Blaze Firmware Release - 17.8.301.4 [Closed]

[AndrewFitbit]

9/23 Update:

See the new firmware thread here

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9/22 Update:

For those that have the firmware update already, new clock faces have been re-enabled.

We've continued the rollout process. If you don't yet have the update, please be patient. We'll post updates about the rollout when we have more information.

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9/19 Update:

Hey everyone - it seems like we're struggling to maintain civil conversation on this topic, so I'm going to go ahead and lock the thread. We'll open a new thread once the firmware update goes into wider distribution. Until then, here are answers to the questions that keep getting asked here:

When will I be able to download the latest update?

The update is on hold while our team addresses an issue found at the beginning of the release. Once their work is complete, we will start rolling it out again. We generally don't announce specific dates or timeframes, but you will see the update on your dashboard as soon as it is available. The only thing you need to do right now is wait patiently.

Why did you release the latest update to only a small percentage of users?

We've done tons of testing on this new firmware, but there can still be unexpected issues when we release it. If every Blaze customer updated at once, those surprises would affect everyone. Instead, we use an incremental release to observe and address issues on a relatively small scale. We definitely want the best experience possible for our Blaze customers, and a slow, cautious release helps accomplish that goal.

If only 5% of Blaze users have the update now, does that mean 10% will have it next week and 15% will have it the week after? Won't that take forever?

Nope! We aren't moving in 5% increments. We started the release at 5% and will increase it in much larger increments once we are confident that it's good to go. You should receive it soon.

Why haven't you communicated this information to customers?

All this information was previously posted in this thread, and also added to the lead post. Any time you find a discussion of an emerging issue or a newly-released update, make sure to check the first post for the latest information. We aim for clear, concise, transparent, and frequent communication - you should always find what you need in the lead post.

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9/15 Update:

The new Blaze update is currently available only to a very small percentage of users, as we are troubleshooting some emerging issues. It will be released more widely soon. Once it is available, you will see a banner at the top of your website or mobile app dashboard. Thanks for your patience!

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Hey everyone! 

We're rolling out a new update for Blaze, release notes below: 

• In addition to call, text, and calendar event notifications, you can receive notifications from email and other third-party apps on your tracker.Common emojis also appear. Keep in mind all notifications currently on your tracker will be deleted after the update.
• You can receive reminders to move throughout the day.
• Five new clock faces are available. Navigate to your device settings and check them out!

This release also resolves the following issue:

• Some users reported that auto-brightness was too dim or delayed.

Important to note: A sync is required after a manual shutdown or a battery drain in order to show the correct time on Blaze. This is especially important for your activity tracked by Blaze because you'll want to make sure it's associated with the current date and time.

The initial wave of users will receive the update starting September 12th, 2016, and will eventually be rolled out to everyone within a few days. If the update to the latest firmware version is not yet available for your Blaze, just hang tight!

[jmattwood]

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@earthiverse wrote:

It's been about 90 minutes since I started updating my Fitbit Blaze, and it looks to only be about half done...
Anyone else experience a similar issue? I hope it finishes updating before the battery dies, or if it does die that it can recover somehow...

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Er...stick your phone on charge and your blaze on charge before either of them die..?

[earthiverse]

Wasn't sure if plugging it in would interrupt the process. I plugged it in, seems to be progressing slowly still.
We're now approaching 2.5 hours since the update started...

[Reesey]

I still do not have my update, @AndrewFitbit and @MatthewFitbit. You said it would be a few days and now it's a week....could there be an issue with my getting update?

[The_Lion]

I wonder what will arrive first: The update or my new tracker (mine is damaged by the charger).

[SunsetRunner]

I still haven't gotten my latest update! Is this normal? I feel like I'm the only one that hasn't gotten it yet!

[The_Lion]

Don't worry, I'm waiting, too.

[DavideFitbit]

Hi guys, more information on this will be provided as soon as it's available, in the meantime, keep it courteous, please!

[meresydotes]

@SunsetRunner @The_Lion According to fitbit, 95% of us haven't gotten the update yet. I'm sad, too. I want the watch face that shows all the important stats on the time screen, so I don't have to swipe around (they say I'm lazy but it takes all my time). Plus the reminders to move!

[SanFit]

@DavideFitbit
>>>Hi guys, more information on this will be provided as soon as it's available, in the meantime, keep it courteous, please!

We all have been waiting anxiously for many days, and you just come out with such a tone of message?

