Outlook notifications badly broken on Ionic (Outlook calendar notifications, Android)

[jakechs]

I really want to love my Ionic but the biggest feature I was hoping for in my smartwatch is an interactive calendar / agenda in addition to notifications and other information without consulting my phone.

For some reason Outlook isn't recognized as a calendar app but I was hoping to view the notifications on my Fitbit. Unfortunately notifications are badly broken when using Outlook and possibly other services. In the notification Outlook shows how many minutes until a meeting, and fitbit seems to think every minute is a new notification so my wrist vibrates every minutes, 15 times, before every meeting. I can't disable the time in the outlook notification and I can't get this to stop without disable notifications all together. It's frustrating enough that I'm close to giving up on the ionic but I'm holding out hope there's a solution.

Has anyone found a way to use outlook calendar notifications? Can fitbit be smarter about the notifications it's sending to the phone? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[davidf100010]

I use outlook and I do not get what you get for the calendar. I just switched to android what phone are you using?

[jakechs]

Thanks for your reply, maybe there's hope!

I'm using Google Pixel, Android 8.0.0, with the Outlook app. 

I am using enterprise / exchange account, not outlook.com or other free account in case that matters. 

Can you share your setup details?

Thanks,

Jake

[Kight]

I have to clear the reminder from the notifications on my s8 or it does the same thing.

[jakechs]

Yeah, same here, it seems clearing the reminder will help, though that does seem to break the function of the reminder. Ideally I'd clear it after the meeting started or at least after I arrive.

[laskaGirl]

Are you using the Galaxy S8 and do the notifications work on it. I just called support and they said the S8 is having glitches with notifications.

[jakechs]

No, I have a Google Pixel. The notifications will work with other apps too, I think the biggest issue is outlook puts a "(X minutes until...)" in the notification. When that timer updates the notification is resent to the fitibit and I think the ionic should behave better when forwarding notifications. 

[laskaGirl]

I am returning mine it does not give me notifications and when I called support they just told me my Galaxy S8 is not working with the Fitbit app and it will take time to do updates on this problem. So I have a very expensive step tracker and will be returning until they can assure me my S8 will work with this *smartwatch* The features on the watch say my phone is compatible 100%and this is not true.

[SunsetRunner]

Must be an Android / phone specific issue, as it’s working fine for me. Sorry I can’t offer any other comment.

[bigmed]

Yes, Someone at Fitbit need to fix this Outlook apps notifications.  I don't need a minute by minute notifcation countdown on a meeting reminder

[VictorE]

jakechs i have the same problem with outlook calendar notifications counting down. i also use a corporate exchange account. i have a pixel 2 and ionic. i was hoping this last update would fix this, but unfortunately it did not. maybe the forthcoming Android 8.1 will fix this.

[jakechs]

Thanks @VictorE, @bigmed. I've also still been seeing the issue. I've moved to sign in to my exchange account on my phone and sync it with the built-in Google Calendar. It's not great but it did help with this issue. Very disappointed to have to take this step and would love to see @Fitbit do something to fix massive notification spam for notifications which update.

[bigmed]

Yes, its clearly the Outlook application in Fitbit app. Testing it against corporate account, even Hotmail as well and it will countdown the reminder each minute of a reminder's duration. I've turned it off now. Completely useless to turn on calendar notifications with the Outlook app. I'm using an S7 with ICONIC. Fitbit please fix your app...

[WinthropDC]

My son has exactly the same issue on his Android phone with his Microsoft Band 2.

Outlook updates the notification each minute and it get sent again to the smart watch.

This is not specific to the Ionic.

[Veeva]

Just to add to the list.  My Fitbit Blaze does the same thing.  There is an older message about this very issue (Calendar Notification Keep Vibrating and I Don't Know Why) so it has been going on for about 2 years now.  That discussion chain ended with a Fitbit Rep instructing users to call Tech Support for more help.  I just did and they had me take a picture of it and gave me a case number.  Not sure if it is a priority to fix but it seems like it should be.

[drea411]

This has still not been fixed as I have the same issue with my S8, Versa and Outlook exchange account.