Fitbit OS 3.0 - Ionic Firmware Release (27.33.1.30)

[MattFitbit]

Fitbit Update 1/10/19: 

Hi all! Big thanks to everyone for your feedback on the release of Fitbit OS 3.0!

Since the majority of users have now updated to 3.0, I will be closing this thread from further comments to help keep our community discussions on-topic. 

If you are experiencing an issue outside of the firmware update process, I invite you to start a new thread on this forum and we will be happy to assist you there. Thanks again and happy stepping!

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Fitbit Update 12/26:

Hey, everyone! We're aware that some of you may have noticed a fast battery drain on your Ionic watches after completing this firmware update. Our team is investigating the root cause of this issue and whether it was caused by this update or other factors are involved. 

In the meantime, if you're experiencing this problem please try a restart on the device then consider switching to a Fitbit made clock face! Many 3rd party clockfaces (especially those with animations) are known to use up more battery. If you try this out and are still seeing a fast battery drain, we can connect you with Customer Support for next steps or you can reach out to them and create a case. 

We look forward to getting you all back on track! 

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Fitbit Update 12/22: 

We've released Fitbit OS 3.0 out to 100% of users. Please make sure you have the latest version of the Fitbit app (2.84) before downloading the newest firmware. 

We're excited for you all to have the newest Fitbit OS, but please let us know if you have any questions about this update. Happy Holidays, everyone! 

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Hi, everyone!

I am excited to announce the release of Fitbit OS 3.0! (Firmware Version: 27.33.1.30)

We've started to roll out this update to 20% of Ionic users. This is a progressive rollout, and all Ionic users can expect to have it soon. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed.

WHAT'S CHANGED?

Please check out this help article to see what's new in this update.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Ionic can be found here. We recommend updating your Ionic over a home Wi-Fi network as this can greatly reduce the time it can take to get set up. For more information on connecting your Ionic to Wi-Fi, check out this article.

If you run into trouble updating your Ionic, please follow these steps:

1. Restart the watch. 
2. "Remove" the watch from your account inside of the Fitbit app.  
3. "Forget" the watch from your phone's Bluetooth settings (along with any other Fitbit devices paired to your phone)
4. Try the update again. 

If anyone isn't seeing the Today app after updating, please try the following:

1. Make sure you're running the newest version of the Fitbit app. 

2. Connect to Wi-Fi in the Fitbit app, plug your Ionic into the charger and let it sit. This will automatically update the Today app. 

Looking forward to hearing everyone's feedback on the latest release. If you have questions, please let me know in this thread!

[DogEars]

Well, this is unfortunate. My app finally showed me the 3.0 update a couple of days ago and I started the process. It failed about 15% of the way in nuked the watch, but I was able to get it to factory reset.

Sadly, 2 days of efforts and it won't take the update in any form. I know all of the tricks having fought this thing for over a year and I think she's given up the ghost. Either my watch is toast or their software/firmware is just busted. I'm betting it's the latter.

I bought this watch day 1 of release and will keep trying a bit longer, but this looks like the end of my fitbit era which is a shame because I love the data and the features.

[jfgarciamex]

I updated my Ionic to 3.0 a couple of days ago, and noticed sometimes I miss some notifications, and at least once a day, I stop receiving notifications. I tried all the usual documented ways to enable notifications again, and noted that a restart on the Ionic solved the problem. But again a few hours later same issue. Then I noted that I can fix the issue deleting all notifications.

I'm getting tired of not having notifications working well. I spend a few months waiting to update to 2.2 (which fixed a problem with delayed notifications), and now 3.0 broke it again. I'm really considering got for an apple watch. You guys at Fitbit need to improve testing before release such buggy software.

BTW, I'm in contact with support. Thanks!

[Ebojager]

today, I noticed the notification settings in the windows phone app were back to off. somehow the app turned them off in it's own.

[DH_Runner]

Hello Colin,

many thanks for your help, I am using the Ionic as Fitnesstracker and for the Message Notification. Before the Update I could use the watch for a week, when i switched it of at night. Since the Update the battery is empty after 6 hours no matter which settings I use. I tried to call the hotline but it seems that its blocked by all the people who get Fitbit as Xmas Present and are facing problems.

many regards

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[LarryQW]

I've reported on another thread, discussing Ionic GPS accuracy, that the Ionic was surprisingly good in bad GPS reception conditions (north side of mountain under trees).

My Garmin Edge 1000 and eTrex 30 had errors of ~100 ft based on overlap out and back tracks. However, I was surprised that the Ionic had the best accuracy of either of my Garmin GPS units, by a factor of 3 or better!!

See my post and pictures of the different tracks on this page:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Ionic-GPS-Inaccuracies/td-p/2229217/page/31

However, in spite of the good GPS accuracy, the total mileage seems to consistently be about 3% low with the Ionic, compared to several other measurements including a couple wheel odometers.

