Ionic- Fitbit OS 4.2 Firmware Update (71.6.19)

[KateFitbit]

Update 9/3/2020: This update should now be available to all customers. If you have any difficulty updating, make sure you are following the directions in this article, and then provide as many specific details as possible in your post so that we can assist.

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We've started rolling out Fitbit OS 4.2 Firmware Update (71.6.19) for Ionic. 

We release firmware updates to all customers in phases. The update will be available to everyone soon, and a banner will appear in the app when you can install the update. If you don’t see the banner yet, check the app again later.

*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

Release notes can be found here.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Ionic device 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 any trouble updating your Ionic I recommend reviewing these troubleshooting tips. 

[sarnott153]

I can't even charge mine! 😞 

[sarnott153]

Mine appears to be dead! I can't even charge it now! No issue before the "update"...

😞

[Matt17H]

Have you cleaned the charge point and also try holding the left button and bottom right for 10 seconds.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi everybody, thank you for sharing your comments and feedback about this firmware update.

@SBien thank you for sharing this information. We really appreciate all the steps that you've tried with your Fitbit. Our team will be getting back to you shortly.

I've noticed that some of you have different issues with your Ionic. You can try the suggested steps listed below before checking with our team:

• 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. You can let us know if none of those steps work, so we can request a case for you.

• If you're having syncing issues with your Fitbit. Please try these steps: Why won't my Fitbit device sync? If the steps don't work, you can attempt the factory reset on your Fitbit. Remember to remove your watch first from the Fitbit app and from the Bluetooth settings on your phone.
• If you've noticed issues with the battery of your Fitbit, please try these steps before checking with our support team: Why isn't my Fitbit device's battery charging?  
• If you're having issues with your heart rate, restart your Ionic and check the information on this help article: What factors can affect my heart-rate reading on my Fitbit device?

If you've tried the steps above and you're still having issues with your Ionic, please let me know so I can request a case for you. 

Keep me posted. 

[Katdog26]

This is exactly what happened to me the last time there was a firmware upgrade and my just bit the dust and after 4 support persons the gave me a 20% coupon to buy another one.   I love my fitbit but these firmware updates are not our faults when they destroy our fitbits and it should be covered under warranty if the company breaks your watch for you.  I hate to say it but I'll probably try another brand next time. 

[MyLIVY]

Yes, if the screen does not turn on or charge. How do you propose you can add or remove the watch to the app??

A 35% discount towards an old style watch is not good enough. 

This watch is useless. Even if it is out of warranty, an update that is mandatory bricked this watch. Users affected should be compensated or replaced with a working device of equal or higher value. 

Fitbit do the right thing towards your customers 

[DanielDean]

Hi, I think as you can see this FITBIT update that was recommended to us by the company has casuals serious issues to many different people. The liability for this clearly sits with Fitbit, it is beyond comprehension that a 2 Billion dollar company would not test the update before rolling it out to customers.
Many Thanks
Daniel Dean

[PaulMe]

@DanielDean The liability for this clearly sits with Fitbit

There won't be any admittance of fault, for pretty clear reasons. BUT, all users regardless of warranty status should be provided with new equivalent devices if a firmware update renders their device U/S.  Pig will fly - but this would be the decent thing a company could and should do - and, would certainly keep a lot of customers in the fold. Users are NOT given a disclaimer warning and advised NOT to update unless necessary. We can't even turn off the update nag screen. Computer motherboard vendors cover themselves regarding BIOS updates by giving a warning before you run a BIOS update. On the other hand, users should be entitled to bug fixes, enhancements and software improvements. This puts the onus on a company to properly sandbox and soak test critical to system stability updates before any public release.

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[SunsetRunner]

Hi Kate,

Unfortunately my ionic does not respond after firmware update and after a reboot the screen remains blank. Is there a way to get the device alive again?

Thanks,

Nick

[DrYool]

My update seems to have been successful (if lengthy), but I've already started to experience display problems on my Ionic. These have included:

- Low brightness (even after altering appropriate setting)

- Flickering

- Screen latency issues (e.g. being able to see a shadow of previous information)

- Occasional mixtures off all of these issues at the same time

Otherwise, my Ionic hasn't shown any performance issues, although I've yet to use it properly in anger since the uptake was applied. However, the display issues are unprecedented and serious enough. 

