Blaze Firmware Update - 17.8.200.3 [Closed]

[AndrewFitbit]

Update 5/6/16:

Hey all,

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread, and I wanted to give a quick update.

For reports of Blaze steps and/or distance being inaccurate, I think this is definitely something worth looking into. I've passed on all the feedback to our team so they can investigate. As a friendly reminder, remember that accuracy depends on many factors.

Here's a couple things being worked on:

• Excess Calendar Notifications
• 'Auto' brightness setting is too dim or adjusts slowly

For 'Auto' setting being too dim, you can switch to 'Normal' as a workaround in the meantime. Please note switching to 'Normal' will have a slight impact on battery life.

I'll provide updates when I can. Thanks everyone. 🙂

Update 4/27/16:

The firmware update should now be available to everyone. Update your Blaze and let me know how it goes! You can read the release notes for version 17.8.200.3 in the lead post or check them out on our help site. 🙂

Update 4/23/16:

Sorry for the wait, here's the release notes!

"The Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages are now available on Blaze. Note that Blaze is only available for pre-order from fitbit.com in China, Japan, and Korea.

This release also resolves a couple issues:

• Some customers were unable to resume a paused FitStar workout.
• Some customers reported problems with the Blaze screen (display)."

You can find these release notes for this update (17.8.200.3) on our help site.

4/21/16:

Hey everybody,

Some of you may have noticed there's a new firmware update for Blaze! We just started pushing this update out yesterday, and just like any other update, we'll be rolling it out in waves. This update focuses on a few bug fixes. Release notes will be posted here soon.

Thanks!

[drFrank]

Some folks state their phone doesn't sync with their Fitbit - I suggest checking how much space you have on your phone.  In the past, I had a few apps that didn't work correct and then I noticed I was near capacity on my iPhone.  Once I cleaned off data, the apps worked great.  Just a suggestion - 

[Julia_G]

@oxstardust421xo , no one knows when there will be a new update.  Fitbit does not announce this in advance.

[oxstardust421xo]

@Julia_G Thanks 🙂

[Yaakovchaim]

Considering how many people are noticing that the step count and mileage are off, this should be a priority 1 to get a fix out.  You are doing yourselves no favors by delaying a fix or at least acknowledging that there is an issue.  I've noticed my shortages a lot.  Today, for example, I have over 10,000 steps, yet I don't even have 4.5 miles.  I know if it was accurate, I would have that as I measured it on my phones app as well.

Lack of keeping your customers informed is poor customer service and is making me regret buying 2 fitbits for me and my wife.

[J-flex]

In addition to the issue of step count and mileage being off, my tracker just stopped recor active miles. I've reset my tracker numerous times with no success. Any suggestions/solutions?

[Rich_Laue]

As announced a while ago, fitbit is aware of the step issue and looking into it.
I have no inside info but realize it is not affecting everyone. Thos means the issue that only affects some has to be identified, a solution found, tested, tested to make sure that it doesnt causeore pronlems, etc. Then the update can be released.

[Yaakovchaim]

@Rich_Laue - I realize that as I've been in the IT field for over 30 years.  It is not okay that they are not staying on top of this and keeping the consumer updated as to when the problem will be solved.  It does not take much effort to provide at least a weekly update to provide us with what's going on, timetable, etc.  It would also help if they gave us an idea of any new features that may be in the next release.  In fact, they could probably get quite a few of us to be testers and report back on the fixes.

[meresydotes]

@Yaakovchaim For perspective, I've been unable to sync my fitbits (previous charge HR, current blaze) with a PC for almost 6 months now. I've called support many times for a fix and they have promised one many times. And still no fix. I would estimate that there has been over 100 updates to the android app in the time it's taken them to get one (critical) update to the Windows app out.

[Fands]

I think that only way that anyone will get a response about this is to contact customer service directly.

the forums are nice in that we can compare notes and wail about it together, but no actual representative from fitbit technical responds.

i have heard that "they are aware. they are working on it" for several weeks. I think that since this is such a BIG issue, affecting so many they would make an effort to inform thier customers.