What we want to hear is not: "Please be patient", "Please be courteous".

Please kindly make a CLEAR explanation of what is really happened now at fitBIT?

1. Have the group ONE of 5% users already downloaded the buggy firmware? Or the download is still in progress? Not yet completed? How long will it take time?
2. Why there is a group ONE of 5%? Was it in the planning of rollout? Or the 5% come out after you discovered the bugs and it is necessary to suspend the download?
3. When will the group TWO of 95% will be lucky enough to be invited to download the firmware? Please give exact date.
4. If the initial release of firmware found to be buggy, do the group ONE users must re-download the newer firmware?

[oBoy]

I agree. There needs to be proper communication to the customers who paid for this device about the state of its software. Hardware is important, but, get real, without software it would just be a lump of plastic and wires.

[SunsetRunner]

Certainly makes me feel better! I'm excited for a second hand which I need for nursing!

[racertempo]

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@SanFit wrote:

@SpaceToast
>>>You sound psychotic.

You have never defended your standpoint with reasoning.
By just disparaging other person, you would certainly lower your own mental status.

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You are laughable.

FItbit: "hey, we are going to give everyone some free vanilla ice cream in the month of september.

Sanfit: "wait, what exact date will we get our free ice cream, and why can't I have Choclate"

Fitbit: "Great news, our vanilla is in, come get in line and get some"

Fitbit: "Oh crap, we found some problem with the free ice cream, we would like to recall those we dished out and there will be hold until we can find the problem with our free vanilla"

Sanfit: "You are a bad comapny, we demand that you tell us an exact date that we can get our free icecream.....and what about those people who had to give their back, do they get back in line for free icecream?"

Fitbit: "Sorry, all we can say is there were bugs in the ice cream, once we fix we will notify everyone, thank you"

Sanfit: "You need to take down your 'free vanilla icecream' advertisement on your webpage as it is misleading people who made a waffle cone purchase sepcifically for this free ice cream.  If you don't give us an exact date of this free icecream and make more flavors available it is not fair to customer rights"

Other FItbit Forum users: "just be patient and relax Sanfit, they are working on it and will give an update as soon as they can."

Sanfit: "you people are all fitbit lovers and can't see this for what it is, a company that offered free icecream and is now screwing everyone, and as a company they are doomed to fail"

This is popcorn worthy stuff, thanks Sanfit.

[inewton5]

 I am a new Blaze User how do I get the update when available

inewton5

[mcrmama]

@inewton5, you will see a notification in the app that an update is available. It usually looks like an pink arrow and easy to spot.

[The_Lion]

It seems that there will be a new version:

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1372/?q=update&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

17.8.301.7

The one we're discussing about here is 17.8.301.4

[Julsieann]

I performed this update yesterday. I did not receive the new watch faces. Sounds like they are on hold. Fine by me. I've had two other problems though. Apologies if either of these come up in the prior 27 pages of comments. I only read the most recent ones since I did not receive the update as early as the thread inidicated. My issues are: (1) my "workout" tracker option is no longer there. Maybe not a huge deal since it will autotrack although I did still use it to track time and monitor heart rate. (2) my heart rate monitor from a workout today was completely wrong. I tightened the watch a notch during the workout to make sure it had a good connection but it was still way off - say by 30-40 bpm at least.

Anyone else having a problem with the heart rate call? And does anyone know if removing the workout tracker was intentional? Thanks in advance for your help.

[Tao75]

Could somebody clear out a thing about this firmware mess... Have you recived version 17.8.301.4 or 17.8.301.7? Looks like 17.8.301.4 got cancelled the september 12. But have anyone recived 17.8.301.7?

[Peteypetekay]

@Julsieann are heart rate errors showing your heart rate as too high or low?

[The_Lion]

@Julsieann

Have you checked if the workouts (run, walk, bike f. e.) are still enabled in the app or dashboard?

[SanFit]

@The_Lion

>>>It seems that there will be a new version:
>>>http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1372/?q=update&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1
>>>17.8.301.7
>>>The one we're discussing about here is 17.8.301.4

It seems that you are right, and what I suspected before that fitBIT is hiding something might be TRUE. In software development, is this practice normal? What is the purpose of removing 17.8.301.4 from the update changelog? If the changelog was destroyed, how some of the 5% who suffered a critical problem after the firmware update such as blank screen and reboot loop could refer to the correct firmware version? Do they think that by doing that, current fitBIT users (5%+100%) could forget what has happened to their Blaze?