Blaze loses connected GPS connection time and again

[Aredhel]

Got my Blaze yesterday and have since embarked on 2 short runs (3.3km each) - and was majorly disappointed at how the Blaze performed. It takes ages for the Blaze to establish a connection with my Z3 and when it's connected I get 1 out of 4 bars signal strength - at a distance of maybe 30cm. While running the Blaze then loses that connection and makes up some bogus distance, 2.6km instead of 3.3km, resulting in a 6'19'' average vs. the actual 4'30'' as measured on my Microsoft Band 2. This is an absolute showstopper, I had to actually delete those runs from the fitbit app because connected web sites (e.g. runtastic) actually take those numbers at face value.

I can't even add those runs (as recorded by the Band 2) in the fitbit app afterwards, yet another bummer. I had hoped that fitbit wouldn't release connected GPS without being absolutely sure that this feature works just as well as with the Surge, albeit requiring me to carry a mobile phone at the same time. Alas, my first impressions seem to indicate just that. I no longer trust this thing and will from now on always wear the Band 2 as backup and eventually return the Blaze (and leave the fitbit ecosystem) if there isn't an easy fix.

Major disappointment for a $200 device.

[AngelaMa]

Hello @Aredhel it's great to have you here! 🙂 The Blaze has Connected GPS  so it requires to be connected to your phone and the Surge has a built in GPS. If the GPS is not working properly try the troubleshooting steps listed here. 

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂 

[mvan231]

AWFUL! I have similar issues and it's been a long time since this original post. iPhone 7 and Fitbit Blaze bought for Christmas are not working as desired everytime. It happens quite often that I am running and Bluetooth / GPS signal is lost during the run in an open area.

[SunsetRunner]

I'm in the exact same boat. Had a 25 km bike ride this morning that only logged 12 km when I was done. According to the requirements in the troubleshooting page, the one thing I wasn't doing and should have been is leaving the Fitbit app open on my iPhone 7. I have been starting the activity from my Blaze and not bringing up my phone at all.

[mvan231]

Yes I can understand why they want it to be opened but as long as
background app refresh is on and the bluetooth device is completely paired
with the phone this shouldn't be necessary. If it was necessary to open the
app before going, then what is the point of the connected GPS? we could all
just use the app to track the run entirely and not even worry about
connected GPS garbage.

This is quite an irritating issue and I have complained to Fitbit multiple
times with no resolution as of yet. This morning I have reset my privacy
and location services settings along with doing a full restore of my phone
and then resetting all settings of my phone. I will see if this makes any
difference but I am not holding my breath that it will.

[John18722]

I am having the same issue whilst trying to connect my OnePlus 3 to my fitbit blaze. It used to work perfectly well but for the last week or so the connection keeps dropping off during a bike ride. I then have no idea that the ride is not recording and get home to realise only around 1 mile has actually be recorded out of about a 15 mile ride. It's clearer an issue with the Bluetooth connection but what I find odd is that it used to work perfectly and now fails every time I try it. I would like a solution to this please as this was the main reason I bought a fitbit. 

[GarethDPhillips]

Yes me too, its totally exasperating, depressing, and frustrating. Presumably Fitbit dont publicly acknowledge / admit that there is an issue, or there would be a technical article about it. Disgusting really.

Not sure what to do, but I have tried literally everything, its just poorly thought out and chronically unreliable. No idea if a fix is coming, as I say, Fitbit aren't positing any information about the problem so they presumably wont admit there is one.

Support will just give you the usual fob-offs to waste a few weeks until you are bored.

Im not sure venting in this forum is helpful, as Im not sure if any Fitibt staff read it ?  I think a few of us have exhausted just about everything we can, so at the moment there are no more ideas... Please do post in the sticky topic so give the problem your vote though.  

[GarethDPhillips]

These troubleshooting steps dont address the problems we are describing. In out scenario the Blaze connects perfectly to the GPS service on the mobile, but at some time during a run it will disconnect for no apparent reason. The troubleshooting article is therefore not relevant. 

[mvan231]

I got a reply from Fitbit saying if I a, not happy with their resolution of
the issue that they can look into other options. So we will see what those
are exactly. Aside from that today I restored my phone twice and have reset
all settings for location and everything else. So maybe that will make a
difference. Also going to try without my arm band as well.

[mvan231]

I got another response and you can see it in the other forum. They basically are asking if I want to return the device for a full MSRP refund and not offering any type of actual solution other than to pay me to get off their back and they want me to return the item to them.

[GarethDPhillips]

not a great set of options !  It would be nice to know that the upcoming firmware addresses the issue, but you would assume not, as there is no acknowledgment that there is an issue !

I may just rock in a corner, and cry a little 🙂

[ThePreacher]

The phone is whats causing the problem. It sees the app as not in use and closes it.

What I have found works is... (on my iPhone).

1. Ensure Backgroud app refresh is enabled in the phones settings.

2. Before setting off open the app and let it sync. Close your phone as normal.

3. Thats it. I find it stays running for longer if you open the app first. If you just do it from the blaze it will only connect breifly before the phone closes the app to save power.

[GarethDPhillips]

Thanks for your suggestions. I dont think its this simple, as I have an android (so a little more control over a few things, arguably) and I have bought a little 3rd party app which can force any other install app to remain open, and stops the screen from fading or locking. I used this with Fitbit, and it had the desired effect, in that the app remained open all the time, and the screen never locked, and the device never dimmed. This still didn't help the Bluetooth drop outs. 

Also in many cases, and particularly last night, I notice the disconnect can occur minutes into the run. Last night it was literally 2 mins in, probably less, by which time the app would never have been killed anyhow. If I were to test it sat here at my desk, it would track for hours most likely, and not disconnect. 

