Not Able to Sync Ionic

[tppt]

I have had my ionic for a week tomorrow. Still have not been able to sync it properly and use it. I have talked  to the customer service team multiple times and spent hours trying to trouble shoot with them.

It takes about 2 hours to get it set up. It syncs for about 5 minutes and then disconnects. It then goes back and forth from looking and syncing but never connects.

How long do we need to wait before this gets fixed or they can give some update. I have tried all the trouble shooting including factory reset, etc. Very frustraing.

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject for Clarity

[Behive]

I’ve been in communication with Fitbit support for 5 days now.  This product is less than six months old and it’s not working as it should do it’s not fit for purpose. To me it’s simple.  

There’s a lot of going back and forth with support, while they work through their scripted responses. I’m having to do all the troubleshooting for the umpteenth time and then the seem to ask one question at a time. They got me to do a factory reset and My Fitbit has not synced since. That’s five days. They can  see this using their “back End” systems but still do not appear to be any closer to getting a replacement   

Ill keep you all updated but this little bunny bunny is not impressed ☹️

[Behive]

I’ve been talking to Fitbit for five days now jumping through their hoops trying to get a replacement. After umpteenth questions, troubleshooting and a factory reset, they are now trying to hint that it could be my iPhone   

Not impressed !!!!!  I want a replacement 

[Natalja]

You are not alone here. I believe someting happened to bluetooth connector several weeks ago. It had sometimes issues before, but restarts helped to get it working again. This time it is hardcore issue, it syncs randomly, behaves unpredictable, more often does not sync when I hit sync buttons, no way to get it connected, notifications do not run. Fitbit admitted once that tracker does not sync properly, but nothing more. They told me that issue is my Android phone, that they call old, no answer why it had been working fine before though. But when I asked why is the same issues with latest gen Ipad, no reasonable answer recieved. 

Btw although I do not have location on and made Android forget the device it synced minute ago. Miracle!

What I really want is to experience notifications again, that do not run because of constant connection issues.

I am about to get back to my homeland soon and escalate this process to governmental bureau of consumer protection rights. So people in my country would be warned about this glitchy crap and unsupportive support.

[SunsetRunner]

I agree also, there is some issue with Bluetooth. For 3 months now I am only using the app on my 5 month old IPad Pro with same issues everyone else is reporting. Before I also had app on my iPhone which I since deleted thinking issues were being caused by having app on both devices. Issues, of course persisted, so iPhone can’t be the cause. I know before March there were issues with music syncing to wireless headphones. Maybe in trying to resolve this issue, they messed up Bluetooth connection for all of us??

[Sunsetrunner154]

My replacement is perfect did the factory update the other day was very dubious but still syncing fine.

I am happy now p

Sent from Robyn Nast/Hinchcliffe

[Natalja]

Glad for you and jealous in good way! Hope all of us get replacements eventually that work! And experience all these beaitiful features that we paid for.

[Colinm39]

I'm now into two weeks syncing successfully by using this method in the home environment ..

• Turn off the  phone
• Use Fitbit Connect
• Syncs immediately, even multiple Fitbits..
• Turn the phone on, open the App and the PC dashboard is copied immediately to phone.

Why I'm doing it this way is, because my Kardia ECG device detects and shows a warning message of electrical interference on my phone and poor signal..

Outside I can sync direct to the phone 

[Natalja]

@Colinm39

In my opinion expensive device should not be working like this, it should be working like apple pencil or woreless headphones, without such manipulations. And all features that manufacturer lists must work as well as described.

[Colinm39]

@Natalja  I agree with you... and being very retired from all of this electronics etc what I have is probably the exception, but I have documented it here for others.

But my home environment is four adults at home all day and most of the night. Yesterday, as I mentioned in my earlier post I started using a Kardia ECG device communicating with the phone and it wouldn't work where I sit. It uses Bluetooth and came up with a message, "Too much electrical interference". As soon as I moved away from the home environment, as far as possible from most of the environment the Kardia worked immediately.

• 4 computers, 1 of those Windows 10 with Bluetooth and 1 with wireless keyboard & mouse. The computers are running 24/7 and they just go to sleep. We have a 24 hour house, my son's a musician and has recorders going all of the time, fortunately inn the front of the house.
• 1 x iPad, wife reads the newspapers on that and uses a Bluetooth Sony speaker to move around the house away from her desktop computer.
• HP laser printer with Wi-Fi
• 3 x Panasonic cordless landline phones with 3 x extensions, very busy
• 3 x mobile phones
• 2 x my hearing aids Bluetooth
• 3 x Internet radios using Wi-Fi
• 4 x TV's
• 5 x AC power Ethernet extenders
• Replaced all of our Florescent lights with LED's because they were affecting some devices.
• 1 x Ionic and 1 x Fitbit One in multi mode....
• Plus the 5 neighbors Wi-Fi and the unsecured communal Wi-Fi from the local Community Telephone box
• Our 4G tower is 100m (108yds) line of sight from our front door...
• Digital Electrical meter which is pulsing back to our power supplier on the 4G network with our power usage.
• 1 x Efergy power usage meter @ 433mHz transmission
• 1 x Wi-Fi weather station

All of this in an extended 5 bedroom single storey house.

