Charge 5 Firmware Update 194.61

[LizzyFitbit]

7/13 Update: We’re continuing to roll out this firmware for the Charge 5 Firmware Update 194.61, and expect more customers are able to update their devices. This is a progressive rollout and all customers can expect to have it within a few weeks. We release updates in phases so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. If you don't see the option to update, don't worry - you'll have it soon!

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We’re excited to announce that a firmware update version 194.61 for Charge 5 will be available soon! Some of you might already have this update available. If you installed it, let us know what you think!

We release updates to customers in phases. If you don’t see it, check the Fitbit app in a few days, and you’ll see a message when you can install the update. We appreciate your patience while we get this update to all of our customers.

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

• All exercise modes are now available in the Exercise app, and your most recently used modes appear at the top. For more information, see How do I track my workouts with my Fitbit device?
• Find new clock faces in the Fitbit Gallery in the Fitbit app. For more information, see How do I change the clock face on my Fitbit device?
• View your daily readiness score on your tracker (Premium feature only). For more information, see What’s my daily readiness score in the Fitbit app?
• Support for global characters and right-to-left text notifications:
  Arabic
  Hebrew
  Thai
  Hindi
  Vietnamese
• This release includes bug fixes and improvements.

Full release notes can be found here. For more details, please see this Community Blog post.

HOW DO I UPDATE?
See How do I update my Fitbit device? for step by step instructions for updating your Charge 5. If you run into difficulty updating, review these Why can't I update my Fitbit device?

We’re interested in hearing your feedback on this update! Let us know what you like! If you encounter unexpected behavior during or after your update, please post the details below.

[markmit1908]

I have a Charge 5. Working perfectly on 188.58. Last week it suddenly started losing charge very quickly (fully charged to dead in about 2 hours).  Could this be the same firmware issue?  Apparently the firmware is up to date.

[honglong1976]

No, that's the previous firmware.

[SistahSJB]

Well. I'm not buying a Charge 6 but I did buy a Charge 5 pebble from Ebay. I have lots of Charge 5 accessories (watch bands and a charger) and the pebble allows me to keep using them without investing in a new watch. So far that works for me. If this pebble bricks I'll look for a different brand. This was a relatively cheap attempt at a fix.

[6TJS6]

I had made a point to turn off my auto-updates from the Google Play store, and every time I got a notice that I had updates for other apps, I made a point NOT to update the Fitbit app. But low and behold, one day I fired it up to sync my Fitbit, and saw this complete revamp. Not sure about it yet, but for the most part I don't like it. One thing is what you've mentioned, that you can't see the charge left on the dashboard. You now have to click on the icon for the Charge 5, and then it only tells you the approximate charge, such as "Medium". That's really useful. 

[Bob1963gmail]

it is now 10/10/2023, my fit bit reports version 188.58. was new firmware rollout paused. i see no flag in the app to update?

[6TJS6]

Hello everyone. I had to take an unexpected leave of absence from the community. Now that I'm back I'm sorry to see that nothing has changed as far as a response from Google/Fitbit for the current issue taking place with so many people. 

I was first introduced to the Charge 5 through my health insurance company which gives members a free Fitbit if they choose to receive one. I've always been glad I did, because it gave me the motivation to become more active than I was. I've also liked the other health metrics it's offered. Unfortunately, my first one died slightly before the 1 year mark, and my health insurance company told me to contact Fitbit, which I did, and they sent me a replacement.

This one lasted me until I was 2 weeks past the 1 year warranty when I experienced the same issues being discussed on the forum,  so I contacted my health insurance company once again. They told me to contact Fitbit again, but unfortunately I was told it was over the warranty period, and was offered a 35% discount. I wasn't exactly thrilled by this, but decided to take them up on their offer after I found out from my insurance company that I could only get one every 2 years which won't be until June of next year. I found that they were on back order, but I patiently waited until the day they said they would ship. Then I received an email from them informing me that the ship date had been changed and I would have to wait another month. I cancelled the order and bought one elsewhere, where it was on sale. I did this because I had invested money in other bands and a charger, and still wanted to stay as active as I had been and hoped if it could last until I could get another free one from my insurance company I would get it. Not only because it would be free, but I would then have a backup for when the one I have now also dies unexpectedly like my last 2 have.

