Ionic Firmware release - 27.31.1.29

[MattFitbit]

Hi all!

I am super excited to announce the release of Fitbit OS 1.2! (Firmware Version: 27.31.1.29)

We've begun to roll out this new firmware to 10% of Ionic users. This is a progressive rollout, and all Ionic users can expect to have it within a few weeks. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. This firmware update includes:

Feature update:

• We improved the way we track your distance when you’re tracking a run with GPS.

What’s fixed:

• We fixed an issue where some customers’ clocks didn’t update after switching time zones.
• We fixed an issue where some customers experienced syncing issues after interrupting clock face installation.
• We fixed an issue where some customers noticed the Exercise app crashed after double tapping an exercise.
• This release also includes bug fixes and stability improvements.

Click here to view our Fitbit OS help article!

Instructions for updating your Ionic can be found here.

I would also recommend updating your Ionic over Wi-Fi 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 any trouble updating your Ionic, I can also recommend reviewing these troubleshooting tips. 

Looking forward to hearing everyone's feedback on the latest release. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know! 

[bIonicman]

Hi,

does anybody know how much time it takes to perform this update ? I started that process around 4 hours ago, and so far nothing is happening from the looks of it. The progress bar in the app has not even moved at all, so I am not sure if it is doing anything. This is quite ridiculous, as there is not much else you can do but wait ...... 

[USAF-Larry]

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wrote:

Up to a few weeks.  Only 10% of users have the update available.  They are staggering the release dates for different people.

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The update was just announced on 2/8/18, 5 days ago. I received the update yesterday, 4 days after then announcement.

[USAF-Larry]

@bIonicman, if it has been 4 hours, it is probably hung. Check out my earlier post on how I had to deal with the update by Force closing the Android app and re-opening it to restart the download/install:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Ionic-Firmware-release-27-31-1-29/m-p/2544831#M35974

[Ozzie65]

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wrote:

Why don't they simply offer a beta channel? This reads as they are a very unsure about the quality of the update and choosing 10% at random doesn't look to professional to me. 

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@hi @fluxx, Fitbit always uses this approach for their firmware updates, for the reasons stated by @MattFitbit in his original post.

[timmy354321]

Is it too unrealistic to expect a firmware update to install without having to restart the phone, app, or factory resetting the watch? I think the entire ionic line is a beta product and I wish I knew this before buying it. 

[BubbaJojo]

I just installed the firmware update on my 1 day old ionic, and now it can t sync anymore.  It looks like I'm not the only one with this problem.  When will there be a fix?  Really disappointing. 

[bIonicman]

Still no luck so far. After about 5+ hours I noticed a message popup on my phone stating 'Update failed'. Of course the status bar never moved, and the Ionic itself still showed the Fitbit logo as if it was busy.

I finally got out of the App, Force Closed it, dropped cache, restarted the phone, restarted the Ionic, but still no luck, it still will not update at all.....really crazy we have to go through all of this, just to apply an update .......if I can ever get it to work ....

[USAF-Chandler]

Disclaimer: I just want to pre-face by stating that I'm NOT a affiliate of Fitbit or any of it's subsidiaries, NOR do I claim to be an expert or professional certified to service Fitbit, Android, iPhone/Apple devices.

Proceed at your own risk.

It seems that many people are having issues with updating via Bluetooth. @MattFitbit did specify that it is easier, and causes less complications to update via WiFi. Here's what that means. Updating over WiFi doesn't mean, "connect your phone to WiFI and attempt update," it means connect the Fitbit to WiFi via the Fitbit App.

Here are the steps to do so.

1) Open App and Login. Select the Ionic Icon in the top right of the App.

2) Scroll down to "Wi-Fi settings." Select "Add Network."

3) Wait for your Wi-Fi name to appear, select it, and enter your password.

4) Close the Fitbit App completely.

   4a) iPhone - Press the Home button; navigate to the Fitbit App; swipe it away to close it, (or press the RED (-) symbol for iPhone X).

   4b) Android - Navigate to "Settings." Proceed to "Applications." Scroll down until you find the Fitbit App, and Select it. If "Clear Cache" is present on your screen proceed to select it. However, if this is not visible on your screen, Select "Storage." Proceed to Select "Clear Data."

5) Re-open the Fitbit App and the prompt to update "should" appear.

6) Proceed to update, following the Fitbit Update Guidelines.

Clarification: Unfortunately I believe their has been a miscommunication on how to update via "Wi-FI." Using your phone to update the device through the phone's Wi-Fi is updating via Bluetooth. Using the "Wi-Fi" features of your Fitbit to update the device, is considered updating via W-Fi. Hopefully that helps.

Lastly, I would like to state that I successfully updated to this Firmware and have not encountered and issues. If you have issues with updating, just know that technology is not perfect, and the failure of the update can have just as much to do with your Phone as it does your Fitbit.

Good luck! (:

[USAF-Chandler]

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wrote:

Still no luck so far. After about 5+ hours I noticed a message popup on my phone stating 'Update failed'. Of course the status bar never moved, and the Ionic itself still showed the Fitbit logo as if it was busy.

