Charge 2 requires internet connection to sync

[Kelvin6056]

I have used a Fitbit for several years and was frustrated when Fitbit or Android begin requiring your location to sync.  Why do they need to know  that information?

I recently went on a cruise in Alaska and was EXTREMELY disappointed that they not only require your location but access to the Internet as well.  I have a medical condition and need to track my heart rate and activities throughout the day.  I was UNABLE to sync with my phone due to the built in constraints of the Fitbit application. Why is it that other phone apps are able to track and log these functions without internet and GPS but Fitbit requires them?  My Fitbit was only used as a watch and snapshot in time of steps / heart rate throughout the trip,  Pretty useless until I was able to obtain Internet access and sync the historical data!!!!!  There MUST be a better way!!!!

[SteveH]

The need for location services to be enabled is a requirement that Google introduced with Android 6. In order to keep on syncing over bluetooth, fitbit has to comply with that requirement. There's more information on this at Help article: Why is the Fitbit app prompting me to turn on location services?

The need for internet access when you sync is down to the way that fitbit designed the sync process. When you do a sync it takes data from the fitbit and uploads it to the fitbit servers. So, you need bluetooth on in order for the fitbit to talk to the app, and you need internet access for the app to talk to the servers. Fitbit only holds data on its servers, not in the app, so there's no way round this. Had they designed it to store data on the app rather than the servers then you wouldn't need to have internet access to sync but the downsides would be that if you deleted the app or lost your phone then you'd lose all your data and you would only be able to access the data from that phone whereas now you can access it from any device or web browser.