Fitbit OS 4.0.2 - Firmware Release (27.68.9.15)

[MattFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 10/9

Hi everyone,

We’re excited to announce the release of Fitbit OS 4.0.2, available for Ionic (Firmware Version: 27.68.9.15). 

We've begun releasing this new firmware to customers. This is a progressive rollout which means everyone will receive it at different stages until it has been completely released to all users. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. 

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

 
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Ionic can be found here. 

If you run into any trouble updating your Ionic, I recommend reviewing these troubleshooting tips. 

We appreciate your patience while we work to roll this out to everyone.  

[Dom661]

 Do you have a solution to the fact that the last update has rendered my ionic unusable?  

[kyla_s]

So I decided to bite the bullet this weekend and update my replacement Ionic. I do want to start by saying Fitbit honored the one year warranty and replaced my original Fitbit when the update bricked it. For my original device, the battery was charged 100%, it was plugged in, it took over 2 hours however I did this via Bluetooth and not WiFi. The update finished, my watch worked, I went to bed, and woke up to a dead watch. Soo..... with that said.

The new device: I probably waited well over a month to update the replacement. But finally did so this weekend. Fully charged it, kept it plugged in and made sure it was going to remain connected to WIFI. It took maybe less than 15 minutes. It has now been three days and no issues. Battery seems to be holding up, everything seems to be functioning as it should be.  

[YojanaFitbit]

Thank you for reaching out everyone!

@SunsetRunner thanks for sharing your input with us. I'm glad to see that your Fitbit Ionic is working properly after this update. @Noddyhawk this is a great comment, since it's really necessary check those details on your Fitbit. Thanks for sharing. @idguy67 Thanks for sharing your feedback.

@admans and @Wigg1ns your comments are greatly appreciated. I've checked with our support team and apparently they already took your case under their wings. Please reply to the last email that you got from support, they will be glad to keep assisting you. It's important that you keep communication open with them so they can confirm your options.

@Hadoken I really appreciate your feedback. I've shared your comments with our team, they will be glad to keep assisting you via email. Sorry to hear that you're having issues with your notifications and thank you for all the steps that you've tried until now. 

@Mam6120 and @carlfxy  It's great to see active members that enjoy helping others, thank you very much for your help. I hope to keep seeing you around.

@Unycorne thanks for letting us know that you're having syncing issues with your Fitbit Ionic after the update. Can you please check the steps suggested here: Why won't my Fitbit device sync?

@Msmolly27 sorry to hear about your Fitbit experience. I appreciate your patience and the time you took to troubleshoot your Fitbit Ionic. Each scenario is different, so our team takes the time to check each case individually to provide the correct troubleshooting steps. Please know that we provide feedback to our team based on community posts. We are always working on improving our devices and overall environment.

@Ebojager you can update your Fitbit Ionic in the next update. Just make sure to check the syncing requirements for your phone or tablet here. Then follow the steps suggested in this help article: How do I update my Fitbit device? If you have more questions, please let me know.

@Dom661 thanks for sharing your comments about your Fitbit experience. We don't have more information about warranty options since our customer support manage this information, but we're sorry about the inconvenience that you're having with your Ionic. Your feedback is important for us. If you need more details about your warranty options please keep communication open with our support team.

@kyla_s thanks for sharing this information. It's great to see that you're back on track with no more issues at all. We're here to help!

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

[Hadoken]

I don't believe you.

I got a message back from support so basically Fitbit have been aware of issues with the latest firmware release and Android 9.0 Pie. They say they are trying to fix sync and notification issues. However, that version of Android has been out over a year so you are saying that they are only aware of the issues now?

How come no Fitbit representative has come on here to explain the situation? Instead we get the same help links, which are useless, from both you and support.

[solijam]

After 1 1/2 hours total time troubleshooting my wife's device. Her Fitbit Ionic is unusable as a fitness tracker after this update.

- Reset many times (holding buttons)

- Added / removed from account many times and "updated" 

- Trying to go on a walk with and without GPS shows 25 steps over a 5:30 minute walk. 7 steps over a  non-gps walk that should have been 400 steps.

Support will not replace device since out of warranty, but how can a company send out a firmware update that makes the device unusable, but wont replace the device after the fact.

I help other people at my workplace stay fit, use their devices and help track their workouts. I will have to think twice about recommending a Fitbit device in the future to them.

Having someone spend $300 on a watch and making them pay for a replacement due to a software update within 2 years is not a good look at all for this company.

Have been a loyal Fitbit user since Fitbit Flex > Fitbit Charge > Fitbit Surge > Fitbit Ionic, along with recommending to many family members and friends. We'll see what happens in the future....a 25% discount on a new device is not going to cut it and is insulting to people with loyalty to the brand.

