Ionic not Updating to latest Firmware Version

[Alex94]

My Ionic will not update

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject for Clarity

[SantiR]

@Alex94 Welcome to the Fitbit Community! Thanks for participating in the Fitbit forums. Since when is your Ionic not updating?

I'd recommend trying all of the troubleshooting steps that are found on this helpful article. This should definitely help you out with this. Your Ionic should update correctly.

Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes! 

[rdyoung]

My ionic is not seeing any updates. I have tried removing the ionic from the app on my phone and re adding it, I have also rebooted my phone, watch, bluetooth, etc several times. I have even tried with the windows app, I am unable to get the option to apply an update.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[sfringer]

@rdyoung you cannot force the update. Fitbit controls the devices receiving the update through a staged roll-out. When they add your phone to the allowed group, you will get the update. You just need to be patient.

[TuringAlan]

---

@sfringer wrote:

@rdyoung you cannot force the update. Fitbit controls the devices receiving the update through a staged roll-out. When they add your phone to the allowed group, you will get the update. You just need to be patient.

---

@sfringer do you know how long it takes on average for your phone to be added to the update list?

[DavideFitbit]

Hi @rdyoung and @TuringAlan, it's good to see you around in the Community forums. 

As @sfringer mentioned earlier, the firmware updates are released progressively to the users, it starts with a small percentage and the extends to the whole Community of Fitbit users. You should be receiving the firmware update very soon as well. 

I hope this helps. 

[Adam1304]

my new ionic wont update, after pairing-sync with phone(no usable, as nothing on fitbit yet), show update to os3, do all 3 stages to update(connecting, downloading,updating)but on updating always hang, iv seen only main blue logo flashing every 12s(even 10h) or red X or data sync error. Iv try everything what i found on forums(hard reset, new account, other phone(no way to update through PC as pc app wont support Ionic:( ), my wifi, neighbour wifi, 3G, 4G(as hotspots from different phones), Bluetooth, i fighting with this over week. Always ask to try different way/again/bluetooth. Any solution? how to make this to work? phones used: samsung s7, huawei p10, galaxy tab s2, ionic show firmware 27.20.16.23

[TuringAlan]

Fitbit does a scheduled update release. At any point there is a cohort of
Fitbits' that are eligible to update, so until your Fitbit is added to the
list there you will not have the update...

a) Based on when you purchased your Fitbit it can take up to 3 weeks to get
your update.

b) If you call Fitbit customer service they can let you know if your watch
is on the update list.

If all the above don't work. It may be a technical issue and am guessing
Fitbit will give you more guidance.

[Adam1304]

sorry that's mean iv paid over 200 € for stuff which is not working after purchase? like iv mention only welcome screen on Ionic, asking for update, try to do update by all ways founded on forum, still this same?i thought that's update between os2 and os3 was finalized last year?please provide me details for Customer support at ROI(Ireland). Thank you for fast but not really helpfull answer:(

[RicardoFitbit]

Hi @Adam1304 and @TuringAlan welcome back to our forums, I'm happy to see you participating. Let me provide assistance with your difficulties. 

@Adam1304 I appreciate your time and efforts troubleshooting this matter prior posting. Please refer to this post to resolve your concern. Please try the steps described on that specific post and let me know how it goes. If by any chance you don't see any improvements on your device, I can contact our Support team directly on your behalf to receive further assistance with them.

@TuringAlan I would like to appreciate your time and the suggestions that were given. 

I want to suggest you to visit our discussion forums and participate. There are several users who are interested in fitness, healthy eating, better sleep, among others and share many tips. They will be happy to meet you there.

I'll be here if you need anything else. 

[SunsetRunner]

Hey Alex 94, 

If you're not a moderator you certainly talk like you are one so I was wondering if you might be able to answer a question for me. I know different models rolled out on different days not.. Any chance you could tell me When the ionic rollouts came out? It seems to me that I have received at least two within the last week but the dates got to be somewhere between the 19th maybe even the 18th and 22nd for the first one. The second one was sometime before the 26th I believe. Anyways I'm looking for somebody that has some hard numbers on the ionic roll out dates and any subsequent Patches from the first one. Any information you might be able to provide me would be greatly appreciated.

