Bluetooth Music Playback Skipping

[bwanacameron]

My Fitbit Ionic has Bluetooth Music playback issues while GPS is active.

While running and GPS is active I have notice playback issues, music skips every few seconds making music playback while running unusable. I have tried several Bluetooth head phones all with the same issue. 

When I am exercising without GPS I have no Bluetooth music playback issues.

Wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same issue.

[Rich_Laue]

Help, are you playing the music off of the ionic. or off the phone, @bwanacameron? 

[bwanacameron]

Hey sorry should have been more specific.

Yes off the ionic. Just checked with another friend and they are having the same issue. 

[tblozis]

I've got bluetooth playback skipping even without GPS active.  It's relatively intermittent and I've noticed it more while running outside as compared to lifting weights in the gym.  I wouldn't call it unusable, but it's definitely a noticeable degradation.

With GPS active while playing music my watch crashed entirely this morning.

I'm playing music from onboard storage uploading from my computer, no streaming service.  320kbps mp3s, maybe a little high bitrate for the watch but it's such a pain to upload music I think I'd live with the issue before I try to convert my music to a lower bitrate.

It feels like it's gotten worse after the 2.0 update.

[TheStephSmith]

I've been having the same issue and there are posts as far back as Oct 2017 describing the issue. I agree it's gotten worse since last update. I wish Fitbit would fix...ruins my runs .

[jamierunner]

I have not been able to use the music function on my ionic since purchasing. 

This music skipping issue has come up multiple times on this board.

Guess what...no valid replies from fitbit. No communication after mentioning the problem.

This was the main reason I bought the watch. being able to run without my phone and listen to music.

Anyways time to sell this thing and but a running watch that works.

[Rich_Laue]

This might be a stupid question to ask, but @jamierunner have you contacted Fitbit and asked about this music breaking up because of Bluetooth comunication connection problems? 

[jamierunner]

Yes multiple times. 

Two times the chat agent said they are working on the problem.

The third time the agent said this is a new problem for fitbit...I asked if the chat agent ever reads the community boards and he said no. Hard for agents to get a good feel of whats going on if they don;t read the boards.

Super frustrating. 

[Rich_Laue]

It would be hard for support to do their job if they are looking at the boards, 

[SunsetRunner]

I have the same issue, BT audio drop-outs during a run with GPS ON and OFF, I found 2 strange things:

1 - The drop-out frequency seems to vary a lot during runs (sometimes only 2-3 in a run, sometimes every few seconds). While sitting in my garden, no issues!

2 - It seems to correlate with distance between headphone and Ionic. Just keep your Ionic close to your headphone while running, and my drop-outs disappear.

Anyway, I also bought the Ionic for running without headphone. For that, don't bother.....

[TheStephSmith]

For me, it's movement. I feel like whenever I position my arm up to run it
starts happening. If I'm still it's fine.

[jamierunner]

Looking at customer complaints should be part of their jobs considering they are helping customers with problems.

I shouldn't know more than a fitbit agent...

[SunsetRunner]

I have been having skipping issues since I bought mine this spring. Called on twice, they said they are working on it. Third time they told me, I have called in already, and they have a "ticket" in. Last call a couple days ago and 4 brand new headphones later (all of them skip) I was told only fliers work with the watch. I told them they could have the watch back, they said, you have to return it to the store. Not only is the watch disappointing but the lack of care on the part of customer service is unreal.

---

@jamierunner wrote:

Looking at customer complaints should be part of their jobs considering they are helping customers with problems.

I shouldn't know more than a fitbit agent...

---

[MJMReel]

Has anyone found a solve to this issue!! It's so annoying. I thought it was the headphones at first but after multiple headphones doing the same error one would have to assume it's the watch?

[Victor214]

Same issue here. Went thru several new bluetooth headsets and music from ionic wouls skip several beats when wrist is down and running outdoors.

[MartinUK]

I purchased the Fitbit Ionic yesterday, I was really excited about all the features especially the Deezer music, however when I try to play songs I get continual pauses every 3 to 3 seconds - so anoying. If there isnt a fix for this I guess the watch will be returned to the shop.

[ZildjianLT]

This is a problem for me too! I also have trouble with only some of my phone notifications coming through... it's almost like the bluetooth cuts in and out.

[Rich_Laue]

@ZildjianLT if your issue is with notifications, it is unrelated to the music issue.