[Hadoken]

You're not alone in thinking along these lines. Look back through the thread - there are loads of people with similar issues and Fitbit are doing nothing to help us. If you want to be cynical, you could assume they are doing it on purpose to force their customers to upgrade, although I don't believe that.

We are all tired of the same bull regurgitated on here by the mods and the same messages from support. Absolutely useless and incompetent. No help at all.

@Fitbit please fix the bloody issues!!

[ChristianTr]

Hi,

After update my ionic worked for 10 mins(got the new features info screens on it) then after a few minutes it stopped working completely, doesn't react to anything (charge or reset trials).
Looks like it's bricked 😞
Any suggestions?

[Michael-Powell]

Have you tried 1st charging it & then doing a full factory reset? This fully resets the Ionic by reinstalling the OS.

There may be a bug in the OS 68.9.15, the best advice is to wait for the next OS update, I think it comes in December.

[ChristianTr]

Thanks @Michael-Powell, factory reset hasn't worked so far, charging is not showing anything on the screen.
I'll leave it plugged in over night and try to reset it again next day :(.

[Ebojager]

I thought this update fixed the bricking that the previous v4 update did??? I can't believe both 4.0.1 and 4.0.2 both brick the Ionic??? That's terrible to hear. I sure wish they would figure out what's causing it. I wonder if the watches are updating in series instead of only the 4.0.2, or maybe it depends on the version its upgrading from??? Too bad we can't get a poll of what versions the bricked ones were on before updating.

my ionic is saying  27.33.1.30

[Fizzy15]

My ionic battery run flat from100 to 0% in an hour after update new firmware. Reset it back and still the same.

[lkc0987]

Issues that I have faced since the update

1. charge lasts 1-2 days (used to be 4+ days before the update - i do not use gps)
2. touch screen stops working. reset *sometimes* makes it work, but stops working after sometime.
3. keeps missing heartrate monitoring while sleeping, gives basic sleep details
4. doesnt wake up and turn on screen 50% of the time when i look at the watch
5. sometimes it doesnt wake up even when i push the buttons

Seriously.. how is it this bad.. considering others are getting their devices bricked, im guessing im in the minority who has to live with these issues until they can fix them

[cjensen851]

This one killed mine, so be careful.

[cjensen851]

How did you get them to do this? After an hour on the phone no one was even remotely helpful. They just kept saying I was out of warranty.

[admans]

It killed mine too 😢

[chris-bit]

In the past with the Charge, I had a battery problem. The battery lasted
1/2 of what they advertised I received 2 watches with the same issue
BEFORE they sent another one that didn't have the problem. The guy at
customer support was clearly knowing that the first ones were not coming to
the same pile. They told me the last one was going to be fine and it was.

So they do ship "refurbish" or watch that are not the ones that go in the
store. It is probably a way to keep their costs down or the way they manage
their inventory.

[idguy67]

It seems like the upgrade killing trackers is a rampant problem.  Do the right thing Fitbit and replace them.  Though many of us are out of warranty, It was your buggy upgrade that killed our perfectly working watches.  25% off?  Really?  Every unsolved complaint on here is another unsatisfied customer that then tells all their friends and family about their bad experience with the brand. Super bummed as was a big fan of Fitbit before this.  

[chris-bit]

Even if it is just a firmware problem ALL their updates had different
issues for different people. So it is not really making a difference in
case you were thinking that it will be fixed eventually...

My feeling is that they have a few different versions of the hardware in
the watch and some have problem with specific version of the firmware.
Maybe HW rev 1 work well with V3.1 (numbers are ficticios just to explain
the concept) of the firmware but not with V.3.2. And HW rev 2 work with
V3.2 but not V3.1. So a new update fix problem for some people but break it
for the others.

Since nowhere the Ionic says the hardware revision there is really not a
way to check my hypothesis.

[Msmolly27]

They won’t even offer me a discount!

~Molly Clark
Sent from my iPhone

[SilviaFitbit]

Hey everyone! Sorry for the delayed reply. 

Thanks for keep sharing your experience with Ionic and the new firmware version.

Just wanted to clarify that if there are bugs in the system or watches, we always create main threads and pin them to let everyone know. Rest assure that these threads are created in the board that they belong to. 

Your feedback and comments help us improving. If you have any question about the replacement that you're given, please reply back to the case that you have, our team will be happy to help you clarifying any doubt. 

@ChristianTr Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate the details mentioned. In this case, I've shared your post with our Support team and they've mentioned you already have a case with them, please continue the communication through email, they will continue assisting you.

 @Fizzy15 Hey there. Thanks for the details mentioned. In this case, I've shared your post with our Support team, they will continue assisting you, please check your email inbox. 

@lkc0987 Welcome to the Community. In this case, I would like you to try a factory reset and then continue checking if you get it working. 

I'll be around if you need further assistance.