Charge 3 Firmware Release - 1.88.11

[KateFitbit]

8/14 Update: We are continuing to roll out the firmware update for Charge 3 and expect more users will see it as available. This is a progressive rollout, and all customers can expect to have it within a few weeks. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. If you don't see the option to update, don't worry - you'll have it soon! 

Please use this thread to share your experience updating the firmware once it's received. If you have a different inquiry, please post in a thread with a similar topic or create a new post. 

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7/23 Update: the firmware update has only rolled out to a small percentage of users, and will roll out further next week. It should be rolling out to everyone soon. Thanks for your patience and interest, we look forward to hearing your feedback on the new firmware. 

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We've begun releasing new firmware (1.88.11) for Charge 3 to customers. This is a progressive rollout which means everyone will receive it at different stages until it has been completely released to all users. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. 

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW

Please click here for firmware notes. 

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Charge 3 can be found here.

If you run into any trouble updating your Charge 3, please review these troubleshooting tips. 

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR CHARGE 3 FIRMWARE UPDATE: ALARMS CLEARED

We moved where you set alarms from the Fitbit app to your wrist! After you update, any alarms set will be cleared and need to set up again on the device. 

To make sure you don't miss an important alarm, open the Alarms app on Charge 3 and tap *+ Set up a new alarm*. Tap the checkmark to save and make sure it’s set.

[pbellone]

My charge 3 is 2 versions behind (1.63.5). It always says I'm up to date. Should this be true?

[DaveyReyn]

Version 1.88.11 is the newest version that allegedly started rolling out on the 17th, however, I have not come across anyone that received it so 1.63.5 is what everyone has unless they were in the beta program that gave them 1.88.11 early to test.

[Decoherence]

@pbellone 1.63.5 was the last general release. 1.88.11 is being rolled out but hasn't reached most people yet. 1.8.45 was specific to a small group of people on a particular programme and not for general release (as was said on page 2 of this thread, and repeated a few times since). 

So what you are seeing now is true. It will change only when the update rollout reaches you.

[AlexLeporiday]

Thanks for this.

Why is details like this not in the first post?

[Messy25247]

Yesterday My app on my iPhone forgot my login and my Charger 3.  Once I signed in and reconnected, i had to reselect the data to be tracked.  Now every time I manually refresh it loses a week of my sleep history and maybe other history.  What?  I’m at a loss.  Data tracking over time is kinda the point.  Please help.

[BrokenFB]

After 3 live chats on Monday, one of which promised supervisor contact within 48hours, 3 tweets on twitter land, a plethora of direct messages and now an email, the staff clearly do not read previous content on your FB account. 

I have once again been shown to the 'syncing fixes' page, even though I have proved that the Bluetooth functionality of my Charge 3 is faulty. 

They are still pushing the 'latest version of OS', even though, as rightly pointed out here only (for Android users) Android 7 actually requested. 

I have no further answer about the 'compatibility' of my new mobile device, no one seems to grasp the stupidness of requiring your customers to have new devices that can indeed run the latest OS, but then FB have not tested those devices and therefore without a FB agreed compatible device, the warranty cannot be activated. 

I am still being told to test my Fitbit on another compatible device (we have none in this house - should I buy a Samsung Galaxy S3 which is classed as compatible, but then can't run OS A7 or A10?!!) even though the bluetooth still does not connect to my computer.

I wish customer service teams would not just read from rote sheets and actually have some technical understanding of the product they are trying to 'fix'. 

As noted previously, I am running FB 28.20 - no one has clarified if this is older or newer than 1.88.11? I can't find out when 28.20 was uploaded to my FB and my phone device and if this has caused me the issues I've experienced since July 3rd. *It's not the A10 update as that happened on June 1st and the first live chat aid got quite shirty when I said I was certain I was running A7, as I wasn't aware of the OS update. It was him that said without being to run the latest OS, he could not confirm the compatibility of my mobile device.

It's useless!

I'm back reexplaining myself to someone on email now, who certainly isn't a supervisor, and only through to me because of my twitter whinge!

[Decoherence]

28.20 are the first 4 digits of the firmware version, and are common to many versions. It's the last 4-5 digits that are used to identify the version. So for example "1.63.5" is short for 28.20001.63.5.

1.88.11 is the most recent, so whichever version you have is older. You can find a list of software versions here, 1.84.5 was a special release for users on a particular programme, so for most people 1.63.5 is the most recent prior to 1.88.11.