[RicardoFitbit]

Welcome back @SunsetRunner I'm happy to see you again participating in our forums. Let me help you out with your question.

I would like to share with you that our latest firmware update for our Ionic device was released on December 17th, 2018. However, we are always releasing updates for our Fitbit app which will depend on the specific mobile device platform you are currently using to sync your device. That being said, can you please let me know which mobile device platform you use to sync your Ionic watch? 

I'll be looking to your reply. Let me know if you have any additional questions. 

[SunsetRunner]

Hi RicardoFitbit,

Kind of you to reply so quickly.  Well, after try #41, I broke down, swallowed my pride and contacted support; they agreed with me that there was indeed something wrong with the Ionic.  Now, just to be perfectly clear, this unit worked flawlessly for me since I bought it Feb 2018; even when I upgraded my mobile platform from a T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 5 to the Note 8, not a hitch and it performed like a champ.  Had a heart attack a couple years back so I absolutely depend on this thing in the gym and everywhere for lot's of data and history.  I started with a Charge 2, then a Blaze, and now the Ionic.

Day of the update (18 Apr 2019?), wife almost kills me because I was late for a important meeting; turns out the watch wasn't syncing back to my phone for the time, and I don't know about other Ionics, but mine does not even come close to keeping accurate time on it's own.  Never did, and never understood why not, but hey, it worked so I left it alone.  But that was a problem.

Re-bound/Re-sync'd it to my phone thinking it was a glitch, but soon learned of the release.  Didn't take a rocket scientist to look at the running commentaries and realizing that this update / release / enhancement (or whatever they would prefer to call it to justify it's creation, existence, and subsequent rollout) was a lemon. 

I've worked in IT a long time, and I know bad code symptoms when I see them....

After spending my Florida Vacation through the 27th without the use of the Ionic, I burnt through about two 4-5 hour sessions trying to "Re-establish sound communication" with the two; even tried to find rollback packages, different mobile platforms, you name it I tried it; the whole bag of tricks, but Fit Bit did a good job of making sure there's no stray packages around, and with the breadth of the people and associated horror stories, the Q.A. team couldn't have tested that well.  I mean, that's what beta testing consumers are for, and you have to at least make an attempt at the main player manufacturers in the field; Samsung isn't exactly a unknown. 

Finally performed a factory reset on the Ionic (as per Fit Bit's directions online) and that was all she wrote.  After that the thing went totally sketchy on me and I got intermittent communication/behavior from the Ionic like the patch had fried the Bluetooth and Wireless Transceivers (or whatever they call them).

After about 1 1/2 hours on the phone with them they are sending out a new Ionic.  Man, there's a lot of angry folks out there with bricked units that are going to have to pay one way or another. 

I was lucky, because apparently I am "just inside the extended warranty window" they are sending me out no charge a replacement, but for those who are not in warranty, they are only offering a discount on another model, and I think you have to get the next one up... Any way you slice that pie, it draws flies.

I've been party to so many software/website/workstation/PDA patches, updates, enhancements, every type of rollouts I lost count, but I can sure remember the ones that we didn't get the right amount of Q.A. done on or a major "gotcha" slipped under the radar, because as "Manager of Customer Support" was another hat I always wore, and man we would we take a beating. 

They are in that mode now, I can tell just by the background conversations when I was on with them.  I feel bad for them; they should crucify whoever signed off on that package push. 

It's going to put a real hurting on FitBit's bottom line; I've already heard it mentioned just in passing in three conversations since it's release not to mention the online feedback.  No sir, wouldn't want to be a stock holder right now....

This is my second go-round with them about sub-standard performance and them not wanting to stand behind their stuff; I had to write a letter and copy it to the whole Executive Staff and wait two weeks, but they couldn't wait to make me happy after that, but I'm done now.  Nobody should have to go through that to get "Good Customer Service" and a "Company that Will Stand Behind What it Sells".

Once this one runs it's course, I'll be looking for another provider that has a backbone and stands behind both their product and their actions. 