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Additionally: From my personal experience, updating your Fitbit should not take longer than 30 minutes. If the progress bar hasn't moved after about 5 minutes, it is most likely going to FAIL. The longest it has taken me to update is around 5-10 minutes, depending on Wi-Fi connection. However, this is not an indication of how long it should take YOU to update YOUR Fitbit.

[Jim-LaQuinta]

I have to go through those steps on my wife's iPhone 6S Plus about once a week to get it to sync.

Funny, my not supported by Fitbit, Windows 10 Phone doesn't have near the problems that she does with the iPhone.

[Ralendil]

Updated via bluetooth (I have difficulties to confifure the wifi with the watch)

It has taken a long time as I made it a first time with my computer (windows 10) with success, but on the android app the update was again here pending the installation.

So I updated a second time, with again success.

The watch stayed on a green fitbit logo. i had to restart the watch (after waiting 3 hours...)

The update was applied this time.

I actually test the watch to see if it solved my problems, something I will know tomorrow.

Before the update the smart unlock was not working at all, now it seems to work.

I had also problems with call notifications that were stopping to work after several hours. This point I will wait until tomorrow to see if it solved.

Precision: i use a samsung s7 edge on nougat. No sync problem for me

[USAF-Chandler]

Note: For some reason my original post was moved to a separate forum even though it wasn't specific to the topic of the new forum, and only a response to a problem inquired upon here. Seeing as someone else has experienced the same problem on a different Android device, I'm re-posting my response here.

Disclaimer: I just want to pre-face by stating that I'm not a affiliate of Fitbit or any of it's subsidiaries, nor do I claim to be an expert or professional certified to service Fitbit, Android, iPhone/Apple devices.

Proceed at your own risk.

Solution: Having the same issue sporadically when I first started using my Ionic, I too became slightly frustrated with the App, so I'll break the steps I took to remedy this conundrum.

Thankfully, Fitbit included a background widget that, from my personal experience, has not affected my devices performance, battery life, or any other issues. Additionally, I have not noticed any issues with my Ionic's battery.

From my knowledge, this applies to android devices only, as I do not own or have experience with Apple.

1) Open the Fitbit App. From the main page, Select the "Ionic" Icon.

2) Scroll down to "Always Connected" and give it a tap!

Fitbit's Disclaimer/Warning: "Depending on your phone, you may experience battery performance issues with your Fitbit. If you experience significant battery rain, please disable Always connected."

   2a) As previously stated, I haven't personally experienced these issues.

3) Select "Continue" if you feel like this is a good choice for yourself.

Hopefully this helps resolve some syncing issues with your Fitbit Ionic!

Note to the Moderator: Please do not remove or reformat my post, as I did so intentionally for readability and accessiblity. Thank you.

[Fern_23]

My Ionic was fine until I did the update. I'm a little disappointed I did it. Now the time wont change on my fitbit unless I go into the fitbit app and turn on the Bluetooth and location! I don't keep them on all the time to save battery power. Its pointless to do that because I can just look a the time on my phone. Can you roll back the update?

[bIonicman]

It failed again, after I tried using some of the recommendation various people came up with. Worse yet, my Ionic now changed into a brick, since the FitBit logo will not go away regardless of what I do .... now what ?

The device seems to be stuck and won't respond to any buttons or anything, but yet it gave me the same message as before stating the Update failed ........I have tried this twice now, once via Bluetooth, once using Wi-Fi, but neither works .... 

[SunsetRunner]

Time to contact Customer Support, blonicman.

[mlindgren]

Two months since the last firmware update, and all this one has is a handful of bug fixes? Disappointing. Can we get a roadmap or an official comment on whether or not we'll ever see new activities added to the Exercise app?

[Blackperl]

@OlegM I agree.

@MattFitbit Why we need to vote for ionic Unicode to support languages notifications and wait you check ohhh the vote is not high enough then fitbit don't care?

This Unicode support should be fitbit's consciousness It's not new feature but it is core function because you're selling your smartwatch product in several country but the notification and music track is unreadable/useless. Remember that your current customer can be your future customer and can tell their friends and family whether this product is worth or not.

You should have your plan to tell us when you will update Unicode to support other languages.

[Nyusha]

Lovely update, thanks! Happy to see Fit-bit developers working hard! 

[Nettuno]

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@Nyushawrote:

Lovely update, thanks! Happy to see Fit-bit developers working hard! 

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I do not understand what there is to be Happy. !!

- The Cardio PurePuse system does not work on Dynamic workouts (like kickboxing or cardio circuits)
- It is not compatible with any Cardio Band
- The step count is overestimated
- Does not support Unicode
- The synchronization system is painful
- Wifi is useless because the data change from Bluetooth (if it works)
-The calorie count with food is absolutely senseless (eg 100g of Pasta with Ragù 127 calories instead of 600)

I am very disappointed with Fitbit .. Ionic is a € 50 toy 

[bIonicman]

@SunsetRunner, I did that indeed to sort this out, but again no luck.

Once again the updated started (at least so we think, since the Fitbit logo shows up on the Ionic), but it has been around 4 hours so far, and I have no idea if anything is happening at all.

I was on chat with Support getting this started exactly the way they wanted, but I doubt this is going to do the trick .....I am not sure how big this update is (size of the actual software package), but there is no way it would take over 4 hours to download, unless the connection on Fitbit's end is super slow .....