Fitbit OS 4.0.2 - Firmware Release (68.9.15)

[MattFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 10/30

Hi, Versa Smartwatches family,

We're happy to announce that Fitbit OS 4.0.2 (Firmware Version: 68.9.15) has now gone out to 100% of all users. Please download it if you haven't already. 

We always recommend keeping your watch and the Fitbit app up to date on the latest versions to have the best experience. 

---

Fitbit Update: 10/9

Hi everyone,

We’re excited to announce the release of Fitbit OS 4.0.2 (Firmware Version: 68.9.15). 

We've begun releasing this new firmware 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 AND FIXED

 
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

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

To update Versa Lite Edition, leave on all-day sync and let the Fitbit app run in the background on your phone. When the update is ready, you’ll see a notification in the Fitbit app.

If you run into any trouble updating your Versa or Versa Lite, I recommend reviewing these troubleshooting tips. 

We appreciate your patience while we work to roll this out to everyone. 

[pbug56]

The laptop does have BT. But synching to it has never worked well, and
someone here suggested to use the Versas cradle, but I don't see how. The
Versa has wifi also but it does next to nothing as I recall.

[pbug56]

I don't use any special mode. But heart rate on Versa is very iffy and has
been from day one. Middle of the night, Versa on snugly, checking back I
can see multiple hours with no HR recorded - so then Fitbit sleep analysis
tells me to put the watch on before going to bed. The Versa is sleek, but
nearly useless. Even the great watch face I had that told time and all the
basic numbers I wanted disappeared with one of the updates. I had to buy
one to sort of get some of what I wanted, yet very hard to read. Sooner or
later I'll give up. Can't afford a Garmin, though.

BTW, the final thing that sold me the Versa - the now obviously vaporous
SPO2 capability. I'm still not convinced the watch even has any sensors
for this.

[SunriseRun427]

---

@pbug56 wrote:
The laptop does have BT. But synching to it has never worked well, and
someone here suggested to use the Versas cradle, but I don't see how. The
Versa has wifi also but it does next to nothing as I recall.

---

Seeing as you have BT on your PC, have you tried setting up the tracker as a new device?

It's been mentioned before, but just to remind folks, if you have two devices paired and in range of your tracker, they will compete over it and stuff up syncing.

[pbug56]

When I got my Versa, I went to set it up on my S8+ and on my laptop. Gave
up very quickly on the laptop. Had to work through the full auto sync
problem by blocking most automatic sync unless I wanted fry my phone and
destroy its battery. When the last software version showed up, with the
'fancy' app on the phone, synching became far less reliable, requiring 99%
of the time that I reboot the watch if I wanted it to synch with the phone.

They never fixed the frequently missing HR data, so sleep analysis is next
to useless, made even more so for me by the lack of SPO2 data - if it all
worked it could help me better track my apnea. I've lost a lot of weight,
and have a dental appliance, but short of a full blown sleep study I can't
tell if these help. Still feel like I got sold a real bill of goods.

[SunriseRun427]

Setting up a new tracker via the Windows app should be even seamless than by phone app. That you have difficulty syncing suggests that the firmware upgrade didn't take. I think it's time for a chat with customer support!

[Aqyx]

@MattFitbit@LizzyFitbit

Any answer to the 23 pages of issues with the 68.9.15 firmware? I see that Google have bought Fitbit, so this will be my last Fitbit device either way, but it would sure be nice to have a working device considering I paid £219 for it less than 5 weeks ago.

[Mowglismom]

I am gonna skip doing the update. Reading all the problems people are having I sure don’t want to do an update then spend hours or days syncing I syncing loading unloading uploading and downloading just to get the thing to do basically what it is doing now. 

way to scared to do that!

[MaiMai2015]

I have a glow on the sides of mine as well

[bcshiguemichi]

Hey i got the same problem that you have.

Sometimes it got stuck at the clock face. No swipe up, down, left and etc. But my steps is working normally.

[weezie69]

I did a update a few days ago and now I don't receive my text messages anymore. It worked fine until I did the update. how can I find out the firmware version on my Versa.

[lmazz722]

Its not just you, hasn't worked in a week or so.. Neither of the updates
work for notifications... It worked prior to the updates
--
Lisa~~Sent from Gmail Mobile

[pbug56]

I'd like to think that Google COULD / MIGHT bring more capable and more
honest management to Fitbit, to get them to actually provide the
capabilities such as SPO2 that they have long advertised.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. Thanks for taking the time to post your inquiries, and I'm sorry for the delay.

