Fitbit App crashing using connected GPS Versa

[Earthtk]

Hi,

Previously when I was using a Samsung Galaxy S7 with Charge HR 2, connected GPS worked seamlessly. I sold my charge HR 2 for some other fitness device and returned back to Versa after a year. 

This time my Versa is paired to my Samsung Galaxy s8 running on Android Oreo. When I tried running outside, my gps location will be tracked for the first few secs/minutes. After that it will never track for the entire exercise. I tried troubleshooting, wondering if it was the watch that has the problem or my phone. I have cleared the fitbit app cache, reinstalled the application, activating all permission for the application, excluding it from any battery saver monitoring and even factory reset my Versa, but the problem still exist.

Finally I found out that once GPS connected is activated, the Fitbit app will crash shortly after (I have sent the logs to google), rendering the connected-gps function to be useless. Please report this to the developers for patching. I run a lot outdoors and I bought the watch due to the good impression I had with Charge HR 2. Hopefully Fitbit will not disappoint me. Thank you. 

[SunriseGirl]

@Earthtk I bought the Versa for my mom....same situation exactly.  She went from the Charge 2 using Samsung Galaxy S8 using Oreo and had no problem ever using connected GPS.  Now with the Versa, the app crashes within a few minutes after starting connected GPS from the Run setting in exercise.  We have tried similar troubleshooting and have not had any luck fixing this problem.  

[GrumpyCyclist]

Just got my Versa today and the connected gps won't even connect. Just sits saying "connecting" and if I've got the Fitbit app open at the time it crashes .can't get ciconnect gps working at all.

[SunriseGirl]

@GrumpyCyclist My mom’s versa has done that as well.  Then after several attempts of it just trying to connect and crashing, when we finally get it to connect the app will crash within a few minutes of connecting.  She absolutely loves the watch otherwise!  This is a big thing, though, that needs to be resolved!

[SunriseGirl]

@GrumpyCyclist Do you have an Android phone or apple?  I have the gray Versa coming for my daughter as well (she has an apple phone) and am hoping perhaps not an issue with Apple phones as she would be so disappointed to have connected GPS issues.  She currently has a charge 2 with no problems using connected GPS

[John9876]

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@SunriseGirl wrote:

@GrumpyCyclist Do you have an Android phone or apple?  I have the gray Versa coming for my daughter as well (she has an apple phone) and am hoping perhaps not an issue with Apple phones as she would be so disappointed to have connected GPS issues.  She currently has a charge 2 with no problems using connected GPS

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I have an iPhone 7+ and the connected gps works fine as long as the Fitbit app is open on my phone. My only complaint is that sometimes it takes a little too long to connect.

[GrumpyCyclist]

Android. Samsung Note 8. Just got it working finally. Thought it was because I was using my own watch face but it wasn't working for anything. Now it's connected. Maybe the first few ties take a while. App didn't crash (yet) either.

[Earthtk]

If you are lucky, the gps connect will work for awhile before crashes. I had mine working longest was 5minutes.

[seven83]

@Earthtk and @SunriseGirl

I have the same problem with my Blaze.
With Android 7 GPS tracking worked perfectly but now with Android 8 it always loses the connection or does not connect at all.

Fitbit is aware of this problem and has therefore introduced the Keep Alive Widget in the app.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Android-App/Android-Oreo-GPS-Issue/td-p/2177717

Android 8 has introduced more energy saving functions and therefore the Fitbit app is closed or stopped working after 1-2 minutes.

The Keep Alive Widget should help:

At the Fitbit app:

1. Go to your Account by tapping the Account icon on the upper-right hand side. 
2. Tap on your tracker tile. 
3. Scroll down, there is a new option called "Keep-Alive Widget"
   
   

Can you please try if GPS tracking works better with this solution?

I'm really interested in replacing my Fitbit Blaze with the Versa but this problem should be fixed on the Versa.

[Earthtk]

Yes I got the widget. Doesn't help.

[seven83]

@Earthtk

Thank you for the quick response.

Have you ever tried to use connected GPS while the Fitbit Versa was connected via Classic Bluetooth?

[Earthtk]

What do you meant by classic Bluetooth? Don't see an option



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[seven83]

@Earthtk

Please see page 56-57 at the manual:

https://staticcs.fitbit.com/content/assets/help/manuals/manual_versa_en_US.pdf

Azsunyx has figure out that the classic bluetooth mode holds the bluetooth connectivity better than the bluetooth low energy mode:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Blaze/Blaze-Bluetooth-keeps-disconnecting/m-p/2269517/highlight/true...

But please be aware that bluetooth classic uses more energy and therefore you'll have worse battery life and possibly performance.

[Earthtk]

Nice.. now I can control Spotify from my watch too... Will try tomorrow and report back.



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[mikey08]

Same issue. I also have a Galaxy S8. I have tried everything, turning off wifi, reinstalling the app, restarting my phone before a run, telling Android not to put Fitbit app to sleep, leaving my phone on. Sometimes I will get a solid connection, but then the app crashes. I have all day sync on with the widget and I also have it connected to Versa Classic. Basically makes the Versa useless for tracking runs. 

[Earthtk]

Haha yeah.. even my always on widget on my Samsung disappears when Fitbit app crashes.. when I activate classic mode, the gps connect don't even work. 

My Samsung s8 has a recent firmware update which stated increased bluetooth stability in their patch notes. Tried connected GPS in door for about a minute, the app didn't crash. 

[Earthtk]

Updates:

Fitbit app still crashes..

[Skerr406]

Having the exact same issues. Got a samsung S8+ on android version 8.0.0

glad I’m not the only one having this issue, hopefully a software update gets released soon

[Skerr406]

Hope I’m not getting too carried away but I got an app update today and so far my Fitbit has stayed connected to the GPS without crashing. Even a little notification to say that the Fitbit is using GPS which hasn’t happened before, left it for about half an hour before I stopped it myself!

[SunriseGirl]

My mom just got the update and went out with her Samsung 8S and did a connected GPS run again.  She said it took about 30 sec to connect and then only briefly went out after about 25 min, reconnected and was fine (stayed connected) for the duration.  Certainly an improvement!  My daughter just got her Versa and has an IPhone....will be curious to see how hers is when she has time to test it.