For reference, my Ionic was bought in January 2018, and has been in full use since.

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[Vilda007]

Well, mine Ionic is bricked after this wonderful update - does not react on anything, even does not charge.

[deadionic98]

Yep. Mine is bricked too after this update, and discussions with support. Looking for a response from fitbit. As an embedded software engineer, bricking is impossible if you've built the software with a bootloader correctly.

[TheBlacksheep]

I’m going with Apple now. There’s been too many years of the same games from Fitbit. I’d rather spend more and get something that won’t need replacing just after the warranty runs out. Not a single one of my Or my OH’s devices have lasted longer than 18 months.

[GeneSD]

I have tried the steps above and have tried other steps, my Ionic will not sync or connect to my iPhone, Samsung Tablet, or Windows PC. I have a Bluetooth scanner and have verified that the ionic is not transmitting any Bluetooth signal even after restart, shutdown or reset. Please add me to one of the many people with issues, my Ionic was purchased this year in the spring.

[SunsetRunner]

To whom it may concern,

I will not update the firmware. This is my second ionic and thank God I have warranty. Stay with 3.29 or whatever you have now that is working. The last time I updated turned my ionic to a P.O.S. BRICK!. After many calls and email. I even reached out to IG just to get any response, smh it took awhile but thank you to whoever helped me (you know who you are) I appreciate ya! I am just using my new ionic bc its under warranty but I will never ever ever get this product or anything that says Fitbit in it. Oh and btw, they had a 3 mos free subscription due to covid, I signed up and they will charge you even before the subscription ends (how messed up is that) no warning. I have more beef with the company but I don't want to sound bitter. Karma is a beautiful thing...

[sarnott153]

Thank You,
After my Ionic seemed to "brick" after the update, I am unable to charge
it. I have tried multiple power supplies that are charging other things
without success. I only have one charging cable so I've only tried that one
but don't see how a software update could impact a cable.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks Again,
Scott
W. Scott

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Kovin]

What has happened to the Oxygen Variation in the sleep info? I have had years of getting this information, and now, in the past week or so, it is not showing any data - all other sleep data is there, and I am a premium member - and the O2 data was one of the reasons I pay the somewhat exorbitant monthly fee to access my own data - and even then, it is just a scribble, no meaningful scales or other markers to quantify it with... when will the O@ data be showing up - nothing else has changed except the software... Will it get fixed before I decide to get a Garmin instead?

[SunsetRunner]

Mine died last week! I thought maybe it was the charger so I bought a new charger from Fitbit not another company. I did the whole restart process and nothing. It seems that around the 2 year mark something happens and I have to get a new one. Any thoughts on this...? 

[SunsetRunner]

Hey Scott,
I have tried cleaning the charger ports and my Ionic with cotton and
alcohol. That was also the instruction I was given when I was
troubleshooting it with the customer service. That might work. Mine was
purely the firmware update. Hope that helps.
Sincerely,
Hermi

[Kovin]

I have had issues with updates in the past, but this is an actual sensor not working... I have been in two minds about getting a non-fitbit unit (Garmin, Suunto etc) but have stuck with FitBit - now, the technology is getting old, the software has not really evolved and my needs have changed. It is a decision I will make in the next few months, but this kind of unreliability, following on from other issues and poor supportmakes the decision to jump ship much easier... let alone the premium subscription costs where they hold your data to ransom... I paid for the watch, and then, to get all the data, I have to keep paying... 

I have written before that if they had better products and a better codebase and app, it would be good enough... as a professional in the field of UX / UI, I hold up their app as an example of how NOT to do some things... and it seems at times that they employ script kiddies or interns as programmers... If the O2 sensor data is not fixed, then the premium subscription gets cancelled, and the watch is for sale... all I need to do is figure out how much FitBit will charge me to collect all my historical data so I own it and have it stored locally, not on some cloud service...

Many tech companies do this kind of thing with your data, and I'm getting tired of it...