As mentioned before, this thread is just to report any issue that you're having with your Versa family watches after the firmware update (68.9.15), so please let's keep this thread on topic. If you're having a different issue, you can go to the Help Forums and search for a similar thread. This way you can receive related responses about your inquiry, and we can also keep our Forums organized.

Note, If you have notifications issues and your iPhone has been updated to iOS 13, I'd suggest to visit this thread. Our team is constantly monitoring it and they'll update it once there are more details about this situation.

@Aqyx, thanks for confirming that you've tried the restart process. Since this issue persists on your Versa 2 I've contacted our Support team so they can created a case on your behalf and give you a hand. Keep an eye on your inbox.

@EKJ74, thanks for getting back. I understand your point of view about that situation and I apologize for the experience that you had with our Support team. Be sure that your feedback will be passed along to the correct team so this can be avoided in the future, as well to enhance the experience of our members. If you change of mind and you'd like to troubleshoot your Versa, let me know so we can work together. You're always welcome back to the Fitbit family.

@makarand and @weezie69, thanks for letting me know about the notifications issues, and your efforts while working on this. To further investigate, may I know your phone's model and OS version? Also, what's the name of the messaging app used for the text notifications? Although you've done it, please make sure to have exhausted the steps described in this help article.

@Ginofs, thanks for sharing that detailed information about your Versa, and the steps tried prior posting. Since you mentioned that this happens when exercising, have you made sure to wear it snug on your wrist as described in this help article? What were the exercises that you did when this happened?

@SunsetRunner, thanks for the information provided and taking the time to troubleshoot. While the prompt to update cannot be skipped in the Fitbit app, let me help you out with your Versa Lite. Just to clarify, do you have issues to update the firmware or is your Versa Lite unable to sync? May I know the error message displayed on the Fitbit app? Also, let me know your phone's model and OS version.

@pbug56, thanks for letting me know about your Versa, as well for the steps that you've tried on your own. Let me help you with each of your inquiries. Since your watch isn't syncing correctly, may I know if the Fitbit app is allowed to run on your phone's background? Also, do you have multiple Bluetooth connections nearby? If you wish to sync with your Windows 10 computer, first remove the Versa from the Bluetooth settings in your phone and turn off the Bluetooth. Then, on your computer install the Fitbit app, log in to your account, tap the account icon, your Versa's image and the sync icon. If you see an error message when doing this, let me know.

In regards to the heart rate, let me advise you to try this troubleshooting and make sure you're wearing it as described in this help article. Also, if you continue having issues with the clock face not working correctly, I'll need you to provide me with its name so I can further investigate.

@MaiMai2015, thanks for letting me know that the screen has a glow. @bcshiguemichi, thanks for sharing the issues you've experienced with the swipe function. Probably you've done it, but may I know if you've you tried the restart process? If not, please give it a try and let me know how it goes.

I'll be around, keep me posted.

[bcshiguemichi]

Hey guys,

I wrote down here more details about what's happening to my versa 2.

I got my new versa 2 and it was working just fine. Since last Saturday it got freezing at the clock face. Some hours stays freezed in the clock, some times got back normally.

When it got stuck:

Not working:

- swipe -up, down, left

- clock taps to change the infos (e.g. steps, HR)

Working (even stuck at the clock face):

- all stats (so if I sync the app I got all infos updated)

- notification 

- Alexa from button

- exercise auto recognition

I tried to soft reset (pressing the button), tried factory reset (when it came back to normal - in the setting), clock change and nothing happened.

I contact the support and the suggestion was a factory reset using the button (press and hold until the Fitbit logo disapers wait 2 seconds and press again and wait for the vibration). And then I got at the "Data not clear" problem. 

Luckly I resolved by unstalling the app and removing the Bluetooth configuration and starting.

Now my clock got back but with the same freezing problem. I got the replacement and I live in Brazil so I'll start the replacement process at 08 Nov because I'll go on vacations to US.

But the idea of the post is to share what is happening and if anyone could have a best solution without doing the replacement it would be great!

Thank a lot!

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @LizzyFitbit After I updated my Lite, my phone could no longer see my Fitbit and everything just started to go wrong and eventually I couldn't do anything with it.  I tried all the typical troubleshooting steps from restarting all devises, uninstalling and reinstalling the app.  I got various error messages popping up and I don't remember what they all said.  I have an LG G7 ThinQ.

I didn't bother calling Customer Service because I knew they were going to have me do everything I already did and I didn't feel like wasting time on the phone with them.  

