Support answering/rejecting calls from Android devices

[Berdwa]

I just read the section of the Ionic manual dealing with answering or rejecting calls from the device. It states it will only work with iOS. Why? That's a feature I would loathe to give up. It's much less distracting to hit a button to dismiss a call and send it to voicemail while I'm in front of a class than to pull it out of my pocket or let it vibrate while I'm trying to teach. If Pebble can do it, I don't see what the problem is. This may be a deal breaker for me.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Lauraanthony209]

That absolutely sucks! As a fellow Andriod user who has already bought it, I hope they continue to update the Ionic as more people purchase it (which I'm guessing they will). 

[USAF-Larry]

@Berdwa, remember that "answering" a call from the Ionic only answers it on the iPhone, not on the Ionic. The Ionic does not have microphone, so you cannot answer the call with the Ionic, but must use the iPhone.  Of course, you can send it to voicemail, but the phone will do that automatically if the call is not answered.

From the manual:

If paired to an iPhone, Ionic lets you accept or reject incoming phone calls. To accept
a call, tap the green phone icon on your watch’s screen. Note that you can’t speak
into the watch — accepting a phone call answers the call on your nearby phone. To
reject a call, tap the red phone icon to send the caller to voicemail.

[JamesIonic]

We all get that however there's no valid reason that an Android device is lacking this feature.

[Berdwa]

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@USAF-Larry wrote:

@Berdwa, remember that "answering" a call from the Ionic only answers it on the iPhone, not on the Ionic. The Ionic does not have microphone, so you cannot answer the call with the Ionic, but must use the iPhone.  Of course, you can send it to voicemail, but the phone will do that automatically if the call is not answered.

From the manual:

If paired to an iPhone, Ionic lets you accept or reject incoming phone calls. To accept
a call, tap the green phone icon on your watch’s screen. Note that you can’t speak
into the watch — accepting a phone call answers the call on your nearby phone. To
reject a call, tap the red phone icon to send the caller to voicemail.

---

True. I'm not talking about answering the call on the watch like with the Gear S 2 and 3, but simply accepting or rejecting the call on my phone remotely from the watch like with the Pebble. I wish the Ionic could do that.

[NickAK]

I believe this feature used to work on Android too, though on Blaze (might be mistaken). In either case, it is ridiculous that it's not implemented on Android!

The fact that competing platforms (Garmin, Polar) have no problem implementing this functionality says a lot about Fitbit engineering. Garmin Vivoactive 3, for example, not only lets you accept or reject your calls, but also to send a text reply (Android only as iOS doesn't let arbitrary apps send SMS messages). 

Please: if a glorified sports watches like Vivoactive 3 and Fenix 5 can have call management and rudimentary notification interaction (like synchronizing notification dismissal between watch and phone), there's no reason why the FitbitOS smartwatch platform can't do that. And yes, people mentioned Pebble... What happened to those bits?

[saundebn]

Before making my decision to buy Ionic, I specifically asked the chat support line about supporting call notifications and rejecting calls.  Coming from Pebble Time used with Android, this was extremely important to me as a feature.  The online staff assured me that this would work fine although did clarify that answering calls would require getting my phone out to take the call.  No worries from my perspective, not being able to take calls was obvious but rejecting calls was my primary objective ... important to stop the phone ringing and buzzing in my pocket!

Greatly disappointed that this doesn't work under Android ... it works quite well with Pebble Time.

[thehappychappie]

Not sure if anyone from FitBit read this stuff, but here goes!

Since FitBit bought the Pebble software, and the fact that the Pebble software could accept/reject calls on Android, surely it doesn't take too much to add this functionality to the FitBit Ionic for Android?

The pure reason FitBit effectively shut down Pebble was to acquire the Pebble software aspects.  So why not make your watch behave like a Pebble?  (Accept/Reject calls, read full messages etc.)  I know the watch doesn't have a microphone, and I'm not asking for something along those lines, but just the ability to control call handling on an Android device.

You did it for iPhone.  Pebble did it for Android. 

new FitBit = old FitBit + Pebble.

[NRM1979]

This!

I don't want to try and type emails or texts on a tiny phone screen, or talk at my watch to take a call (like you can with some other smartwatches) so am generally more than happy with the level of notifications and 'smartness' you get with the Ionic on top of it's 'FitBitness'
but

To not be able to discretely stop my Android phone buzzing in a meeting, or on my desk when I'm at another with a colleague, via my watch is an annoyance, especially when iOS users can do it!!

Will this be in the next firmware update? (I've searched the forum rather than start a new post on the same subject but note that we don't have an official FitBit reply on this).

[USAF-Larry]

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@NRM1979 wrote:


Will this be in the next firmware update? (I've searched the forum rather than start a new post on the same subject but note that we don't have an official FitBit reply on this).

---

I'm not from Fitbit, and have no insight into their plans or schedule, but my best guess is Probably Not.  It will be a lot more complicated to implement that type of feature in an Android than in an iPhone because it is an interface between the Fitbit app and the phone hardware. With the iPhone there is only one phone to design for, but with th Android every manufacturer has a different hardware platform, and a slightly different version of the Android Operating System (OS).  But then, if Dick Tracy had it way back in the 60's and 70's, it should be possible....

[thehappychappie]

I'd argue that Fitbit already know how to do this.  The ability to cancel calls etc. was available on Pebble watches and worked on Android.  Since FitBit bought the Pebble software then they already possess the necessary details.

[Eventer826]

Even if you cant answer a call from your watch, it is still a nice option to have if your phone is ringing or vibrating on your desk or nearby and you simply want to touch your wrist to discontinue.  Having the option to look at the watch to see if it is an important and urgent call with the option to disregard the call is pretty important and shouldn't be limited to one type of phone system. 

[Ab26]

The new fitbit os update 2.1 has this feature for Android

[PukkaHQ]

On android (huawei p10) from the watch you can reject call, answer call (answers the call on the phone, no speaker or mike in the watch) and send short pre definded replys from messages.

[ReallyButton]

Ugh its only giving me the option to rejext the call, not answer, any ideas how to fix it?

[Xeph]

I have an android phone and i can reject calls on my fitbit versa and ionic (yes i have both, long story), however Cannot make calls. I have however been able to make a call via facebook messenger after missing a call from the app.