Feedback about Fitbit Ionic

[MelissaRN]

I've never owned a Fitbit product.  I recently began using the Fitbit app as a way to log water, food and steps and I am enjoying it and finding it motivating.

I'm thinking about making the plunge and purchasing the Fitbit Ionic.  (I also was looking at the Blaze.)

So question, would you buy the Fitbit Ionic again?  Do you regret it?  Love it?  Think it's worth it or not?

Any feedback is appreciated.   Thank you in advance!  

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[pedris]

After 10 months of using the Ionic, I went and bought a Garmin Fenix 5
Plus. Haven't looked back since. Probably replace my Aria with a Garmin
equivalent soon and that's the end of Fitbit for me.

[shayham]

No. You can buy a step counter for €7 and only a chest strap can truly monitor your heart rate.

They are too temperamental and not a reliable HR indicator. 

[Comalito]

Hi there,

I am quite sure that you are right, specilly concerning the accuracy of the
bell.
However, I tested Pulse readings with medical devices and it's always exact
on Fitbit.
For the rest and particularly sleeping, it is a "nice pretty toy".
Thanks for your comment.
Take care

Update: 

Yes! 

Did you complain? 

Did you ask for an exchange?

Update: 

Interesting!

I agree with you. The Fitbit designs is one of its main qualities, but it certainly is not sufficient. Moreover, in some months, it seems to be have gone from bad to worse. 

It certainly is not a precision instrument. Very far from that!

Take care,

Comalito.

[SilviaFitbit]

Hey everyone! I appreciate your continuous feedback, this helps Fitbit to continue improving watches and implementing new features on new products. 

Rest assure that all the troubleshooting that Customer Support provides is to fix any issue that you might be experiencing and any solution that they give is always based on the Fitbit Warranty. 

I'll be around if you have any question! 

[FitbitUser124]

I only got the pebble, no cable or bands. Fitbit sucks, but I'm not seeing any great alternatives anyone wanna go in on a resource/ joint venture alternative?

[motoscribble]

My biggest complaint about this watch is the battery life, 3 to 4 days if you are lucky and 2 to 3 hours to charge. Garmin crushes this watch battery wise. I recently bought my 2nd Garmin Fenix watch, had a Fenix 3 (which I liked although it is heaver and bulky) and bought a 5 a few weeks ago to try. I also own a Fitbit Iconic. Of the 3 I like the Fitbit for it's size and weight, and the band is one of the best I have worn, again the drawback to this watch is the horrible battery life/charge time. I returned the Fenix 5 because like the Fenix 3 it is overly big and heavy for smaller wrists and the band is junk. Hoping to eventually see someone develop a great watch because the Iconic is still not there! I would not buy this watch again.

[SantiR]

@FitbitUser124 Welcome to the Fitbit forums! Thanks for taking the time to share the experience you have had so far. Thanks for sharing your feedback here.

You mean you got just the pebble as a replacement?

If you had, please feel free to follow these replacement set up steps for you to not loose any of your previous data. 

@motoscribble I hope you're doing well! Thanks for sharing the experience you have had with Ionic and other devices. I appreciate your feedback regarding battery power. Thanks for sharing some positive aspects you found on Ionic.

If you keep experiencing battery issues; please check these tips to increase the battery power on your watch.

Keep me posted! 

[motoscribble]

Funny you should reply to the post today just as I received a email to ..... CHARGE MY ICONIC and I only use it for the heart rate and steps, nothing else is turned on.

3 days is terrible and although I find good things about this watch it will be replaced as soon as I find something better. Until then I will be reminded every 3 days to ..... CHARGE MY ICONIC

Oh ya ..... another 2 to 3 hours to charge

[Bujica]

@motoscribble, that is definitely not the norm. Either something in your setup drains the battery or your battery has an issue on its own. We have 3 Ionics in the household and they all last 5 days with normal use (minimal GPS activity).

[SantiR]

@motoscribble Thanks for your reply and for sharing those details regarding your Ionic's battery power. 

I went ahead and created a case with customer support in your behalf. Please keep an eye on your email inbox for next steps.

@Bujica I hope you're doing well! Thanks for sharing your experience and help on this thread!

Keep me posted! 

[Tim528]

Got my original device back in June.  It never worked and did nothing when I plugged it in fresh out of the box.  Got a replacement.  That one stopped working a few weeks later after a swim.  Got another replacement.  That one stopped working after another few weeks after a swim.  I dont believe these devices are properly water proof. And I would never buy another.  I am currently struggling to get my money back.  All I have been offered is another device.  So that will be the fourth in less than 6 months.

[Sasqch]

Silvia, It is great to see a reply from the Fitbit team.  Thank you.  Could you stop over on the Ionic SpO2 thread and let us know when the SpO2 sensor will be activated please. 

