To me, the bands seem constructed to begin dissolving at 12.5 months. The retaining strap, the buckle, the connection to the pin. I guess that's better than when they dissolve the skin on your wrist.
My family of four has had 9 fitbits in three years. The devices haven't failed yet but they aren't very useful without a band. Of course, earlier models didn't have interchangeable bands at all. Fitbit stops releasing software updates or selling accessories as soon as another model comes out. Perhaps Fitbit feels that a smartwatch should be a subscription service and we should give them $20/month.
