storage > Clear Cache.
3. Go back one screen and tap on force stop.
4. Uninstall and reinstall the Fitbit app.
5. Reboot your phone.
6. Log back in and try logging your calories.

I'll be around, keep me posted.

[Dave_M_G]

@LizzyFitbit,

Just so I'm clear, you're saying that the expected behaviour of the Android app is that when I enter a new meal entry that all totals in all screens should be immediately updated with the latest totals?

[Lilbiddy]

@Dave_M_G, I too have noticed that there seems to be a distinct lag in some parts of the display updating. Are these the areas that are updated from the fitbit servers rather than in the app on the phone?

[Dave_M_G]

@Lilbiddy, I can't say for sure which sections are supposed to update from the server or not, because there's nothing to give any indication of that.

However, what I can say is that it shouldn't matter. If my phone has a total of 800 calories registered, and then I add 400 calories, there should be no reason to wait a thirty seconds or a minute for some communication with a server before it displays 1200 calories. That would be an absolutely ridiculous system for any app to have.

A sensible app would use the local data immediately, and sync with a server when a connection is available.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Dave_M_G and @Lilbiddy. It's good to see you here and I'm sorry for the delayed response.

@Dave_M_G, thanks for keeping me updated about this matter. About the information from my previous post, I meant to say that it's expected to see a delay for a few seconds which happens with other apps, but it shouldn't take too long or required you to restart the app. @Lilbiddy, thank you also for letting me know that this is also happening to you and to look into this, please provide me with the following:

• Do you recall since when this started to happen?
• Besides the food tile, please let me know what other tiles or sections from the Fitbit app have the same behavior.
• Is your phone compatible with the Fitbit app? Please know that while the app may work on non-compatible devices, there isn't any guarantee that ensures the app's functionality.
• Have you tried the steps posted above?

I look forward to your responses.

[Lilbiddy]

Hi @LizzyFitbit, I'm using an android 5 phone with app version 3.4.1.

I noticed this behaviour as soon as the new style app came in. 

I have also noticed a lag with the steps per hour, sometimes the front page image doesn't show the hours met.

Sometimes the front image does but you have to select it a couple of times to get the other display to catch up.

If the problem is the other way round I have to use the pull down synch to get them the same. This is actually a hangover from the old style app. which I always had to open twice to get the correct display. 

As for reinstalling the app I have reinstalled this so many times since the app was changed, even before fitbit decided not to make further updates for my phone. I rarely had problems with the old version apart from the synching with every update.

But the new version freezes and crashes regularly. Before you say it's because of my old phone, version 2.63 on my Kindle behaves as well as it has always done.