Inspire HR Still Syncs with Bluetooth OFF

[ProfM]

I have noticed multiple times that my Inspire HR sometimes continues to sync live updates/steps even with my Android phone Bluetooth switched OFF at the OS level for several hours.

How is this possible? Surely it's a security and privacy problem, as well as draining my phone's battery.

[SteveH]

Would you be near a PC that's used by a Fitbit user? If someone's PC has the Fitbit connect software running then it will sync any Fitbit that comes within Bluetooth range (not just their own Fitbit). NB when it does this it has no access to your data, it just acts as a gateway between the Fitbit and the Fitbit servers.

[ProfM]

I'm not near a PC/laptop with Bluetooth enabled, but there are 4 other people's phones (paired to a mix of Inspire, Surge and Ace) with the Fitbit app installed and Bluetooth ON all the time. None of the other phones have ever paired bluetooth with my Inspire, so those phones should not accept a connection. But, I've just checked my (Android) phone, and my Inspire is NOT in the list of paired/known bluetooth devices, so how is the Fitbit app on my phone able to make a connection?

[SteveH]

That quirk I mentioned only applies to Fitbit connect on a PC. Any phone app will be logged in to a particular account and will only sync those fitbits connected to that account. So, it sounds like that isn't the issue here.

The app secures a Bluetooth connection that may not show in the phone's list of connected devices so that sounds normal. However, if you have Bluetooth turned off on your phone (and you are not logged in to the same account on another device) then I cannot explain how it is syncing. Hopefully someone else will post with some thoughts.

[ProfM]

Ok, thanks for your help.

I'm concerned about the PC connect quirk too. I can't be only person who expects their individual fitbit wearable (and personal data) to only connect/sync to a PC, laptop or phone that they have explicitly paired and authorised. These proxies might only intend to gateway my personal data, but that's an obvious security and privacy vulnerability.

[SteveH]

I'm sure you're not the only one with those concerns. Unfortunately, I don't think we can disable it.