Battery drain/Notifications - Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 09/3/2017

Our team is still actively investigating the root cause of this battery drain with Blaze and the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+. I'm sorry that many of you are still having issues with a shorter battery life, but rest assured this is being looked at as high-priority for our team. My apologies for the inconvenience, and thank you all for your patience! I will provide an update as soon as there is more information available. In the meantime, please continue manually syncing your Blaze trackers only when needed. This will help preserve the battery-life.

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Fitbit Update: 08/14/2017

Hi everybody!

Thanks for reporting your experiences with a rapid battery drain on Blaze trackers and your Android device - Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+. Our team is aware this is affecting Blaze users and they are investigating the root cause. I will update this thread when there is more information available. 

As a temporary workaround, turn OFF "Always Connected" and the "All-Day sync" features. Make sure to manually sync your devices at least once a day.

Thanks for your patience! 

[NessieM]

Contact Help.  They are doing their best to helo

[Robert1988]

I got this a couple of days ago from the Fitbit support:

With the link that you have provided, we can confirm that the person posted this updates is one of our moderators and Fitbit Community advocates which means this information is true. It looks like using the Bluetooth connection drains more the battery of your Blaze while using the Samsung S8/S8+. We are currently looking for the cause and we'll make sure to post updates on this thread once the issue has been corrected so keep an eye for updates. 

[Trish101]

Thanks for the info. I also notice that the app asks me to connect to Location so I can sync up my fitbit to the app. I didn't have to do that before either. 

[yarow]

I have the same problem with my S8.  Any updates on a solution

[revpaulcain]

This workaround still does not increase battery life significantly. I'm using one alarm per day, encouragements for steps only three days per week, no linked notifications, but I do have auto heartrate. My S8 and Blaze are both less than a month old.

[Dinah1947]

I am very disappointed.  I just received a replacement, fully charged it yesterday and it is already down to 1/2.  Not sure what to do now!

[Dinah1947]

I am very disappointed.  I just received a replacement, fully charged it yesterday and it is already down to 1/2.  Not sure what to do now!

[Melancholyblues]

Make sure allday sync is off as well as any notifications

[Melancholyblues]

Make sure allday sync is off as well as any notifications

[Dinah1947]

That defeats the purpose doesn't it!

[Dinah1947]

That defeats the purpose doesn't it!

[Vinny1014]

Completely defeats the purpose of turning off all the features. I might as well buy a $5 simple step counter. With that being said, will all the features off and no use...the charge only lasts about half a day. 

Obviously some update or change within the last several weeks have affected battery performance. This should be looked at by Fitbit and addressed ASAP IMO. 

[AdamP85]

I have all day sync and always connected turned off. Ya, you can't use
notifications or music, but they have already addressed that they are aware
of the issue and it's mostly native to the S8 and S8+ due to the new
Bluetooth technology they have.

[Melancholyblues]

The Alta HR works fine with the Samsung S8. The Alta HR Bluetooth is
version 4.2 the Samsung is using Bluetooth 5.0 whereas the Blaze is 4.0.

Not sure how easy to upgade the bluetooth.

[Melancholyblues]

The Alta HR works fine with the Samsung S8. The Alta HR Bluetooth is
version 4.2 the Samsung is using Bluetooth 5.0 whereas the Blaze is 4.0.

Not sure how easy to upgade the bluetooth.

[briandavid]

Although convenient and perhaps reasonable to cite the S8's newer Bluetooth tech, you should be aware that every single other Bluetooth functionality that I have used before owning the S8 works perfectly fine.  And not only does the Blaze connectivity flake out constantly, but just having the fitbit app installed while my Blaze is turned completely OFF makes any manner of Bluetooth streaming to another device completely unbearable with skips and dropouts.  Remove the app and tracker from the equations, end everything works 100% fine.

[briandavid]

How true @Vinny1014.  I am surprised by how many people come in and say "I fixed the issue, I just turned off every feature that makes the product useful and now I am getting excellent battery life.  Problem solved!"  

At least it tells the time.  Except of course, if you follow one of fitbit's battery saving tips, which is, no lie, to shut down the fitbit tracker when you are not "using it."  So sure, I'll turn it off when I am at my desk (which, if I am really "using" my fitbit, I'd be leaving it on to give me a reminder to move, but I digress), but then an hour later I turn it on and the time has not advanced.  So in order for the watch to work, or the silent alarms to go off at the right time (which I guess I am not using anyway because that was another recommendation from fitbit, to turn off those silent alarms), you have to sync up with Bluetooth.  But of course, as is well documented here, it may take between a few and several tries to sync.

[AdamP85]

I'm incredibly curious as to how they are going to address this. Seeing as
how I have been a Fitbit user for just over 2 months and had tons of
reservations about switching.

[Unicorn911]

I was ready to put my blaze in the trash and get a new one...... So I'm posting in her to follow and see if it gets fixed

[bettybooponcrac]

What's the point of having the blaze if you have to turn off all the features!?! Sorry but I refuse to do that and if a fix doesn't happen soon I'm going to smash the one I have and get a different brand!