If this were to have happened when the device was first released and EVERYONE was under warranty period, they would be more inclined to fix it quickly, but now a great many with problems are stuck with the $200.00 purchase that does not work accurately.  (and so someone said, neither does the $30.00 upgraded glazed frame feature one).  I don't feel that i have much choice at this point, i can only NOT recommend this and write about it to customer service and to their FB page.

[meresydotes]

@Fands I call customer service all the time. You should check out my post upstream in this thread that describes a typical interaction with them. They will replace your hardware, but most of the issues are firmware related, so that doesn't really help.

[MsSpammy]

I emailed for an update the other day, got this in reply:

We appreciate the time and effort you've invested in sending us this email.

Our Engineering team is still working on the improvement of all our products rest assured that all our customer's concern about the product is being address accordingly.

Let us know if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Ariane D. and the Fitbit Team

Wishy washy reply to say the least...

[Yaakovchaim]

@AndrewFitbit - Well Mr. Moderator, what say you.  We want an update that isn't wishy washy and at least gives us an idea when a fix will be released.  The last update was over a month ago.  This is making a lot of us regret purchasing the Blaze or a Fitbit at all.

[AndrewFitbit]

@Yaakovchaim I believe I've said this in another post but I'll expand here.

There's a ton of variables when accuracy is in question, so it's difficult to diagnose. The team and I are still in the investigative stage, but so far, most discrepancies seem to be with distance being undercounted.

Specific details would be really helpful when people post about data discrepancies, such as:

- What day was it (was it multiple days)?

- What was the discrepancy? What were you expecting it to be?

- What type of activity were you doing?

- Do you have a manually entered stride or are you using the default stride (auto stride)?

- Is your daily total(s) correct?

- What troubleshooting have you tried, if any?

Any additional information you guys can provide or think is relevant would definitely help. 

[meresydotes]

@AndrewFitbit Since you ask. Just today, I needed to walk for a few minutes at a moderate pace on my treadmill to spread the new lubricant I applied. I do not hold the handrails and I was not swinging my arms overmuch, just normally. If I was walking on the ground, the blaze would have been accurate within a few steps.

I had the treadmill on 3 MPH and 0% incline. I counted 100 steps, my blaze counted about 60 (I started about a minute into the walk, as I know that the blaze waits a few steps to start counting and I wanted to be fair).

I have a feeling that I also have a problem with distance, as I have my stride jacked up to almost 2.5 feet and I'm only 4'10". I just calculated it based on the number of steps when counted accurately and the distance as reported by the treadmill. But I'm not really concerned with distance, I'm concerned with having all my steps counted.

When I keep my hand on my body when I walk or run on the treadmill, the blaze seems at least reasonably accurate. This is not super comfortable, though.

[Yaakovchaim]

@AndrewFitbit - Here's your answers.  And just for your knowledge, I'm in the IT field and know how to do testing, among other things.

Specific details would be really helpful when people post about data discrepancies, such as:

- What day was it (was it multiple days)?  It's on multiple days. 

- What was the discrepancy? What were you expecting it to be? The discrepency is more on the distance, though even the steps seem to be off on some days.  I know that it takes me 2100 steps for 1 mile, and it has recorded more than 3000 on multiple occasions to record that.

- What type of activity were you doing? I was doing mall walking and one lap is exactly .80 miles.  I have recorded anywhere from .55 to .78 miles for that lap.

- Do you have a manually entered stride or are you using the default stride (auto stride)? I'm using the default stride, which I found to be pretty accurate based on other software that I've used (S-Health).

- Is your daily total(s) correct? The step count is within 100 steps, but the mileage can be off anywhere from .5 miles to 1.5 miles for any given day.  I'll use yesterdays totals as an example.  Total steps: 11,600; Miles: 4.18.  Based on my 2100 step/mile, I should have 5.52 miles for the day.

