Ionic counting steps on Challenges

[Arynna33]

I checked the forums on this and found others to find the same thing and that they received non-typical fitbit support on the report.  This disappoints me.  1) this is a higher, much more expensive model.  2) all my previous models tracked just fine when pocketed. 3) I pocket it BECAUSE I want it to track my steps when pushing a stoller or grocery cart, or because I don't want to get "steps" because I'm conducting. If the total tally feels and counts the steps ,why don't they go to the graph and challenge totals as well?  Is it because the heart rate isn't detected?  The Charge 2 doesn't have this "feature"/Challenge. I really hope that the true Fitbit type customer service and responses can come back, and this is fixed.  It really should be an easy fix given the device IS tracking the steps. It's not the end of the world that I lost out on 900 steps in an ongoing challenge, but when I pay $300 for a device, I expect it to work BETTER than the $150 device.  

Moderator edit: Updated subject for clarity 

[SilviaFitbit]

It's great to see you around @Arynna33! Currently, watches aren't meant to be worn on your pocket. If you do wear them, they might not be as accurate as they are on your wrist. However, all the steps that your Ionic tracks should count towards your Challenges and daily data. 

I would like you to provide me with more details about your steps not syncing to your Challenges. Just remember that if you don't have a Fitbit tracker, you can still use your app to track your steps with MobileTrack. 

Additionally, the steps that you might be losing can be for other reasons, such as logging activities. You may want to check this article to learn more about the accuracy How accurate are Fitbit devices?. 

Keep me posted! 

[Arynna33]

Actually - to split hairs this is a fitness tracker that happens to also be able to tell time. Steps are recorded via the bounce the device receives. I’ve had at least 5 different models from the Fitbit One that clipped to a belt, bra strap, slipped in a pocket etc to the ionic. After FitbitOne I had another early model that slipped into a silicon band, then a Charge, then Charge 2, and finally Ionic. They all track steps and they all have a clock feature. Some had an altimeter, some did not, some had heart rate, some did not. The ONLY one that behaves this way when not on the wrist, but still able to detect the bounce is the Ionic (that I’ve owned). I realized what was going on when I was out shopping all day, but didn’t get credit for 250 steps/hour in that feature and the graph showed no steps. The main screen, and the main step tracker did continue to show those steps. Then I pocketed it on a monday during a week long challenge and couldn’t figure out why they were off by about 800 steps. It wasn’t a time zone difference… I was sleeping during the 2 hours I was ahead. I clicked on each 15 minutes while shopping and sure enough, those are where the graph was empty, and the variance in my weekly challenge. There’s another thread I read from a user reporting this same issue. They opened a ticket and received less than the usual customer service type response I believe most of us have come to expect. That person was basically told, well you took it off your wrist it’s not our problem. Wait… the tracker is acknowledging the steps - just not throwing them into the graph or challenges. I do not use the log activity feature so that’s not it.

It’s hard to get a screen shot of a fitness device and then compare the graph… I can totally recreate it and show the issue. I appreciate the “are you sure it’s not this” questions as I work in I/T support myself - but I’ve already done all the trouble shooting, research, tests, validation, and confirmation of what’s happening is indeed happening, and recreatable. So when I’m going to be pushing a stroller or a cart, I’ll take my Charge2 with me so I can put it in my pocket, or on my bra strap, and continue to have my steps counted. It’s frustrating… none of the lower models have this “feature,” this device shouldn’t either.

While I’m venting, I also don’t like how the devices haven’t auto synched (despite all day synch being on) and even when I open the app, I often have to toggle blue tooth, or power cycle the phone and/or the fitbit to force it to finally synch. One time it was so bad I had to open a ticket because I couldn’t get it to synch no matter what - to the point of doing a soft reset on my phone which to this day I sorely regret.

Thanks for the response.
Karen

[SilviaFitbit]

Thank you so much for getting back @Arynna33! I appreciate the time time that you took to share each detail that can help me to provide you with the best troubleshoot to resolve it.

I believe there's an issue going on here as if you're seeing the steps on your Ionic but they aren't showing on the graph, this could be some type of syncing issue. So, for you to have the best possible experience, I've created a support case on your behalf. Keep an eye on your inbox. 

Hope this helps! 

[ODATNise]

I have the same issue. Would you please share the solution?

