Never a better, final, fixed firmware update for Ionic?!

[SunsetRunner]

The firmware update thread was closed on 2/5 by MattFitbit with this note: "Please note: Fitbit OS 4.1.1 has started rolling out to Versa 2 users. OS 4.1.1 will not be rolling out to Ionic as it only contains optimizations for Versa 2."

So after months of the moderators telling us to be patient, you now tell us "You're screwed. All you folks with buggy firmware are well and truly screwed. The buggy Fitbit OS 4.1 is the last version."

Un-friggin believable. My Ionic is now grandfathered, and will never get the long-promised pulse ox, or any other future enhancements. And "optimizations" be screwed - how about just basic bug fixes?!

I'd been holding out hope that Fitbit would do the right thing, but I guess my hunt for another smartwatch is now official.

[Ebojager]

Ya I caught that too. Do you think it's still possible for the 4.2 to include Ionic? They need to do the right thing and atleast get these power off and battery issues resolved, so the watch performs as advertised. 

[Wizegeezer]

Since Ionic was launched in September 2017 it's not surprising that it's reached end of life.  I agree, if you want a GPS watch, it's time to look at other brands. Fitbit seems to be going in a different direction.

[Ebojager]

Yes, but I think the problem is that Fitbit has bricked or at the least crippled allot of Ionics with their update. The devices no longer work as advertised, unless upto 5 day battery life really means 24 hours??? So whether its the end of the life of the device or not, they could have been considerate enough to leave us with atleast a working as advertised device instead of releasing a defective update for allot of Ionics. I mean why cant they atleast make the device power down correctly instead of staying on until the battery dies ?

I do notice they finally got around to updating the Ionic web page, removing the pictures of the features they removed. I personally, will not be buying another Fitbit device, even though I love the looks and original features, just the way they have handled things with their customers and blindly sending out replacement devices when they knew the update would break them again and not owning up to their mistake and making things right for those Ionic customers who now have a useless device because of their mistakes.

[GHX]

By closing that thread, they are basically telling me "We know we broke everyone's devices, and we're tired of hearing you complain."

Other highlights from that final post that rub me (and probably most of you) the wrong way -

• "If you have a question that has not yet been answered within this thread..."

Yes, we all have the same question - Why isn't this fixed yet?  And it hasn't been answered.

• "If you have not yet updated your Ionic to OS 4.1..."

 After people have come to this forum and and seen the devastation this update has caused, you want more people to voluntarily wreck their Ionics?

And for them to mark the thread as Answered is sheer tone deafness.

[SunsetRunner]

I don't see any where on the thread saying "Where closing support for ionic that it no longer will receive updates going forward". I feel many of you may just be reading into what they say way out of line. Until they say such things. Give it some time im sure there push one more update for the ionic.

[SunsetRunner]

Your optimism is amusing, given Fitbit's responses over the last several months since they broke things with the current firmware, and have done absolutely nothing to fix the software - it's all been stonewalling and paltry offers of $25 credit on a new watch. So few of us here have much hope left.

[youhippy]

I'm with @SunsetRunner on this one. They  haven't specified that the Ionic has reached it's end. The minor update was just specific to the Versa.

I am annoyed that they've closed the main thread for this update. It's caused a wave of new posts, which none of them have any mass group postings to. 

[SunsetRunner]

Hope you're right.

But last night I ordered a new Garmin Venu. As of tomorrow, even though my own Ionic is still working just fine, I've given up and I'm leaving Fitbit. I've been a devoted Fitbit customer since my Blaze and Ionic, and through six different watches for three other family members. I even wrote a watch face for my Ionic. But I'm saying goodbye. When a company treats its customers this way, it doesn't matter how good the hardware might be (when it isn't broken by firmware updates, that is).

I'm really quite sad about this - there are a number of things I prefer about my Ionic over the Garmin Venu. But the sinking feeling in my gut every time I think about how customer service has responded to me, and so many others on these forums, has permanently poisoned my feelings about this watch.

I plan to write a physical letter to Fitbit corporate. They need to know what's going on in customer land, without it being filtered by customer service management.

And no lousy $25 coupon will fix this, sorry.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @SunsetRunner I also have a Venu and have to say it is far superior to the Ionic.  It syncs instantly, updates download and install in minutes without you even knowing about them and you get pulse ox, Vo2 max, cadence, average speed, respiration rate etc. etc.  I'm holding on to my Ionic until it dies (currently on my 2nd) but then will be all in on Garmin.

[youhippy]

Careful with all the garmin talk. The moderators will delete your posts! 

Once my ionic goes I feel I will venture over to the garmin side. 

Had Fitbit since 2015