Firmware update v 220.31

[EstuardoFitbit]

Thank you for your patience as you waited for the firmware update. 

This update includes key fixes for battery and display issues, along with new clock faces for Charge 6. 

Please keep an eye on the Fitbit mobile app for the update notification as it continues to become available to all users, beginning this week.

Thank you for your continued support and patience!

[StepCount123]

@SunsetRunner yeah, I made a post about how possible incompatibilities might have surfaced, or that with the new AI feature in the app they found something and pulled .21 but could have commented and we would have been patient then (the communication aspect). That post was mod removed as not pertinent. I expect the same might/will happen to this (yours, mine, who knows?).

Edit: typo

[tcat007]

Curious if having phone set with a private DNS would effect getting the watch update.  I notice if I want to change a watch face, I have to turn off private DNS to get them to open.  All other features work fine with it.  It's strange because I have Fitbit.com in my allowed list.

[xambro]

Yeah, man, I get you. I had an inspire three before my Charge 6 (I got my Charge 6 in September) and inspire three never updated either, which should have also updated to 220.21. I think that Google, if you’re gonna release an update for your watches, update it all at once, or not at all. And if not at all no one will buy from you. Sadly my watch is pasthe return date. Very disappointed with the lack of communication about this huge issue. And the phased rollout is 1% released? Does that mean they will release 1% every half a year? I’ll be gone by the time I get it. Please Google, we ask you, release it fully or not at all and in that case we won’t buy from you again. 

[xambro]

Yes. I get the exact same response

[RachelR-GA]

My Charge 6 never received 220.24 firmware, much less 220.31. I have been patiently waiting and not seen any clear answer on what is blocking those of us not getting any updates this fall.

How long do we have to wait before this trayed as an issue vs just being asked to be "patient"?

[xambro]

Can a moderator please leave an explanation? I dont want to have to keep bothering support over this issue. 

I just contacted them again and they said mine is an update away from receiving the update. What that means, I dont know. But for now I'll sit and cry.

[Steltek]

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@tcat007 wrote:

Curious if having phone set with a private DNS would effect getting the watch update.  I notice if I want to change a watch face, I have to turn off private DNS to get them to open.  All other features work fine with it.  It's strange because I have Fitbit.com in my allowed list.

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Fitbit.com isn't enough. From my testing, you need to allow:

www.googletagmanager.com
cdn.optimizely.com
region1.analytics.google.com
www.google-analytics.com
.*\.gvt[123].com 

Without these, a portion of the Fitbit app fails. Does that impact firmware update availability? I don't know. The only empirical evidence that I have is that my last update showed up while I was on a trip, but with Fitbit/Google never communicating any proper rollout status ever, it's impossible to confirm whether that was because I was out-of-range of my DNS, or whether it was due to an actual firmware rollout finally happening.

[Transer]

Funny. 

[SunsetRunner]

If that 1% roll out number is correct and it took 4 months to get to that number then like someone else posted by the time we get the update we're all retired unless we get really lucky to be in the first 5%. It would take 40 months to reach 10%, 400 months to reach 100%. Only 30 or so years. I am temped to write to these Android news sites who all reported the new Charge 6 watch faces in July, I wonder if they know we did not actually get them. To me that simple fact says it all really, it should not take half a year to push 3 new watch faces to all Charge 6 users. The fact it does says a lot.

[SunsetRunner]

I do not care much for the middle one, but the first and last seem pretty decent.

I found the blog post announcing them here.

[Unfit2Track]

Addendum: I have found that I can get my FitBit to sync (on those occasions where it does not do so automatically) by closing the app and then re-opening. Although at least one person has noted that they re-started their phone in order to get FitBit to sync, which is a bit more trouble.

[tcat007]

Thanks, that fixed that problem (without the GVT domain, which it didn't accept).

[SunsetRunner]

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@StepCount123 wrote:

@SunsetRunner yeah, I made a post about how possible incompatibilities might have surfaced, or that with the new AI feature in the app they found something and pulled .21 but could have commented and we would have been patient then (the communication aspect). That post was mod removed as not pertinent. I expect the same might/will happen to this (yours, mine, who knows?).

Edit: typo

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Yeah I also noticed some "critical" posts disappearing, I was reading some threads the other day and saw a sarcastic comment about the Fitbit labs tiles re-appearing was a feature not a bug. that comment is no longer in that thread. I wouldn't be surprised if they actively delete negative comments after a few days and hope nobody notices. I guess I had way too high expectations from Fitbit/Google making good trackers with good software support but my $20 Xiaomi tracker has better update support, literally 1000s of watch faces and options to make your own and just more features in general and a longer lasting battery to boot. Just use GadgetBridge to maintain privacy.

[Wahoox2]

Yes! Those that reported the hype should know and perhaps could get some answers.

[PhotonBeard]

@SunsetRunner The 1% phased rollout doesn't mean the firmware will be released at that rate for all devices. This is a protection against bricking huge numbers of devices that have no recovery method. Eg they roll out 1% and check for any feedback. Then to say 10%, then 25%, 50%, etc. Last year they released an update to the Google Home and Mini that permanently bricked them, but it was pulled before it affected all devices. The difference with phone updates being released all at once is they have A/B partitions or can be recovered via USB.

[SunsetRunner]

@PhotonBeard Maybe but it's been 5 months since they announced the update and watch faces. Do you think it is reasonable to have your customers wait that long?

How did you edit your post by the way? I don't have an edit option anywhere. I assumed they restrict new users but this is your first post.

[PhotonBeard]

@SunsetRunner The .21 July firmware was pulled, so the 1% rate would have been reset whenever .31 started rolling out over the last few weeks. They might be being extra cautious if .21 caused issues. Edit is via the drop down arrow.

[SunsetRunner]

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@PhotonBeard wrote:

@SunsetRunner The .21 July firmware was pulled, so the 1% rate would have been reset whenever .31 started rolling out over the last few weeks. They might be being extra cautious if .21 caused issues. Edit is via the drop down arrow.

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Nothing my drop down menu. I searched the forum and it seems a recurring issue some people have.

Too bad they didn't update blog post saying the update has been postponed or mention it somewhere here. Maybe I missed it but I think the communication is lacking. Either way my points stand. Fixes and new watch faces announced in July are still not available in December. Guess we all need to be more patient.