Fitbit Ionic Firware Update Fails

[Aquakiwi]

For over a week now I have been trying to install the latest fitbit OS 3.0 to my ionic, with no luck. I have been reading the different feeds, blogs, and posts on people having the same issue with this. Obviously it is poor effort on Fitbits part to release such a failed solution to customers. Yes I have tried various solutions offered on the various post.

At the stage now where my fitbit ionic is just about destined for the rubbish bin, as having a red X on my screen does nothing for me wearing it, and having my weekly "Fitness Update" show days of nothing is just a waste of my time, effort, and money. This was the first fitbit I've had and I've had it for just under a year. 

So far in my life this is the worse supported device I've encountered, and failing a proper response from fitbit to fix this issue, will be the last fitbit device I ever purchase. 

Unhappy customer with the frustrating service provided by fitbit.

[YojanaFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums @Aquakiwi, nice to see you on the Forums! 

Sorry to hear about the issues that you're having to update you Fitbit Ionic. I know that you've done a lot of troubleshooting steps but before to ask our support team I'd like to confirm some steps with you. 

Before you begin the firmware update, make sure Fitbit Ionic is plugged into the charger and in range of your Wi-Fi network during the update. For best results, use your home or work Wi-Fi network. 

If the firmware update failed, you may see this image on your watch's screen:
 

Please follow the troubleshooting steps below based on your issue to resolve the problem. 

If your watch isn't sufficiently charged before starting the update, you may see this image on your screen:
 

Wait until the battery is at least 40% charged to start the update and keep your watch plugged into the charger. To check the battery level, tap the screen or press any button while the watch is charging.

If you have trouble updating your watch over Wi-Fi, try these steps to resolve the problem: 

1. Make sure your watch is connected to the Wi-Fi network you want to use. 
2. Move your watch closer to your router.
3. Make sure your router is connected to the internet. 
4. Restart your watch by holding the back (left) and bottom buttons until you see the Fitbit logo.
5. Try again to update your watch.

If the update failed, continue with the following:

1. Restart your phone.
2. Try again to update your watch.

Check to see if you have another Fitbit tracker paired to your phone. If so, you must tell your phone to "forget" the tracker, removing the connection between the phone and the tracker. 
 

1. On your phone, go to Settings > Bluetooth > find the tracker in the list > find an option to forget the device.
2. Try again to update your watch.

If you can't update Ionic over Wi-Fi, follow the on-screen instructions in the Fitbit app to update your watch over Bluetooth instead. Note that firmware updates over Bluetooth may take significantly longer to complete.

On the other hand, if you have trouble updating your watch over Bluetooth, try these steps to resolve the problem: 

1. Try turning Bluetooth on and off on your phone.
2. Restart your watch by holding the back (left) and bottom buttons until you see the Fitbit logo.
3. Try again to update your watch.
4. Restart your phone.
5. Try again to update your watch.

Last steps if that doesn't work is to check to see if you have another Fitbit tracker paired to your phone. If so, you must tell your phone to "forget" the tracker, removing the connection between the phone and the tracker. 
 

1. On your phone, go to Settings > Bluetooth > find the tracker in the list > find an option to forget the device.
2. Try again to update your watch.

If you see a clock error message on your watch's screen after the update, choose a clock face in the Fitbit app to resolve the problem:

1. From the Fitbit app dashboard, tap or click the Account icon > your device image.
2. Tap or click Clock Faces.
3. Choose a new clock and then wait a few moments for your watch to update. The new clock face will appear on your screen.

As I mention before, updates can take several minutes so, we recommend starting charging the device before updating it. 

Give this a go my friend and let me know the outcome!

[Rich_Laue]

I would also try setting the Ionic up again . This time without seeing up wifi, this will force the update to use Bluetooth and not wifi.

This is how I got around me is update problems.

[Aquakiwi]

@YojanaFitbit You appear to miss my point.

A. I do not want to sit a pilots license where I have to learn or go through a check list before doing something.

B. I do not want a job as a software support technician where I have to go and check/change settings on my device to get an update to work. I set my device up the way I like it from that point on I don't want to be playing with those settings.

C. As a USER I want and expect an update to work when I click on the update button.

I always have people asking me what I think of my fitbit like "oh I see you have a fitbit I'm thinking of getting one how have you found it".  The only answer I have for that now is the support for the update is like Samsungs Galaxy Note  7, it should be recalled and scrapped until they have an update that works.

Unlike Samsung who saw an issue and dealt with it fitbit seems to want to make your mistake the users problem. Sorry but as a user if your software doesn't work as software should, i.e. I click and update button and it does what it should i.e UPDATE the software. Well then to the bin it should go, and the reputation of that product along with it. 

Let me know if you intend to resolve this issue yourselves, or continue to expect user to do your job for you, so that I know if I should keep it, or bin it.

Thanks for your time.

[Rich_Laue]

@Aquakiwi  as someone who is not in the hardware or software development what is it you would like @YojanaFitbit  to solve?

Have you contacted Fitbit Support yet?

As for Samsung I'm not aware of the issue your referring too, but I am aware that their are hundreds of different Android phone hardware/OS configurations and in many cases the Fitbit App needs to be customized for a particular model.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Aquakiwi, thanks for getting back! We appreciate your help @Rich_Laue.

