Introducing Charge 5 Firmware Release - Version 1.171.50

[FitbitCommunity]

We’re excited to announce that a firmware update for Charge 5. 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. 

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

See What's changed in the latest Fitbit device update? for release notes.

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, see 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.

[Sarahyogi]

Yes I wouldn’t update if yours is working well, the thing is a lot of people have been waiting for the update, as I have, as the battery only lasts a few hours?! 

[SLM8572]

Still doesn't work. Hurry up and wait says Fitbit!  Help is coming. Sad 

[BillFit9]

Wow, the battery only lasts a few hours. That would suck. I hope that the update fixes your problem.

[BeenaJoy]

Mine did this before the update as did a lot of people's if you look on the community  The update that was meant to fix it didn't do a thing 

[BillFit9]

Now you know why I'm afraid to update. I sure hope they come up with a fix for you.

[BillFit9]

I'm with you. A new clock face is not worth taking something that's working and introducing problems like others have gotten after doing the update.

[BillFit9]

Your sad face in the mirror 😫 isn't as sad as it would be if your Charge 5 quit working after the update like some other people's did.  Just be Beamin that it works and maybe someday a new face 🤓 will appear and it won't be a 😱 face but a 😁 face!

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Kinda like every fall when you set the clocks back and an hour is lost except it happens every day.

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Good luck. I hope they are able to get it resolved for you.

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Oh no. I'm sorry that happened to you. You would think that with all these people reporting problems they would make the update unavailable to others until they have figured out what is causing the problems people are reporting. Just seems to be the smart thing to do.  Someone needs to tell them, "when you find yourself in a hole, quit digging!"

[Talahthas]

Update went like a charm. 🙂
No new clock faces. 😕

But wait! Fitbit never said that there really are new clock faces.



They just suggested to find new clock faces. Maybe in a sense like to find easter eggs at Easter? You cannot be sure that there are any. But you can nevertheless try to find some ... 🤔

[BillFit9]

I just read another post by somebody else that reported the same problem. Doesn't make it more fun for you but at least you're not alone. I hope they come up with a fix soon.

Love your user name by the way!

Bill

[BillFit9]

Other's have reported that the new find your phone feature requires that you have to have the FitBit app running on your phone. Is that what you determined when you tested it or does it work as long as you have bluetooth running?

Bill

[Christopherv]

That's true. Maybe that's the purpose of the mystery regarding the new clock faces. They don't want to show us a screenshot of the new faces, because we are supposed to find them (and because they may or may not exist).

Now that I've been told there could be new ones though I'm even more unsatisfied with the ones we have, which I surprised is possible considering how lackluster 

[Endmost]

@Talahthas , if it is the case I think the note shouldn't list here in "What's Changed..." as it is not a change, isn't it?

[SC_User47]

The fix is to throw it away and buy a different brand. Seriously.

[jabob]

I am happy for you. I never updated and still have not received the update, but a month ago when I went to charge my 5 is when this all began. It is a glitch in the product and has nothing to do with anything I did. Hopefully, they can resolve, but per Fitbit I have not updated or received any update to date. Others have indicated the same thing. 

[BillFit9]

Some folks, like you, report that the update went fine and your Charge 5 works fine after the update. Other's report problems after the update.

Seems like if the problem is with the update it should either work for everyone or no one with the Charge 5. Maybe the problem is really in the update process which encounters errors in some updates but no errors in others. For some people like you the new code downloads perfectly with no download errors and for others there are hiccups in the download which cause the code to not update the device properly.

Would be nice to know how many Charge 5s like yours have been updated without any problems and work fine and how many encountered new problems after being updated. If the problems happened to everybody it would be easy for FitBit to reproduce the problems in their workshop and determine the cause but if they are only happening to a few of us (relative to the total number of Charge 5 owners) it is a lot harder to figure out why.

That's why installing the update is sort of like playing the lottery. Will you be a winner, or will your Charge 5 die a thousand deaths?

Sounds like they need to come up with a way to back off the update to make failed devices functional again. Once the device is working again, reapply the update and see if it still works.

Bill

[SunsetRunner]

I am not experiencing half of the problems that others are but my after speaking with several advisors and reading other people's experiences, I'm shocked that such a big company can treat their customers so poorly. People unable to use their products properly (or at all!) Fitbit should be jumping through hoops to correct the issue. 

I want to return my Fitbit and never purchase anything from this company again!

[BillFit9]

I hope that they make it right for you.

Bill

[BillFit9]

I totally agree. FitBit has their company reputation and customer loyalty to protect and preserve. Now that they have been bought by Google they have the resources (read $$$) to do what it takes to fix customer's problems with their devices and software in a timely manner and they should be doing that.

It is possible that Google's strategy is to take FitBit's knowledge and patents and incorporate it into Google devices and make FitBit as a name and company disappear. If that's the case Google probably does care if FitBit's customers are happy or not.

Right now they are at the fork in the road...only time will tell what path they will take.

Bill

[colleenscharge5]

Hi guys. When I started this post it was because the update failed. Then I
saw the posts about problems from the update. Now my for charge5 ha updated
itself and now the same problems. Won't hold a charge, no standup reminder.
I bought this phone in June!!!!!

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thank you.

[SFin2]

@BillFit9 

<Some folks, like you, report that the update went fine and your Charge 5 works fine after the update. Other's report problems after the update >

Wait fot it ... 😄

My Charge5 had always worked ok. My update went well. No problems. Device worked fine for about 24 hours.

Then the hell broke loose. First the battery drained, then the display vent crazy and then black. I ended up with a device, that is connected to the phone app, but does nothing else. 

It could also be, that some specific sequence of actions by the user triggeres the error. Like swimming and starting GPS????