Fitbit OS 4.1.3 Firmware Update (70.80.0)

[MattFitbit]

Hello Ionic family!

We’re excited to announce the release of Fitbit OS 4.1.3.

We started releasing this new update 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 aren’t distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside.

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

Read our help article for the latest updates.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Find step-by-step instructions for updating Ionic here. 

If you run into any trouble updating Ionic, review these troubleshooting tips.

We appreciate your patience while we work to roll this out to everyone. Looking forward to hearing everyone's feedback in the comments below. 🤖

[seemebreakthis]

Just to balance things out a little bit... Have been using my Ionic for over 2 years now.  Have upgraded firmware every time one gets released, including this one.  No problem so far.

First off, if you are in doubt, just check out my user profile and my posting history.  I am not a fitbit employee in disguise in case you are wondering.

Not that I am happy about how fitbit leaves the upgrade description really vague ("bug fixes and improvements"??) , but I do see many gradual improvements over the many upgrades we have had.  Water logging is now (mostly) working fine.  Notifications are now (almost) rock solid.  New features are being added even three years into the product cycle (e.g. exercise tab now tied with shortcut button press, etc).  For me even the GPS is now more reliable than before.

I would honestly say if someone has not tried / had success on transferring music to their Ionic, which indirectly shows they have a good understanding of how the watch interacts with the outside world and that the watch has a good wifi connection with their home network, then they are bound to run into problems with upgrades.  Doing upgrades without a good bluetooth connection to the phone PLUS a good wifi connection with the same home network that the phone is connected to can be potentially disastrous anecdotally speaking.

[jgtwrites]

It's interesting that you blame the issues on users because you happened to be lucky in your firmware updates. Nervy is the politest term I can use. Wow.

[EdwardsWM]

@Colinm39When you say that your Ionic has always worked "flawlessly", that leads me to a question. A couple of updates ago (not including 70.80.0) a bug was introduced in the basic function of the watch. The update completed without issue, but afterward, the Start button would not start an exercise. Since then, I have had to use the Start icon.

Are you saying that you did not experience that bug? Seems odd to me that the bug would be the result of a problem with the update process itself and that my watch would otherwise function correctly. That kind of problem looks more like a firmware bug to me, especially given that the exercise start interface was modified slightly in that release. So, I would expect everyone who was able to complete the update to see that same bug.

[Colinm39]

@EdwardsWM I agree with you on that issue.. I just tap the start on my GPS walk. Maybe with over 50 years in IT I live these issues and move around them and probably created mine over the years. But in Financial systems we had to work all night if we created issues that affected the bottom line. 

I don't know whether it's a bug or a change with the start icon. 

The issue I don't like is having to hold all 3 buttons to restart..

But thanks for bringing that one to the Forums attention. 

[aaronharr]

My Fitbit was working flawless, and now it’s dead!

Sent from my iPhone

[PaulMe]

Colinm39,

You must be running an old version of the Fitbit app. All Day Sync hasn't been an option in the app for several+ updates.

Perhaps in Australia we are getting updates at a later stage after some major bugs are ironed out?

But major brick capable bugs must not be allowed to go live. Simply not excusable.

[Colinm39]

@PaulMe Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I have never used the option when it was there. Mainly because I update the App, check that everything is working as expected, and then go on my merry way using the device.

[Rosco200]

“ sorry for the misunderstanding. At this moment, we don't have more specific details to add regarding this update. We really appreciate your feedback and the time you've spent to share your comments.

what on earth does this mean?

My question was if your latest firmware update kills my out of warranty ionic will you replace it. 

Do you mean you don’t understand my question?

[PaulMe]

Rosco,

You ask a very pertinent question.

We are all concerned if an update even has a small possibility of damage. BIOS updates to laptop/PC motherboards always have a disclaimer. But the possibility is negligible, as the correct coding of BIOS updates is SO important to a computers viability.

These "smart watches" are no different.

My almost brand new Ionic is out of warranty as I don't have a purchase receipt. I'm very worried an update may destroy my watch. But, I want major bugs - such as no email notification fixed and improvements going forward. As owners this is all we ask.

Can you imagine if life saving medical equipment had buggy software installed.

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[Paintcheckref]

All,

  I have posted earlier that I did a factory reset on my tracker since after I did the update, mine too was stuck is a calibration loop, and basically it was dead.

After I did the reset, I removed it from the app

I then put the app on my tablet, and was able to connect the tracker to that. It did work. 

Once I had the tracker back, I was able to add it back to the phone. I un-paired everything on the I phone, turned the Bluetooth off then back on. 

It is back with all the sensors working, The sleep function works.

I am also seeing texts on it as well. 

The only thing that is not working is my work calendar notifications. Not sure why, looks like it is set up right. So I have to work on that.