[Arynna33]

There isn’t a solution yet. I ran an experiment this Saturday and have to put it together for them. I did find some very interesting things in synching my fitbit every 15 minutes. Initially some of the steps did show in the graph when pocketed, but on next synch went to zero. I saw this happen more than once. I truly think the device has code that says, hey i wasn’t tracking a heartrate, so I’m going to discard these steps. So I have my starting and ending steps for the 15 minute windows I was tracking it hard to prove my point and then I tallied what the tracker has vs the graph at the end of the day and it proves my point. However, one thing did change - the steps did count to the daily goal challenge I created. It did not go to the hourly 250 step goal though. In fact - the app showed the missing hour, but my tracker showed it as a hit. So the phone said I made 8 of 10, my tracker said I made 9 of 10. Hopefully they will finally stop acting like they’ve never heard of this and don’t understand what we are saying. Sheesh!

however, my solution is to use anything but Ionic. 😉 haha! I’ll update once I can put together my report. Work and personal life is working hard to kill me right now.

[ODATNise]

Thanks Aryanna33. I look forward to a fix and appreciate your work getting them to a solution. I’m a Garmin girl. Only went back to Fitbit so I could join the family in challenges. I may soon return to Garmin.

Denise

[DramaQueenDiva]

Just for clarification purposes, are the steps recording on everyone's dashboard and just not showing up in the challenges or are they not syncing at all?

[ODATNise]

Dashboard and Ionic synch fine. Dashboard and challenges don't match.

Denise

[super_salmon]

I have the same issue and would really love FitBit to sort this one out. I was part of a Daily Challenge yesterday and my dashboard shows a count of 17,905 steps but only 13,509 have been counted towards the Challenge. There was a period where I couldn’t wear my Ionic on my wrist and wore it elsewhere but if it’s still counting steps surely it should count them towards any Challenges. Rather disappointing as I would have won too 😉

[SilviaFitbit]

It's great to have you here @ODATNise and @super_salmon! I appreciate the details that you've mentioned. I would like you to confirm that all the participants are in the same timezone as this might affect the amount of steps that you're getting. 

Also, all the steps that are being tracked through your Ionic will count toward Challenges. If you have any third-party app or you're manually logging any activities, these won't count on Challenges. 

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

[jperkins]

I am in several workweek challenges. All have the same step count except for two.  The two show about 2000 steps less?  Don’t understand how that happens. 

[funfirefire]

I have the same issue. I put the Ionic in my pocket while cycling to count the steps. The steps are synced to the app, but don’t show up on challenges. 

[AdriAlv]

Same thing happening here. I started pocketing the Ionic because I work off a treadmill and while typing on my keyboard AND walking...the steps were lost due to the lack of movement in the wrist. It's funny because the Charge I previously had didn't lose steps or didn't lose that many. It seems the Ionic has a less sensitive sensor, it was a surprise but it isn't a problem.

However, yeah, the Ionic definitely has something that says "if you don't have a heart rate from XX:XX to YY:YY, those steps don't count towards your challenges". It's sad to see that Fitbit support can't confirm it in a months-old thread. It's pretty easy to test in a device.

[Arynna33]

I have the proof of it. If you look at the interval right away, the steps are there, then they disappear with the next 15 minute update. I just haven't had time to put it all together. I mean... The programmers could prove this in a second. It's so freaking obvious that's what is going on. 

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[AdriAlv]

Oh, by the way, this doesn't affect only challenges, it also affects for example the "Hourly Activity" panel.

No heart rate detected = no activity tracked for that hour. It doesn't matter how many steps the Ionic tracks, if there isn't heart rate it messes with the values in that panel.

[Arynna33]

Yup! It falls on deaf ears at fitbit. One person was told its a watch... You took it off your wrist, not our problem! I responded its a fitness tracker that just happens to tell time... Like all of your trackers do! 

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[Sue2995]

I’ve had that problem. The steps are on my Fitbit page but not getting all of the steps on challenge. I have 20000 steps synced on my ionic and on my Fitbit page but when I subtract the amount it says I have to the finish from the total challenge I have 13300. 

[SkeletorMom]

Same thing is happening with the Fitbit versa. I strap my watch to my shoe for cycle and it doesn’t count those steps towards challenges. So stupid.

[jowanale]

I have had the same problem since Day 1. No amount of emails helps at all. I get the same advice each time. And I’ve tried it all many times.  I’ve sent photos of my total of each day and then the different challenges. Sometimes they’re not even the same! 

The total is only correct if I start the challenge myself or hit rematch. It’s a glitch. I wish they just fix it.