- What troubleshooting have you tried, if any? I've compared results with S-Health, which I ran simultaneously and found the results above.  I played with the settings some, but can't remember which ones when.

The issue may have to do with the watches pulse.  I've noticed that when the battery is completely full, the results tend to be more accurate.  As the battery drains, the results skew more and more.  If the steps and/or mileage are partially based on the watches pulse, that could be a potential cause.  If the watch is supposed to be syncing with the phones GPS, then either the sync is flawed and skipping updates or is not receiving the distances properly.

Hope some of this helps.  I would also like to see more watch faces as the four that are available are boring and not always easy to read.

[missj0198]

I know sime people have had problems with the Blaz, ut i must say that mine has been perfect and absoulutly love Fitbit. I have been a Fitbit user for 2 years and have had 3 Fitbits with the blaze being my last. I did have the charge and it started to fall apart but one email to you and you guys sent me another one. Just love Fitbit. 

[Yaakovchaim]

@AndrewFitbit - To give you a better idea of all the inconsistencies.  Here's my walking log since June 1.

Activity History

Date Activity Steps Distance Duration Calories  

Today, 6:46AM

Walk

5,149

1.89 miles

45:17

405 cals

View Details

Jun 19, 9:22AM

Walk

5,919

2.11 miles

51:30

449 cals

View Details

Jun 16, 12:21PM

Walk

2,581

1.24 miles

22:26

187 cals

View Details

Jun 16, 7:05AM

Walk

4,923

1.94 miles

42:07

375 cals

View Details

Jun 15, 6:44AM

Walk

6,061

1.8 miles

1:08:10

473 cals

View Details

Jun 14, 6:06AM

Walk

3,561

1.6 miles

31:14

261 cals

View Details

Jun 10, 6:37AM

Walk

7,897

3.45 miles

1:09:29

616 cals

View Details

Jun 8, 6:32AM

Walk

7,060

3.25 miles

1:08:05

545 cals

View Details

Jun 7, 6:33AM

Walk

6,407

2.81 miles

56:40

499 cals

View Details

Jun 5, 7:18PM

Walk

2,778

N/A

28:09

229 cals

View Details

Jun 5, 8:57AM

Walk

11,337

5.18 miles

1:42:28

854 cals

View Details

Jun 3, 6:29AM

Walk

7,576

2.77 miles

1:06:48

593 cals

View Details

Jun 2, 6:30AM

Walk

6,744

2.27 miles

1:05:12

527 cals

View Details

Jun 1, 12:08PM

Walk

2,757

1.09 miles

23:06

198 cals

View Details

Jun 1, 6:35AM

Walk

4,810

1.79 miles

45:47

396 cals

View Details

This is very disconcerting and is making me rethink my purchase of 2 fitbit Blaze watches.  I'm seriously considering getting something different that is accurate and not all over the map.  Especially since the lack of customer service on getting this fixed is lacking (and don't give me the "it's a lot of code to go through").  The problems started after the last update.  Either back out the changes or recall the devices until you can get the issues resolved.

[jharla1]

---

@missj0198 wrote:

I know sime people have had problems with the Blaz, ut i must say that mine has been perfect and absoulutly love Fitbit. I have been a Fitbit user for 2 years and have had 3 Fitbits with the blaze being my last. I did have the charge and it started to fall apart but one email to you and you guys sent me another one. Just love Fitbit. 

---

get out of here with your positivity 🙂

Love mine, no issues whatsoever (Now on Blaze, before that Charge HR).

[BLT1953]

@AndrewFitbit

Thanks for undersanding our problem and helping us get it resolved.

This first is of my fitbit app just after walking on my treadmill for 40 minutes.  The info look right...all the steps and distance are acceptable.

This second image is after my Blaze synced with the iphone.

This last image is from my treadmill show the actual walk..I do not hold onto the rail and I do not have the gps set to on when I walk on the treadmil.

I will say I do love my Blaze and am patiently waiting for an update that will correct this issue.

Thank you

Byron

[ML71]

My clock face is an hour out and nothing I do is repairing it.