Maybe in years to come the scientists will find we are frying our brains sitting in all of this environment..

My solution works..and it seems to agree with my earlier Support contacts on "too much interference".

But in saying all of that, the Fitbit One always syncs in any environment and the Ionic is the difficult one..  Just took the Dongle out and the Dashboard results just synced to the Ionic. I knew that was happening because I couldn't waken the Ionic screen, waited a few seconds and it sprung into life..

It's a challenge and when you think of it Fitbit have to work in this environment..

[Behive]

That does sound like very technologically challenged airspace in your home. 

However im not sure that’s the reason for this fit bit fault. 

I live alone, no computers at home so my environment is relatively interference free and My ionic does not sync anywhere, at home, work, in a field   It just does not sync as it should ☹️

[Colinm39]

@Behive Even though I have success with my products the Fitbit One was always an excellent syncing product.. When the wrist type trackers came out they always seemed to struggle.

In saying that I rarely restart the Ionic. The only change is about 6 weeks ago, Fitbit replaced my release date Ionic because the GPS wasn't working... Maybe there were hardware mods..

The Ionic occasional displays that my Android Bluetooth needs restarting and this makes me feel the Bluetooth Interface has issues.

[catherinekirby]

Demand a replacement watch. In my opinion it’s the ONLY true fix to make a $300 paperweight into the REAL marketed product. My REPLACEMENT Ionic is the best tracker ever. Swam yesterday and worked great again.

Sent from Catherine's iPhone

[Natalja]

@catherinekirby Glad for you! I think such statement makes us believe that Fitbit ionic are not that bad as we have and stop thinking about switching to more reliable Apple Watch instead. Hope I will get my constantly perfectly working gadget someday.

[catherinekirby]

I bought an Apple Watch during my Ionic journey. I returned after two days. Step counts suck, ugly look and NOTHING about it replaced my Ionic. Not my Blaze or the whooped up Apple Watch.

This New Ionic is NOT like my old one. Demand a replacement! Macy’s said no but Fitbit took good care of me and replaced it.

It’s worth it, fight for replacement.

Sent from Catherine's iPhone

[Nobblytanner]

It is SO frustrating.

I just spent 25 mins on the line with a (very polite) customer service rep, describing how the only way to get my Fitbit to sync is to reboot it every day. I rebooted it and update the app on the line with her, and sure enough, it synced (first time for 3 days). She then said "it now works, so call us back when it fails again".

This is a crazy response to the problem - I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REBOOT IT EVERY DAY!

On that basis, by their logic, as long as it can be made to work by forcing reboots, the product is fine.

That's simply unsatisfactory. Imagine if you had to turn your fridge on/off every day to keep it running!

How can you rely on a product if you never know when it falls over?

[Natalja]

I feel you. Sometimes I can not force it to sync for hours, and then it syncs without any action from my side, once-twice a day randomly. I doubt that they replace it until it really turns into brick of stone. 

[Behive]

It is not acceptable  and the product is simply not doing “what it said on the tin”.

Would any of us have bought this expensive product if the advertising campaign Boasted  “does not sync automatically but you can reboot your ionic and phone whenever you want your stats to sync” ????

[Bill145]

I must be one of the few. I got mine on pre order and set it up with my Blackberry Priv without issue. Then installed the app on my Ipad Mini 4 and that worked without issue. Using the dongle from my Surge I had no problem using my computer. I just have to remember not to have the bluetooth enabled on my Ipad and blackberry at the same time. That is the only time I have had any syncing issue.

[catherinekirby]

Ask for a supervisor or explain that even if synced this time watch won’t be what promised. And, when you call back when it won’t start no again, let them know their FAULTY product isn’t as advertised and ask for replacement. If CSR won’t, ask for higher up. Maybe imply they may be selling so they keep up reputation prior to or WHAT?? What is FitBit doing??? Crazy I say. Honor the product!

Sent from Catherine's iPhone

[catherinekirby]

We ONLY want what THEY sold! Just what they said it would do. My old version NEVER did and NEVER would. Replacement is the ONLY full solution OR REFUND FULLY!

Sent from Catherine's iPhone