[SunsetRunner]

Yeah definitely seems to be a Bluetooth issue. As a test, I actually had a separate GPS logging app running on my phone at the same time as my ride yesterday (Biko App). Biko had my entire route complete without any gaps, but Fitbit only had about 60% of the route logged. So GPS connectivity was not an issue - definitely something affecting communication between phone and Blaze itself.

[SunsetRunner]

I would hope that they are acknowledging internally but maybe just refraining from publicly acknowledging the issue. 

I'm definitely with @GarethDPhillips hoping there is a firmware enhancement that addresses it. Rumours were that a new release would be coming in February or March this year.

[SunsetRunner]

@mvan231 I do somewhat feel that the Exercise logging was a key feature for me when buying the Blaze so if that doesn't work, nice to know that a full refund is being offered. But I would far rather that they actually resolve the issue. I love everything else about my Blaze, I just want it to work as it should.

[GarethDPhillips]

Id speculate that Bluetooth LE isn't stable or enough for this prolonged
connection and data transfer. Pure speculation though

Why can't it use classic Bluetooth. More bandwidth i believe, and it's
bulletproof!

[Julia_G]

@SunsetRunner and @GarethDPhillips, I have also experienced the disconnecting issue... I have a theory (and a suggestion).  I do not know if it is just coincidence, but I have found whar seems to have made the connection more robust for me.  As I say, it may be nonsense but worth a try...  Bear with me while I explain.

So, my situation is a little different.  My everyday phone is a Windows phone, which currently does not work with the Blaze connected GPS, but I have a spare Android phone which does work, but usually it has no SIM.

I discovered (far as I know no one has confirmed this, but it is definitely true) that you cannot initiate Connected GPS unless you have internet.  That seems weird, because it is a Blue Tooth connection, but it is definitely true.  No internet, no initial connection.

So I can only initiate connected GPS where I can use wifi (since my phone has no SIM), like at home.  That works fine, and I get connected and set out, but I have discovered that once I leave wifi range of my house, the connection fails... Now I KNOW that internet is only required for the initial connection so this puzzled me.

I wondered if my phone searching for, and failing to find, wifi was somehow causing the connection to the Blaze to fail.  I tested this by connecting at home (with wifi) but once connected, turning wifi OFF on the phone, before  I was out of range, and then setting out.  Doing this almost always results in a robust connection and I get the full run...

Now, I appreciate you are probably using cellular connection, not wifi, but it still could be relevant.  Suppose you move in and out of good cellular connection.  Possibly this has the same effect as my wifi internet connection theory -- although a secure connection is not required except for initial connection, maybe the process of your phone searching for an internet connection could disrupt the Bluetooth connection to the Blaze?  

So my suggestion is, try establishing your connection with your cellular data turned on, and then, once it is connected (and you get the Let's Go message) turn off data for the rest of your run, and see if the connection is more secure.

I accept this may all be my own particular voodoo -- but it might be worth a try if you are willing to test it. 

[mvan231]

Yeah I agree Gareth.

This is not what ThePreacher thinks it is. I promise you. I have done
exactly what you explained and still had issues. Thank you for the advice
though. But the issue is not related to the phone closing the app. Even if
that were the case, I would be even more mad because then this type of a
design is flawed from the beginning. It is designed to be able to start the
run from the watch. I shouldn't have to open anything on the phone,
otherwise it defeats the purpose of the watch itself.

[GarethDPhillips]

Hi @Julia_G and thanks for this detailed reply. It's funny as I have wondered in the past if it may be mobile signal related, and I have heard contradictory reports that an internet connection is / isn't required for connected GPS. I did intend to try fixing my phone to 3G only, rather than having it jump between 3G and 4G, but I don't think I got around to that. This is something I will explore, as your findings are interesting. I have sometimes wondered also if I am experiencing the issues at similar places on my runs, so that could add some weight to this. However, it must be said I have gone round in circles with a lot of things when trying to pinpoint this issue, and at times I wonder if there is actually anything I / we are trying that really makes a difference! - It does appear anyhow, that internet access isnt required as you rightly say, but is (at least on android) for the initial connection between phone and Blaze. I find that internet access doesnt necessarily need to be present when I try to start a run, but the phone and blaze do need to have been connected recently. If the app has just been started for the first time in a long time, or the phone has been rebooted since they were last connected to each other, an internet connection will be required before a connection can be made, and before a run can start. 

One thing is for sure (but this may be specific to andoird, Im not certain) an internet connection is required when the app first opens, as without one, the blaze will never connect / sync. No idea why. The app can then apparently run in the background without any internet access, and I find that connected GPS will still connect. Its only if Fitibt is totally closed, or the phone reboots, that the app needs to be opened to allow the Blaze to connect before any connected GPS attempts will succeed. 

This leads me on to flight mode. I tried and failed previously to run with flight mode on, something that @mvan231suggested, but I couldnt get it to work. Having read your post I tried again and realised why. Not only does Bluetooth need to be turned on when in flight mode, but WiFi must be on in order that a connection to the internet can be established, assuming the Blaze wasn't already connected. Once the connected GPS starts and is connected, I am able to turn off the WiFi (leaving WiFi and the phone radio off) and the connected GPS remains.   - I will certainly try a run like this and see how it goes (not that we should have to even consider something so mad as this)

With connected GPS connected, I can turn the mobile radio on and off, and turn WiFi on and off, and I cannot make that cause a disconnect, but I must admit, I haven't been out of range of the WiFi, so maybe that would. Like I said, I will do a bit more testing. 

I think it is safe to say that with WiFi off, mobile phone radio off, no other bluetooth devices connected, location services using device only (no WiFi or Bluetooth location data) and no other apps running, not to mention a fresh phone and Blaze reboot prior to the run, there is nothing else left to try.