Sorry for the time it took me to response. We appreciate your feedback. I've contacted our support team, they will reach you out shortly. Please let them know exactly what steps you've already tried. They will be happy to help!

I'll be around in case that you need anything else. 

[JoeEveryman]

Thank you for your message, though I wish I had read it before I purchased a fitbit ionic. I am in the same position as you. This is my first and last fitbit as I am thoroughly dissatisfied with the product. It's firmware update has rendered it useless and I have invested so much wasted time trying to set it up that I am disgusted by the whole thing. To anyone reading this have a wonderful day and don't waste your valuable time and money on the fitbit ionic.

[Aquakiwi]

Yep agree my first & last Fitbit as still not updated as they still haven’t
resolved the problem. Every other device or app I have if it has an update
it just does it and works. Fitbit on the other hand well it just doesn’t
work at all...

[SunsetRunner]

So far I am on my 2nd Ionic - this will not keep time, connect to GPS or sync on demand.  It does sync every now and again and so FitBit tell me there is 'no issue'.

I have a watch that will not keep accurate time.  A tracker that will not track - but FitBit say that is 'not a problem'.....

I had 4 Surge trackers that all went wrong before I was upgraded to an Ionic...

In my experience FitBit trackers do not work.  They are unreliable....

Now the 'support' team are not responding... but I did notice my report number had increased by over 62,000 in only 2 days....

Could FitBit have a serious problem and they are not telling their users ?

[YojanaFitbit]

Hello @SunsetRunner nice to see you again, thanks for the update. I'll let you know as soon as we have more details about a new update. Sorry for the delay. 

@JoeEveryman nice to see you on the Fitbit Forums. Thanks for sharing your feedback about what you're experiencing with your Fitbit Ionic. Have you tried the steps suggested here? I'm very interested in helping you out with this. Please keep me posted and sorry about all the inconvenience with your Fitbit product.

@SunsetRunner I've checked your case with our support team and they will be updating your information shortly. Thanks for posting this information, all users are very important for us. Sorry about the issues with your Fitbit model, thanks for the feedback. It's very important for us to have your thoughts in regards our product and your customer support interactions. Fitbit is always trying to provide great products and customer experience.

I'll be around. 

[Aquakiwi]

I see Fitbit has no intention of fixing the operating system update & expect users to perform various tasks to enable update, sorry that’s not what customers should expect. For me I’ve now binned mine & moved back to Suunto as they have updates that actually work when the button is pressed. I won’t be purchasing any other items from Fitbit from now on. Totally unacceptable customer service & software failure.

[JJH1534]

The various tasks that they ask you to do have actually created a bigger mess with my Ionic.  Now I have no blue tooth or wifi and I am loosing approx. 5 hours every 24 hours.  I am still waiting to hear back from the technical issue department.  I won't hold my breath.

[msumom03]

I'm done with Fitbit.  I have supported them, have recommended them and have bought 4 different Fitbits.  My last one is now messed up after 1 year.  Wont be getting another one!

[JJH1534]

Didn't think my Ionic could get much more messed up, but thank you Fitbit to proving me wrong.  Their technical department told me to do a factory reset.  Now all I have is a flashing Fitbit symbol. Next up is to wait another 24 , 48 or 72 hours to hear back from them as to their next step. But since I am out of warranty we all know what that will be.

[SunsetRunner]

Here we go AGAIN.  Replacement Ionic stopped syncing after 4 months.  Same problems, same useless solutions offered.  These trackers are not fit for purpose.....

Come on FitBit sort out your unreliable, useless products....

[SunsetRunner]

Here we go AGAIN.  Replacement Ionic stopped syncing after 4 months.  Same problems, same useless solutions offered.  These trackers are not fit for purpose.....

Come on FitBit sort out your unreliable, useless products....

[JJH1534]

I am now the proud owner of an iWatch Series 5.  Have to say that I am LOVING it.  Can't imagine that I will have the same issues with my iWatch as I did with my Ionic.  Had Fitbit stepped up to the plate and accepted responsibility for this last software failure, I would have stayed with Fitbit, but after 5 devices I think I gave them a fair chance.  

[Smd11873]

Last night I finally purchased a fitness tracker, Guess what I bought? A Fitbit Ionic! I was so excited to track my sleep last night so you could imagine how disappointed I was when not only could I not track sleep but I couldn’t even use the device. Brand new out of the box ionic has been completely useless to me for the last 24 hours since buying it. I have spent hours trying to simply get it to function because there are apparently many updates it needs but none that its actually willing to complete. Shame on you Fitbit, this is poor development and execution of what should be an easy quick thing to do. Thank god I have a 30 day return policy. This is exactly what I want to avoid. This thing is going back to target asap! 

[Rich_Laue]

There is only one updated needed @Smd11873. If you would like help setting up. Please start a new thread rather than jumping in an ongoing one. 

Also include the phone type. 

[RonJohn11]

Hello,

I'm new to the community and I'm experiencing the same problems with the firmware update. I have tried all of the troubleshooting steps listed both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and it still fails to update. I have been trying for 3 days now. Where do I go from here?