Otherwise yeah, that list of compatible phones is a joke, since it clearly hasn't been updated for several years and most of those phones will never get A10. And I do not believe that they'd genuinely be stupid enough to require A10, since with the poor update support from most Android manufacturers the majority of Android-based Fitbit users would be cut off - I can't see many people buying a new phone because Fitbit change their software, after all. 

(Disclosure: I've been using Android 10 for almost a year, so don't have experience of current compatibility with earlier versions). 

[BrokenFB]

Thank You Decoherence - Knowledge that FB couldn't answer for me!

My full firmware is 28.20001.6.3.5 so therefore I am running the older/current version and my BT issues cannot be due to any new downloads. 

I only bought a new phone because my old handset was about 4 years old - it struggled to run A5 and was breaking. Winning the new FB was a good excuse to treat myself to the closest 'small' handset I could find to replace my dodgy old Galaxy. It is ridiculous though that technology changes so much it is constantly pricing or forcing technology out of compatible lists. I was expecting my old phone to be incompatible now, but appears not!

I was really annoyed when Juan told me that I needed to run the latest OS - but he would not budge from his spiel. Even when he sent me the link that states A7 required to run new FB, he couldn't see the hypocrisy of what he was asking! 

I'm still chasing - I will update when I have one!

[KateFitbit]

Hey Everyone - the firmware update has only rolled out to a small percentage of users, and will roll out further next week. It should be rolling out to everyone over the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience and interest, we look forward to hearing your feedback. 

Please keep this thread on the topic of the new firmware update. If you have another issue, please try finding a similar thread on this board and our moderators will review. 

[Nicosoccerfan]

Next few weeks!? Why can't it just be rolled out to everyone now or when the update first released?

[KateFitbit]

@Nicosoccerfan please check out the main post for more information. 

[Rattrap113]

@KateFitbit Hi Kate, just wondering. I have had the new firmware banner in the fitbit app for about a week now but I have been unable to get it downloaded to my Charge3. I have tried rebooting and unpairing etc. but it has not seemed to work. The download gets about 1/3 of the way complete then stops and I get a X on my fitbit. Perhaps I have just been notified that a firmware upgrade exists, but is not yet available to me? I appreciate the clarification.

[BobDavis]

The firmware update seems to have a serious flaw.  I installed it this morning and ever since my desktop version cannot work with my charge 3.  When I go to it my tracking data on steps and heart rate disappears.  It only shows calories and manual inputs like weight, water and food.  Apparently, it disconnects my charge 3 from my account. After several calls to support, they decided to escalate it and after being on hold 20 minutes they hung up on me.   They don't seem to know what's going on.

This is frustrating because I was really enjoying it.  My scale crapped out and I decided to get the Aria Air to enhance my experience.  Dumb move.  It would not connect without the firmware update and now all I have is the small display on my phone.  If I try to use the computer version...boom disconnected from account and cant get data without  clearing it out and resetting.

bad business

[izB]

same here. when i go to the help section in the app there is an option to check for an update. it says an update is available but after clicking continue it says there is an unexpected error and that im up to date. i understand not getting the 1.88 version but im like 2 updates behind! why haven't i received those updates???

[izB]

i understand not receiving the 1.88.11 update so soon but my charge 3 is 1.63.5. why have i never received 1.84.5?

[EtheP]

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@izB wrote:

same here. when i go to the help section in the app there is an option to check for an update. it says an update is available but after clicking continue it says there is an unexpected error and that im up to date. i understand not getting the 1.88 version but im like 2 updates behind! why haven't i received those updates???

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I’m receiving the same error message as well.  

[MNnice]

I did the only chat support. Took a little time but it was better than
sprint online support for sure.

[asiayeah]

Let's have faith in Fitbit rolling-out out this firmware release!

Let's start the count-down process. It's now Day 8 since the announcement!

[DaveyReyn]

Unfortunately a lot of people don't have faith with Fitbit & how they initially announced the update rollout only led to more frustration. If Kate was a little clearer on expectations indicating time-frames there would have been a lot less refreshing & checking of our apps looking for the banner for update available -  only increasing frustration. A simple announcement that there will be a small rollout (so clear it will probably not be you receiving it right now) on the 17th to allow for testing for issues followed by a full rollout over the next several weeks (or whatever the expected time frame) would have been more instructive. I have been a Fitbit customer for going on 6 years over 3 different models and not a single 1 lasted over 1.5 years (I'm very familiar with the 25% off on a replacement when out of warranty). If not for the simplicity of their basic fitness features & app I would have left for another brand years ago. After this current replacement Charge 3 likely fails in just outside warranty I will probably look to another company seeking better quality & customer service. 

[Mnp1964]

How do I dump this new update. I no longer have alarms available.