[KCK346]

Amazing. For wanting to be different we didn't go with the obvious brand of choice but decided to go with Fitbit and their top of the range model. We all end up working very hard for Fitbit. Painful.

@Paintcheckref  thank you for sharing. Which firmware have you flashed into your Ionic?

I'm staying put on 27.33.1.30 though I can't have agenda and clock selection bay. Simply ridiculous you can say. Users like us fearful of upgrading. Upgrading is always a good thing I thought....

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[Paintcheckref]

I am on 27.70.7.27update 70.7.27Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy Tablet

[KCK346]

Ok thanks @Paintcheckref 

Battery management on my brand new Ionic upgraded on 70.7.27 on the same day and set up on 19 May was horrendous.

I became an expert in doing 3 button hard reset by feel and eyes closed since. Like a true kungfu master.

Wallet was missing and cannot be installed into the Ionic and Ionic resets itself or hung for every day. Until I told myself enough is enough.

I like this other Ionic I am running the older firmware version and everything seems to be working just great and including battery management.

[sukey111]

After installing this update my Fitbit screen has died. The device is working and synching but I can only thell this from looking at the app on my phone. After installing the subsequent update (....8.0) there is no change. As suggested, I unpaired the watch and went through the set up procedure again. The trouble is, you have to put in a code to pair the  watch via bluetooth. As the watch display is blank it is impossible to see what the code is. The device is therefore unusable. What can I do? This device is still under warranty.

[EdwardsWM]

@Colinm39Ah, ok. Thanks for confirming. For the record, that's a bug. It was introduced in a couple of updates ago. If you look at other function that has a start icon, such as the timer, the button still works. That bug can be very annoying, depending on what exercise you are starting and the particular environment you are in.

I would contend that this bug is an indication of poor testing on the part of Fitbit. The overall function of the watch is simple enough that Fitbit should be able to do a pretty thorough regression test before releasing a new update, but they clearly did not do that. If they did not test basic function, I have no confidence that they adequately tested various update scenarios, including possible failures. That's more difficult. It's no wonder that firmware updates are having the disastrous results they are having.

I also almost got hosed during the previous firmware update. The update just froze when about 75% through it. Okay, that can happen, but Fitbit is not making their update process robust enough to easily recover. My factory reset did not work. Huh? That should never happen! Finally, after draining the battery, the factory reset luckily started working and I could then get through the firmware update successfully. I have had other problems in the past, no fault of my own, the details of which I won't bore you with. One time the watch went bonkers simply after sitting on the charger for a week while I was out of town. But, the bottom line is that I had to jump through hoops to get things working again, and I should not have had to do that. Let me tell you, it took real tenacity. I have dealt with computers professionally all my adult life, so I'm used to dealing with sticky problems and I don't give up easily. But, users of consumer devices should not have to be going through all of this. It's clear to me Fitbit has a broken development process and its customers are suffering from it.

[SunsetRunner]

After having serious issues with my Ionic after updating to v4.1.2 and posting about it on this forum I was contacted by support. They asked me to perform the obvious procedures to get the Ionic back working again, despite my response that I already tried this numerous times. Then all of a sudden support stopped and they’re not even responding to several emails where I’ve asked them how to proceed.

Fitbit support is definitely lacking behind on this, leaving me with a bricked Ionic after an update

[LMAOUDFB]

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@arkie72802 wrote:
After at least an hour on phone they said send in. Did. They said sn didn’t match. Finallnreplaced. Had about 6 weeks at rhis point.

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad

---

Funny, That's exactly the BS they said to me and I'm 2 weeks in with no response.

So with me they haven't replaced it, wont answer, and have my watch, sounds like larceny to me.

[dvpatel]

I still have intermittent Bluetooth connectivity issues with mine thanks to a problem the Dec/Jan update introduced and was not fixed in the April update. I plan to defer ALL updates as Fitbit cannot get their act together. I tried calling and they won't even tell me my warranty status "without troubleshooting steps". WTF does troubleshooting have with a simple question of when does my warranty end?

They have asked me to remove ALL my BT devices from my phone, asked me to reboot the fitbit, remove it and add it back and I have done all of that before between Jan and last week. 

After reading these horror stories, I am scared of updating unless the mods here assure me that regardless of my warranty status, they will exchange my device. Which I am sure these two won't as several have asked that in all 3 threads for the FW updates.

So, the important question. If I keep deferring the update, does the sync eventually not work?

[Ranavirendra]

Dear Sir 

My fitbit iconic not working .

Suddenly he stop working .

Won't to charging fitbit iconic. 

Past two month used only .

Please help me to solve my Problem .

Regards

Virendra Rana

[jennyjwilson]

mine is exactly the same, tried to contact Fitbit this am but no answer, no clock face but clearly still syncying as app shows that, nothing with writing available and unable to record activity, mine is well out of warranty and never been a problem til now