After having to buy this last one myself, I contacted my insurance company and made the suggestion to them that they might think of going with another product line, because of all of the issues people have had with Fitbit's for a long time, and especially now that Google has bought Fitbit and due to the latest debacle. They thanked me for telling them this and for the suggestion. I don't know if they will actually consider this move to another product that would hopefully be more dependable, but I can only imagine how much business Google would lose if a very large national healthcare insurance company moved on to something else. We'll see.

Meanwhile I wish everyone the best trying to finding some type of resolution from Google/Fitbit for the current issue, other than having to buy another one with your own money. I know I won't if this one fails no matter the investment I've made in accessories.

[karand]

Same thing happened to me. The watch hasn't been updated (thank goodness), but the phone app has, and I think it's awful. I hadn't noticed that the indicator for the battery charge was missing--thanks for pointing that out.

[PAdel]

Letter to Mr. James Park (**personal info removed** at fitbit.com)- The firmware update pushed out by Fitbit has rendered my Charge 5 inoperable two months after the end of the warranty period, and coincidentally, simultaneously with the announcement of the Charge 6. As many people have experienced, Fitbit has not responded to efforts to either fix the problem they created or to replace units at a fair price. This is a very disappointing turn of events. A message posted by the moderator LizzyFitbit on the Fitbit community forum (Charge 5 Firmware Update 194.61, posted 6/27/23) ends with "We’re interested in hearing your feedback on this update! Let us know what you like! If you encounter unexpected behavior during or after your update, please post the details below." As of this date there are 834 posts on the thread and it has been viewed by 113,478 Fitbit users who are all having the same problem with your product. Sadly, there have been no subsequent posts by LizzyFitbit providing help with getting a watch fixed or replaced. The moderator's last response was on July 10 saying the problem is being looked into, meanwhile, it is now mid October and there have been hundreds of additional posts to the thread about the product failure. This represents an extraordinary failure by Fitbit to serve it's customers and back up it's products. Given the high number of people reporting similar experiences with the Charge 5, the silence from Fitbit is deafening and should be an embarrassment to the company. I hope by contacting you I, and many other Charge 5 owners, will finally get a useful response from the company or be properly compensated for the loss that they caused. This correspondence is being copied to Consumer Watch (consumerwatch.com) and Amazon.

[SunsetRunner]

...and that doesn't count the hundreds (or more) posts that were deleted.

I hope you receive a response . Good luck!

[PAdel]

LisaAguilera - please copy my letter and send to Mr. Park - j as in james, park as in park, at fitbit.com

[Megmeltz]

Excellent letter! Thanks for doing that and stating everything clearly and politely.

Meg

[6TJS6]

I had a similar experience, where I'd leave it to charge after it seemingly went dead without any response. I put it on the charger for a day and then it would start working again, although I still needed to charge it every day. Eventually it went back to being dead and would only show the blinking logo while charging, and then eventually just a circle with the red X of death. Never could revive it again.

[bjhiltbrand]

Message sent. I wonder how long this post will stay up. The amount of censorship on Fitbit's part in this community is appalling.

[SunsetRunner]

In a word google dissent...oops i lied, two words.

[SunsetRunner]

I noticed the same thing…

[DavidIP]

I dislike the new interface and much preferred the previous one.  I cannot now find the % battery status without connecting the charger - have I missed something?  

[6TJS6]

If you tap on the device icon on the top left, and then tap on your C5, it will tell you when it was last synced, as well as the battery life. Unfortunately, it only tells you something like medium or full, not the actual percentage which is really helpful. Sadly, the app just started acting up for me, and won't sync with my C5 and keeps crashing. Here we go again.

[DavidIP]

Thank you, I had seen that but I found the previous % indicator so useful (although would have preferred a permanent indicator rather than just a brief glimpse when refreshing) to help gauge in advance when I should recharge.

[may61]

A few months ago I had a battery problem and was sent a replacement.
However, it was soon plagued by the same battery problem again.
The battery drains in less than 6 hours after a full charge.

[SunsetRunner]

my health insurer has dropped the fitbit for the coming year. Wonder how many complaints they received? I had 3 replacements in the 2 years i had it. Certainly NOT going to buy one! It has been terrible.