BTW, my Ionic battery life is great.  I'm basically perpetually charged, I wear it all day and night and pop it on the charger when I take a shower.  That is usually enough to get me back up into the 90+% range.  Now when I use it for an outdoor run or hike with the GPS on I will have to give it more time or dedicate an overnight charge to get it back up to 100%.  My biggest complaint is the lack of Fitbit to follow though on promises like the SpO2 sensor.  

[SusanneSt]

Definitely not. My Fitbit ionic won’t recognise my wifi, is extremely difficulty to sync and so I do t have music or notifications. Very poor quality for a very high price. 

[Carmydp]

I totally agree with your comments !!! Waiting on my fourth IONIC in 13 months - first watch , time was out by 20mins (replaced )  , 2nd watch - after updating watch wouldn't work & froze (replaced)   , 3rd watch - just went blank for no reason (waiting on replacement). FITBIT - please sort out your issues as the watch features are great and I love my Ionic but .....it is becoming extremely frustrating .

[sharenslz]

No,

Had I not bought my Ionic from Amazon I would have been stuck with useless watch.

First one lasted 6 months- replaced by Amazon - Fitbit customer service no help at all.

Second one - 5 months - replaced by Amazon - Fitbit - useless

Third one -27 days  - Amazon refunded, didn't bother with Fitbit.

I'm also embarrassed as  told friend it was great ( well, it was in the first couple months) and he bought one as well - his lasted 8 months - then refunded.

Now have the Samsung Galaxy - so far - excellent.

[motoscribble]

I like this watch for it's size and it works for me at the gym without getting in the way, however and I have made the same complaint in the past. Battery life is horrible, you have to charge this thing every 3 days. Worse yet is the latest update has made syncing an hour and sometimes longer issue. The fitbit app has the "Enable Location to sync" which I have done and it still refuses to sync, try and try and try again and finally get it to sync, refuses to sync on it's own. If battery life is below 50% forget syncing, back on the charger and maybe it will sync. It goes days and days without syncing on it's own. In fact I just looked and it has been 3 days since it last synced and right now sitting right next to my Pixel 3 and it refuses to sync. Turn bluetooth on and off, on and off, nothing. WiFi, never has worked! Now nothing in steps or anything else is accurate. Probably going to move back to a regular watch because nothing fitbit does solves the problems with this watch. One issue after another after another. Don't buy this watch!

[pedris]

Moved on long ago. Haven't looked back since getting a Garmin Fenix 5 Plus.
Pricier yes, but also vastly better for fitness, sport, battery life, music
and payments imo.

[Bigfrank1]

The ionic or maybe the Versa

[Mmelissamj]

First, I want to preface my statement with I have been a Fitbit customer for probably 10 years or more and mostly happy. I have had the Alta, Charge, Charge HR, Blaze and now the Ionic. I was so excited to purchase the Ionic, I've been eyeing it for more than a year. I finally got it as a Christmas gift - my husband paid over $300.00 for it and I must say out of all the Fitbit products, I have never been more disappointed! For $300.00, I fully expect the product to live up to its ADVERTISED capability and then some, but it's performance has shoddy at best! First the step count cannot be more UNRELIABLE!!!!  I have worn my 2-3 year old Blaze and even wearing the tracker on my dominant hand, it seems to know the difference between actual steps and me talking on the phone with my hand (Jersey Girl!). Every hand movement is counted with my Ionic significantly distorting the step count. Second, the MAIN reason I wanted the Ionic over the Versa (and the ONLY real difference) is the built in GPS. Versus needing to carry my phone when I work out, I could use my watch for music and GPS capability, eliminating the phone altogether. The GPS is vacillating, sometimes it works, most times, it just says “searching”. Third, I got a new phone, a Google Pixel 3XL. I fully acknowledge not checking the compatibility of the phone to the tracker before the purchase was my error. Nonetheless, all the other Pixels are listed as working with the Ionic so I had no reason to think differently with the Google Pixel 3XL except that it was brand new and still not added to the list (YES, I know what they say about people who ASSUME!) Although, it took me forever to get it set up, I finally did! I was able to sync the phone, connect the WIFI, receive notifications, etc.  Upon attempting to download a different watch face, all the work I’d done was undone. I had to reset the watch, the phone and bluetooth several times to get it connected again. The notifications were sporadic, but at least when (whatever caused the phone to FINALLY re-sync happened) the notifications would play catch up! Recently, the watch died, I charged it back up. Now we are back to square ONE AGAIN! The Ionic wouldn’t sync. Finally reset the watch, over and over. I finally got it synced ONCE; no notifications, hasn’t synced since….I guess at least the time is right on the watch! BUYER BEWARE!

[vision]

Yes it is so frustrating they sell it knowing well that it will not  work.