[MultiMartin]

I updated my Ionic to Fitbit OS 3.0 and when I was running using the C25K app and Deezer the device bricked. I contracted Fitbit support and they confirmed that the unit was absolutely dead. I've managed to get it replaced from the store I purchased it from but it makes me really anxious to use the Ionic to run again (it's primary purpose for me!) incase it happens again. I also had to update my new Ionic to Fitbit OS 3.0 when I set it up - I would have quite happily stayed on the previous version.

I've noticed a lot more crashes and device restarts since updating too.

[Whistler888]

From Fitbit:

“Once the GPS signal is found, Fitbit uses both GPS and step rate and stride length to compute distance for lower error.”

“Please feel free to vote for the following Feature Suggestion:

• Make Run Distance Based Only On GPS Data (Optional)

The more votes, the better. You can also leave a comment sharing your thoughts and feelings about this.”

This is how Fitbit calculates distance.  That is why there is variance between your Ionic and other GPS devices.

Hope this clarifies the question of GPS accuracy and variance.

[Michael_218]

So I've noticed the calorie Counter is waaaay of since the update, and the heart rate seems to be in collusion with it... 6400 steps translates into 6273 calories (I wish), and 400 active minutes. 

[madsopdad]

I bought my husband the ionic for Christmas. We left for a trip on Christmas day and took the watch with us. We tried to set it up while at our hotel, but that didn't work. Thought it would be a breeze now that we are home, but I am so frustrated I'm about to return it to the store. It's been stuck on firmware update in progress forever now. This is ridiculous. People were having this problem over a year ago according to this "community".  Why hasn't this issue been fixed?????  Help!!!!!

[njakobs]

Updated and still continuous problems with syncing and getting notifications. I give up. Fitbit have lost another customer.

[drtechieMOH]

Update ruined my holidays as well 😞

[Nicky89]

I think the update problems we are reading here will never be fixed. Because it doesn't seem to be a software problem. The hardware is of such inferior quality any future update will always be problematic. And they can't change the hardware...

[SunsetRunner]

"I think the update problems we are reading here will never be fixed. Because it doesn't seem to be a software problem. The hardware is of such inferior quality any future update will always be problematic. And they can't change the hardware..."

I respectfully disagree.  I've had my Ionic for a little over a year now, and it has worked very well with only a few minor issues that turned out to be app-related (especially the very buggy Weather app).  However, after I installed the latest firmware update, I've encountered a whole bunch of problems that I had never had before.  Therefore, the problem is with the firmware and not the watch.  The watch is working fine.  If I could roll back to a previous firmware build, I'm sure that I would have my old reliable Ionic back.

[SunsetRunner]

Updating my Ionic has been like pulling teeth. I've tried a dozen times using my OnePlus 5 restarted the phone and the watch multiple times, on power, off power, on bluetooth, on wifi it is so bloody infuriating how utterly crap the process is.  Battling for 3 hours is a waste of my time because your software is utter crap. Fitbit you need to make your updates applicable via the USB cable from a computer - job done.  

My ionic has been terrible at syncing for the past 6 months and finally the update has taken. I am fed up with the app draining my phone requiring location services for no apparent reason or necessity especially since syncing is rubbish. Please sort your lives out and make your technology work because otherwise its a pointless wrist trinket.  

The update has now been applied and guess what -  It still doesn't sync on demand. 

What exactly is the point of a "smart watch" that doesn't even give you the capacity to assess and collect its data via the phone app if it cannot stay connected to the phone its paired with!

I'll be talking to John Lewis today about a refund - I'm so bored of this crap.

[BradleeSargent]

How can I become a part of the fitbit beta testing group?

[sapeur3873]

we are all beta testing for fitbit...

the software is not finish, and they push some buggy update, and we test it….

sometimes it's works, sometimes…. nop...

you are already beta testing!!!

[Whistler888]

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@sapeur3873 wrote:

we are all beta testing for fitbit...

the software is not finish, and they push some buggy update, and we test it….

sometimes it's works, sometimes…. nop...

you are already beta testing!!!

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True that.

[SunsetRunner]

Further to this item... the Fitbit Pay works on my banks EFT terminals ONLY. Using other bank’s EFT machines generates an error “No matching aid...”

seems interbank process is not working. 

[drtechieMOH]

plan to do the same, shifted to my husband's old Garmin instead. at least that one works! 

Never ever going back to FitBit

[LarryQW]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

Further to this item... the Fitbit Pay works on my banks EFT terminals ONLY. Using other bank’s EFT machines generates an error “No matching aid...”

seems interbank process is not working. 

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I don't understand the comment. Do you mean ATM terminals? I haven't tried that yet at my bank, but you seem to say it doesn't work at other banks than your own?

I find that Fitbit Pay works at all the same places as Apple Pay, which is about 75% of stores.