I don't care if "everybody's doing it" is the cavalier attitude that Management in Corporate America is "trying" to pull off; while sticking it to everyone because their legal team is bigger than Joe Consumer's.  There are still decent companies that make decent products out there and will do the right thing.

Thanks again for the reply RicardoFitbit.

Ciao,

A.J.

Computer Network Systems Administrator/Engineer, (Ret.)

M.C.S.E., M.C.P. + I., M.C.P., CompTIA+

Moderator edit: Format and removed personal information 

[RicardoFitbit]

Hi again @SunsetRunner, thank you for your detailed reply, I'm glad to continue assisting you.

I'd like to let you know that after checking further your Ionic behavior I was informed by our Support team that they already provided you with assistance to resolve your concern. If you have any additional questions or want more information about their resolution, I suggest you to contact them directly for more details. 

Also, I would like to appreciate your time, efforts and your post regarding your experience with our Support team, our Ionic device and your experience as a Computer network systems administrator/engineer, I'm happy to know that we're part of your healthy lifestyle. I'd like to let you know that Fitbit is always striving to improve our customer's Fitbit experience with our products and services. We appreciate all of the input we receive from our users and the Community posts because this information always help us to evaluate our procedures for future reference.

Thank you for the feedback provided and your patience with this situation, let me know if you need anything else and I'll gladly continue assisting you.

[Adam1304]

Today i receive replacement of my Ionic, update took 8h-first tried through wifi but no luck ask for Bluetooth which take 6h no luck then again ask for wifi which finally was successfully finished. Device is ok and working now. My case could be closed. thank you

[RicardoFitbit]

Hey @Adam1304 thanks for your reply and update, my apologies for the delay in responding your post.

I'm happy to know that you received your replacement device and that the firmware update was successfully completed. Don't hesitate to contact me back if you need anything else or have any additional questions for me to answer, I'll be here. 

I want to suggest you to visit our discussion forums and participate! There are several users who are interested in fitness, healthy eating, better sleep, among others. I'm sure that they will be happy to meet you there.

See you around. 

[jvel92]

I am having the same issue... I have tried to reset my fitbit, shut it off and try again but unfortunately nothing seems to work. I haven't been able to update for some time and now my ionic doesnt automatically pick up when I am exercising. When I touch the exercise button on the screen it doesnt go to it, it returns to the home page and it no longer alerts me of my calls/messages. I have tried changing things through the app but nothing seems to work. I left it updating with my phone at home the whole morning connected to the charger, but when I came back it had at some point stopped updating, which is very frustrating... It starts through bluetooth since it doesnt connect to the wifi, but then eventually it stops.

Please help,

Thanks,  

[RicardoFitbit]

Hello @jvel92 welcome to the Community Forums, sorry for the delay in responding your post.

I appreciate the details that were shared in your post, also, thanks for your effort and patience troubleshooting this situation prior to posting. To better assist you with this, can you please let me know which mobile device you're currently using to update the firmware version of your Ionic? Also, the troubleshooting steps that were posted on this specific thread were already took into consideration?

In the meantime I receive your answers, please make sure that you're using a compatible device to update the firmware version of your device, if this is not the case, please try with a compatible device instead and let me know how it goes.

Keep me posted/

[jvel92]

Hi RicardoFitbit,

Thank you for getting back to me!

I am currently using an Iphone 7 to update the device, is this a compatible
device?

I have already performed the troubleshooting steps that I saw in the thread
as well as in the frequently asked questions section. Unfortunately, they
haven't helped.

Since I posted, my device has decided to go a bit crazy... it now pulls up
the recent activity tab by itself and then goes to my alarms, and it
continues to do this throughout the day...

Let me know what else I should do, I can download the app on a One Plus 7
phone also if my iphone 7 is not compatible.

Thanks!

[Edwin3]

My app says that I need an update to the newest OS to continue (fit bit not my windows laptop nor my iphone which are up to date). However I have not pink update button. I had it there until I did a factory reset. After the reset it will say it is connected and synced, however, the watch face displays the fit bit logo in white (dots are not pulsing).