@SunriseRun427had good advise and I tried what he suggested.  And that was putting the devise on it's charger and plugging it into the USB port on my computer and setting up the devise as a new devise that way.  While setting it up it did update the devise, but I don't think its the current update because the cool features that I noticed after I updated before everything started going bad, are not available on my devise now.  It's like it was when I first got it.  According to my devise, I'm running Version 38.33.1.30.  I have installed the Fitbit app on my Android phone and so far everything is working fine. 

[pbug56]

>From pbug56;

@pbug56
,
thanks for letting me know about your Versa, as well for the steps that
you've tried on your own. Let me help you with each of your inquiries.
Since your watch isn't syncing correctly, may I know if the Fitbit app is
allowed to run on your phone's background? Also, do you have multiple
Bluetooth connections nearby? If you wish to sync with your Windows 10
computer, first remove the Versa from the Bluetooth settings in your phone
and turn off the Bluetooth. Then, on your computer install the Fitbit app,
log in to your account, tap the account icon, your Versa's image and the
sync icon. If you see an error message when doing this, let me know.

*The only thing that changed from when the watch would sync without being
rebooted was the last Fitbit update. Ignoring how much harder the app is
to use, I now need to reboot my watch to get the sync to work. We have
minimal bluetooth in use. *




In regards to the heart rate, let me advise you to try this troubleshooting
and make sure
you're wearing it as described in this help article
.
Also, if you continue having issues with the clock face not working
correctly, I'll need you to provide me with its name so I can further
investigate.

*I can be sitting still and take a look. Maybe the HR is there, maybe
not. I go to sleep and it's working. When I check my sleep analysis, good
odds that it will say I slept 4 hours rather than 8, as an example. I then
look at the HR data and see a 4 hour gap where no HR was collected. The
watch is NOT loose, not excessively tight either. No rhyme or reason for
the gaps. I've spent many hours on the phone or email with tech support to
no avail. They just gave up each time. The clock face issue - at one of
the updates, the very nice comprehensive clock face just went away. With
no like one to replace it. This face did time, HR, steps, stairs,
distance, calories, battery % and charging. One day the face existed, and
then after an update it didn't. So I had to buy one, but it works nowhere
near as well as the one I had used for months.*

*Of course, I'm still livid that I can't see my SPO2, nor can I use it in
sleep analysis. SPO2 was the #1 reason I bought the VERSA.*

[SunsetRunner]

@ELMarco222 @pbug56  @bcshiguemichi  I have a Versa Lite and I discovered in the app under the notifications settings there is vibration settings and you need to make sure you have "always vibrate" turned on.  It's easy to accidentally turn it off and not even realize it.  If you discover it is turned on then I guess you will have to do other troubleshooting suggestions.

[SunriseRun427]

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

@SunriseRun427had good advise and I tried what he suggested.  And that was putting the devise on it's charger and plugging it into the USB port on my computer and setting up the devise as a new devise that way.  While setting it up it did update the devise, but I don't think its the current update because the cool features that I noticed after I updated before everything started going bad, are not available on my devise now.  It's like it was when I first got it.  According to my devise, I'm running Version 38.33.1.30.  I have installed the Fitbit app on my Android phone and so far everything is working fine. 

---

@SunsetRunner 

Yes, that is how it should be. -Fitbit-, I mean, Google, will probably push the update again in about a week - it's up to you if you want to try again.

[SunsetRunner]

@SunriseRun427  These forums are full of people having problems but when they don't mention which Versa they have and what phone they are using, it's hard to know if the problem is with all the Versa watches and/or both iPhone or Android of if it's the Fitbit firmware.  I did read in one of these threads that the Versa Lite needs to have "All Day Sync" and "Always Connected" turned on to get the update pushed through.  I never have those features turned on because they drain the battery in the Fitbit and the phone.  So I wonder if I don't ever turn those on if the update will ever get pushed to me.  If it does get pushed to me and I have to update, I will update with your method of using my computer and hope that all will be good.  For the brief few minutes I had the update, I did like the new features.  That's how I know I don't have the current update because those features are not on my Fitbit right now.

[SunriseRun427]

@SunsetRunner 

"These forums are full of people having problems but when they don't mention which Versa they have and what phone they are using, it's hard to know if the problem is with all the Versa watches and/or both iPhone or Android of if it's the Fitbit firmware."

To be sure, Android in particular is a mess with so many devices out there on the market.

"I did read in one of these threads that the Versa Lite needs to have "All Day Sync" and "Always Connected" turned on to get the update pushed through."

It'll push through anyway; mine did. BUT, you will probably have to do the update with your phone. When it comes through, and before you update, power cycle both devices. That'll hope fully freshen them up for the update.

For what it's worth, the second time around, the update went through in 20 minutes.