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

[Tigamilla]

It seems the Pebble model of releasing as many new models as possible is alive and well at Fitbit with little regard for existing products.

This thread is sadly overwhelmingly negative 😥

[mr_manager]

All I really wanted was the Pebble Core. But now I'm just waiting for next year's Ionic firmware update. If there is one next year? Yeah, this thread is negative, and it's sad that people are piling on, but fitbit could do much more to address these issues. It seems they're not even around.

[hawkstv]

I got a Garmin Fenix 5S and I love it. Enjoy your trip.

[MissUrka]

@Pressclick

I run/train with a Garmin 35 (heart rate, Bluetooth sync, music capabilities, pretty lean and mean but i like it and have had fancier Garmins in the past). I purchased it when I started having issues 3 months ago with the ionic  (well, really 5 months as far as the problems) and the only reason i wear the ionic on my other wrist is bc of my step challenge group. It WAS going to be my main training watch but I think I’ll dig up my old surge or charge and just use one of those. I guess I won’t get my money back or the protection plan money or the money for the flyer headphones. 

[AngryCustomer79]

No do not purchase a fitbit watch. I am have a horrible experience with the fitbit ionic. It will not update or sync to my galaxy8. I would suggest staying away from these watch.

[skratchgonzo]

No 

[seemebreakthis]

No.

1.  Deplorable patches and firmware updates - one of the updates introduced the now famous "re-calibaration" problem and for my watch it still exists today, more than two months after the problem initially surfaced.

2.  Heart rate monitor seems way off especially when I am weightlifting with the exercise mode enabled, and when I am walking with the watch just on normal "standby" mode.  My old Charge 2 seemed to have done a better job tracking my heart rate if I remember correctly.

The only thing going for it is that it looks good on my wrist.

[Swing43]

I can't even say it looks good on my wrist.   It's so large. I think they should have said it wasn't good four small wrists.

[Mark2018]

No. Ionic was my last Fitbit.

But I don't know which one. I don't like smartwatch looking like a normal round watch!

Hopefully I get my money back!

I waste enough time with Fitbit.

No solution means no information when we have the bugfixes!

Regards

Mark

[D8veh]

I'd like to add a bit of positive after my earlier negative post. After some time (not sure how long or why), my Ionic settled down and now syncs reliabily. AFAICS, everything works as it should, though I don't use many of the functions. I'm a bit disappointed that it doesn't have the option to pick up the GPS data from a smartphone, like the others do, to save your battery from going flat, but I guess the devs would be better spending their time fixing the bugs rather than adding in useful features.

[SantiR]

Hello everyone! Thanks for your continuous participation on this thread regarding the Ionic experience you have had so far. 

Fitbit OS 2.1 is now available for download. This includes the newest Ionic firmware version (32.10.15). If you haven't done so already please download it to your Ionic. Check this post for more details about the newest update.

Please let me know how the new update works!

Keep me posted! 

[Mark2018]

@SantiR

Thank you.

But not downloadable for all!

And why are you mentioned. 15.

Some have .20

That's a bit curious!

And are all problems solved?

Everybody has now sleep stages?

Everybody has now accurate Bluetooth connection?

Everybody has correct counted steps?

Everybody has now accurate heart rate showing?

I bet not! The problems which are solved are not listet in the changehistory! That's bad!

So let us know when all problems are solved!

Thank you!

Regards

Mark

[Mark2018]

Second deleted

[mr_manager]

I've had two comments deleted. So far.

The good news? At least someone is reading these?

[Drew_Watkinson]

Would not buy another ionic as sync issues are still present with little to no real communication from Fitbit. 

Any company that has a product with base functions still not worked out after this much time boggles my mind. 

Any company that thinks it’s device needing daily resets/re-pairing/factory resets is working as intended is frustrating to say the least. 

The ionic should have and still should be a recalled product. 

[motoscribble]

I've owned my Iconic for 2 weeks. Previously had a Garmin Fenix 3 which worked awesomely! but I wanted something lighter and the Iconic fit that bill having all of my requirements. However after 2 weeks of ownership I am going to return it and go back to my Garmin Fenix 3. The sync feature is a total crapshoot, syncs my calories and nothing else. The step counter seems to rely on swinging your arm which is stupid, it works and it doesn't work where as with the Garmin every step you take shows up. The blank screen with no time showing another dumb idea. Tapping the face is always an uphill battle which results in pressing the button to see anything. The first update was a 3 hour battle before it finally downloaded and installed the update. Charging takes twice as long as  the Garmin does. Why you can't use the USB to sync is stupid. It's like who ever designed this watch thought of all of the great things a watch could be and left 3/4 of those great ideas in the boardroom. On a positive note, it is light weight so much so that you hardly know you have it on and the band far exceeds anything Garmin has produced. Love to put the Fitbit band on a Garmin 🙂 At this point I would not recommend this watch, wait it out until Fitbit builds a watch that functions correctly out of the box, this one does not.  

[Phleygas]

I like the concept and generally do like the watch. However, each update has taken away features I like. In your workout mode, you use to be able to keep the screen on and not have to flip the wrist, now that's gone. The today screen use to stay on and not default to the clock screen, now that is gone as well. I was using the coach feature just today and when do some exercises you can't see the screen without stopping to flip your wrist. It is so annoying, especially since it use to be a feature and they determined for me I didn't need it. I can't believe you can't adjust this for yourself. I may not buy another one.

[jwebb72]

@Phleygas

Under each exercise setting, you have the option to keep the screen on, it's at the bottom.

My today screen stays and doesn't default back to the clock screen. Maybe it acts different depending on which clock face is used. I'm just using the default Fitbit clock face.

Are you using FW 2.1.1 ?

[Phleygas]

Thanks for the reply. I have the latest update, two days ago. I have no options at the bottom of the exercise or coaching screens at all. No scrolling, no tapping. The only option is holding the left button in. The screen awake appears and gives me only two options now, auto or manual.

[Swing43]

I must not have that update yet and I don't look forward to it.  I thought I was doing something wrong with some things that changed.  I don't like that I now have to actually tap the watch to see the time of day rather than just turn my wrist over.  I wouldn't buy this one again.  Right now I just wear it for sleep and actual cardio time as it seems to do okay with that.  I switch to my Surge for the rest.  That's not too easy either.  Sync used to work much better when I could go on my computer to sync.  That's been gone quite awhile.