Why my Android 6 is asking to turn on location to sync?

[BayswaterBlue]

Hi. A few days ago I upgraded my Samsung Galaxy S6 to Android 6.01. Ever since then the phone insists that I turn on "location" as well as Bluetooth before it will sync with my Charge HR. It says "turn on Location to find your Fitbit" This is not the biggest problem in the world but.... Why????? I like to keep location turned off to save battery so this is just an extra irritating fiddly thing. Anyone else experienced this?

Moderator edit: subject updated for clarity

[SimoTB]

Hi I have the same problem and the sync is now very slow too.  I hope fitbit are working to update the ap very soon.  Heere hoping.

[EdsonFitbit]

It's great to see that you've visited the Fitbit Community @BayswaterBlue @SimoTB. The engineering team has released a new app version recently. Please be so kind to download the most recent version of the Fitbit app and let me know how it goes.

I moved this thread to the Android app board because it's more related to the topic. Catch you later. 

[MrsSB71]

Don't "update" to new version it will make the app even worse (see other posts). Go to apk mirror website and download v2.25 which was the last one to work properly!

[ErickFitbit · Accepted solution]

@BayswaterBlue @SimoTB @MrsSB71 This is an expected change since your mobile device is running Android 6.0 Marshmallow. You can learn more about the full details here.

[ConnieConehead]

This is ridiculous. No reason that fitbit needs your location. Bye fitbit. Was fun while it lasted. Don't use location unless I am using GPS. What exactly are those companies doing with our location info?

[ErickFitbit]

@ConnieConehead Sorry to see you go! Unfortunately, this was a change made by your phone OS provider Google. I recommend checking out my post to learn more about this change here.

[emseepee]

I hate the location being on. It drains the battery and it is too Big Brother for me. FitBit needs to sort this issue out. Changing the alarm syncs without the location being on, so that's what I will have to do until this issue is sorted out. Come on FitBit, you can do better than this!

[location]

I am having the same problem!!  

[location]

I agree!  Why do they need my location!  If they don't fix this, I will find a new way to track my steps.

[location]

Are you really telling us that FitBit has no control over how their app interacts with the phones operating system????  Why would we have an option to turn the location off if they mandate that all apps have to use it. That is a ridiculous statement.  So are you basically saying Fitbit is not trying to fix this change?  I just want to know.

[SimoTB]

Then please find away around this.  It worked oreviously without the loacation on, Fitbit need to develop their software so it works without the location on.  It does drain the battery and it is too Big brother.

[ConnieConehead]

What does Google and/or fitbit do with the location info? Why would this even be necessary?
A related question- so if my daughter was wearing a fitbit and went missing, would fitbit or Google be able to tell us where she is? Your answer will tell us quite a bit. Would police be able to subpoena this info?

[Rich_Laue]

During a sync fitbit does not request your location, having location services on does not any app is requesting location. 

a explained above, fitbit requires the Mac address of the tracker to determine which account to sync through. Why Android changed it, they claim for security, but android requires location services to be on, it doesn't matter what mode, it just needs to be on before android will pass the MAC of the tracker to fitbit. 

It is very easy to sync, then check the location services to see which apps requested location, fitbit and also the android is is not on the list. 

Now if your really con earned about location tracking, google, android, and your phone company doesn't need location services on.. The only way to prevent this is to shut the phone down, and never turn it on. 

[USAF-Larry]

---

@ConnieConehead wrote:
A related question- so if my daughter was wearing a fitbit and went missing, would fitbit or Google be able to tell us where she is? Your answer will tell us quite a bit. Would police be able to subpoena this info?

---

Google may or may not be able to identify the location, but Fitbit would not - if you check your phone after you sync your tracker, you will find that Fitbit did not request your location so they will not have a record of it.  But, whether or not Google can identify your daughter's location really doesn't matter, because your cell provider can triangulate the phone's location within a few feet without using Location Services - that info can and will be subpoenaed by police as necessary in their investigations.