Stop Charge 2 from asking if I want to use location services

[Mikele]

 Every time I go for a walk the app asks me if I want to use location services. I tap no thank you. The next time I look at the app while I'm walking to check my steps it asks again. Every time I go back to the app it asks me again. I don't even want to be asked. This didn't start happening until the last update. I find it incredibly annoying.  I've searched through the forums and I saw one or two things but they didn't give specific instructions and instructions they did seem to suggest a several steps that perhaps applied to an older version of the firmware. It's annoying enough that it makes me not want to use Fitbit.  It was working fine I didn't change anything and now it started doing this about a month ago. If it isn't broken don't fix it!

[Rich_Laue]

@Mikele, you don't say which of the 4 modes your using to record your walk.

I'm going to assume that the multisport mode called walk with the connected GPS enabled.

For GPS to work, the phone will nee the location services running. Without location services your Fitbit wont know the phones location.

If the map of where you walked is not wanted, then go.into the Charge 2 settings - exercises - walk and disable GPS.

[Mikele]

Rich, I am using a Charge 2 and this happens when I manually select "Walk" as the exercise. I can't seem to find where to disable this. Once I select Walk, the device asks me to check the app and the app has a window "Location Access & Bluetooth Sharing" that then tells me allow location access to track with GPS. I touch "No thanks" and the windows closes. Then I keep walking and when I go back to the app there it is again. I don't want to use this feature and I want the app and device to stop asking me if I do. This never happened before and I did not change any settings to cause it to start. Extremely frustrating and not customer friendly of Fitbit.

[Rich_Laue]

@Mikele follow the instructions in the last line of my previous post.

Simply turn the GPS off, then do a sync.

It is only asking, so that the tracker may record a map of your walk.

[SunsetRunner]

This appears to be a reoccurring issue.  The question is why must the setting be set to ALWAYS instead of WHILE USING. There is no need for Fitbit to constantly have access to my location. Once the setting is changed to ALWAYS the screen popup disappears. Change it back to WHILE USING THE APP, the popup reappears.  What's the story, here?

[Rich_Laue]

 the Charge 2 doesn't ask for location services unless the user wants to track an event with the GPS.

The Fitbit app does remind the user that on Android 6 and above, android requires location services to be on for Fitbit to get the Bluetooth MAC address. No app or OS is asking for the users location.

This change was made by the Android team to close a loophole that would allow someone to take control of the users phone during a sync of the Fitbit, Garmin, or several other devices 

Now if Fitbit really was the source of the request, why are they not requiring location services on for iOS and windows phones?

[SunsetRunner]

Huh? I have a call in w/ customer service. Thanks

[agonsalves]

Did you get an answers from customer service about always vs While using for location services?

[SunsetRunner]

My requests were not answered. I did some digging on my own without success. The User manuals for Android and iOS users is lacking at best. I will give it another try.

[Rich_Laue]

May I ask whatyour request is @SunsetRunner, I can't seem to find any requests that you have made. 

[SunsetRunner]

Is there a fitness tracker that doesn't require location to be turned on? Loved my fitbit untill having to turn on location. It's a deal breaker for me.

[Rich_Laue]

If your asking about with an android device, there may be, but do to Android security concerns with the possibility of having a users phone being compromised during a BY MAC scan. Androids fix now requires location services to be enabled. This does not turn on location any more than putting a key in a lock will unlock the lock. The user will still have to turn the key.. It is the same with enabling location services, an app still needs to request the location. Dieting a sync no one requests the location but Android wants location on to do some type of confirmation with the MAC request. '

As for other trackers, most of the name brands do require location services, I also know of a house thermostat and a scale. 

[SunsetRunner]

I agree - I took my fitbit off last night (after almost 3 years) and won't use again.  I am looking for an alternative that doesn't require location to be enabled.

[SunsetRunner]

When you find an alternative please post as I am still looking.

[SunsetRunner]

Hey  there,
I just bought the Garmin Vivoactive 3.  LOTS of bells and whistles, but provides the capability  of turning off location.

[Rich_Laue]

It is not the Charge 2 that requires location service enables to sync, it is the Android operating system. 

Think about it, why would Fitbit only want location services turned on for Android and not iOS or windows.. 

Sorry @SunsetRunner Garmin disagrees with you. 

Garmin also States that Android 6 and above requires location services to be enabled. 

As mentioned above, this is a change made by Android when they closed the security risk of having an unknown person taking control of the phone surfing a Mac search. 

[Angela7153]

I agree with it. Fitbit is going in the garbage and getting bad reviews if it does not stop requesting location. Serious privacy issue. 

[Rich_Laue]

I'm having problems understanding this thread. 

The only time that the Charge 2 needs location services is when the Charge 2 is requested by the user to record an activity with GPS. 

This thread is about the changes Android made to protect their users. IE: You. From having their phones compromised while an app, like the fitbit app, requests the attached Bluetooth device to identify itself. 

BTW it is up to you, if you want to switch, but i would do some research because with most of Fitbits competition Android also requires location services to be on. 

The web is also full of users complaining about this with their Garmins

[agonsalves]

Before I could set the setting to “while using App” but now it forces me to select “Always”
I have an issue with why I have to set the location service to always

Sent from my iPhone

[SunsetRunner]

Hello @agonsalves 

I understand you don’t want your location services on your device. You can certainly turn your location services to “never” if you chose to if you have an iOS Device. (I personally have mine set to never and my Fitbit works fine. (I don’t use the GPS map function on my Fitbit so I don’t feel the need to have it on but know I can always change it if I change my mind) 

Heres how:

iOS device settings >privacy>location services >Fitbit >select never.

😃I hope this provides you with an answer.