Fitbit OS 4.1 - Firmware Release (70.7.14)

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 1/9/2020

Hey, Versa Smartwatches family!

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of the New Year. Before the holidays, we released this firmware out to 100%.

If you still don't see the update for Fitbit OS 4.1 (70.7.14) because it's brand new or perhaps was gifted to you for Christmas, please continue syncing the watch and make sure you have all-day sync turned on. You will soon after see the banner prompting you to update to this firmware.

Thanks for your patience and hope you continue enjoying this update! 

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Fitbit Update: 12/5

Hi, Versa Smartwatches family!

We’re excited to announce the release of Fitbit OS 4.1 (Firmware Version: 70.7.14). 

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

The update includes a variety of new features and enhancements, including: 

• Smart wake: Smart wake will gently begin to wake you with subtle vibrations during the optimal part of your sleep cycle (during light or REM) within a 30 minute window prior to your pre-set alarm. This allows you to wake up feeling refreshed. 

• Clock face switcher: You will now be able to store up to five clock faces right on your device and quickly change from one to the other using the new clock face switcher.

• On-wrist Sleep Score: The score will now be available in the on-device dashboard that can be accessed by swiping up from the clock face. You can still see it alongside your sleep data within the Fitbit app after you sync.

• Exercise app improvements: The redesigned Exercise app will now display all 20 workouts in a new streamlined list on your wrist. 

• Battery notification: When your battery is running low, a new feature will automatically disable notification vibrations and if on, the always-on display on Versa 2 to preserve your battery life. 

• Agenda app: A new Agenda app allows you to see your calendar right on your wrist. 

For more information on the new features included in Fitbit OS 4.1 check out this article. You can also check out our press release. 

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Versa/Versa 2 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, Versa 2 or Versa Lite, I recommend reviewing these troubleshooting tips. If you have any issues after completing the update, when in doubt, try a restart on the watch. 

How to restart your watch:

1. For Fitbit Versa, press and hold the back and bottom buttons until you see the Fitbit logo on the screen. For Fitbit Versa Lite/Fitbit Versa 2, hold the back(left) button for 10 seconds.
2. Let go of the buttons.

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

[SunsetRunner]

I did the update but now my app won’t sync with my versa. Anyone else have this issue? 

[SunsetRunner]

@Konaneil 

I totally agree.  After reading all the posts on this thread as well as other threads with many users posting the various issues that started after this firmware was pushed, I opted not to do the firmware update until these issues are resolved.  I'll deal with the constant reminder banner over doing this update.

The enhancements of this firmware are nice but not worth me updating to this firmware if it's going to make my Versa unusable. 

[lorraineg]

They've supposedly fixed the faulty HR algorithm on the Versa 2 with the latest update. No help for the original Versa and you're right, this has been an issue since 2018. I just finished cardiac rehab at a hospital and my Versa (original) was as much as 20 beats off at any given time. I was hooked to an ekg during exercise so I know their readings were accurate. I find this inexcusable considering how many people (mistakenly) rely on the HR readings from these devices as if they are accurate. Please don't rely on these readings if you have any medical issues.

[RaeRaeLynn]

With the latest update any time I shut my Versa off and turn it back on, the time is incorrect. To fix it I have to sync with the FitBit app. And it would have been nice to know that when you shut down just pressing the left button wouldn’t turn it back on anymore, you’d have to press the left and bottom right for 10 seconds or so until it comes back on. Seems like a pretty useless update for the most part.  

[kelsey.kristine]

The only fix to my Versa is to send it back. Fitbit sent me an email with directions and such and that’s my plan. 

but I’ve also asked for a Garmin for Christmas, so I’m not terribly concerned either way. Fitbit has definitely lost me as a customer. 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. Thanks for continue participating in this thread.

I understand how some of your thoughts about this new firmware update and I'm sorry for the experience that you've had with it. We're always striving and working to improve the Fitbit experience with our products, and be sure that your feedback will be passed along as any comment posted in the forums helps us to evaluate our procedures, as well to enhance our products and overall environment.

@sarah_lin8, I know how you feel about this new feature not working correctly and let's work on this together. Please make sure the Fitbit app is updated and your watch syncing properly. Then give a try to the troubleshooting described here. If the issue persists, let me know what message is displayed on your watch to continue working on this.

@Konaneil, @SunsetRunner and @lorraineg, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts about your Versa. I understand your concern about getting accurate heart rate data when using your watch. This was reported to our team who's continue working on that matter based on the feedback posted by our members. Since this is affecting some of our members, let me suggest to double check the information described in this help article, as well to make sure the Fitbit app and your watch are always up-to-date to ensure its functionality. Please know that your comments won't go unnoticed and will be passed along.

@SunsetRunner, thanks for letting me know that your Versa isn't able to sync correctly. To work on this, may I know if you're getting an error message on the app? Also, may I know your phone's model and OS version? Since your post didn't mention, please try the troubleshooting described in this help article in the given order and let me know how it goes.

@RaeRaeLynn, thanks for bringing this to my attention. As you may know, the Versa needs to sync regularly so the information, such as the time can continue being updated. That said, may I know for how long you have your watch turned off? Do you turn it back on the next day? In the meantime, I'd recommend to restart it and use a Fitbit clock face to monitor its behavior as some 3rd party clock faces may affect the time functionality. About your second inquiry, I've passed this situation to our team so this can be investigated. Once I have details from them, I'll let you know.

If you have another question, feel free to reply back.

[SunsetRunner]

@LizzyFitbit 

Thank you for responding but my concern is with the latest firmware that was pushed and all the issues that this firmware caused and is still causing. 

As @Konaneil  posted previously this thread alerted us who haven't done the firmware about the issues regarding this firmware and opting not to update until the bugs have been corrected. 

As I stated in my post,  my Versa is working perfectly and although the enhancements of this firmware are nice, they aren't nice enough for me to risk having my Versa become unresponsive and useless.  

I understand that the comments posted are being provided back to the development team but are they working on a fix so that we can feel confident about doing the update and not bricking our Versa and rendering them useless or running into the same issues that the users have posted and are still posting about?

These products aren't cheap and to have them perform sub par and not as they are advertised and / or render them useless by a firmware issued by Fitbit isn't fair at all to us users...  Fitbit's customer base.  As you can see by the posts not only in this thread but in other threads regarding this firmware update,  many users have opted to go to Fitbit's competitors out of pure frustration.

[reikiheart]

Since the update, my Versa is losing time and won't sync unless it's on the charger and next to my phone. Right now, it's 11am on December 23 but my Versa says it's 11:45 on December 22. Today's steps are now being recorded as yesterday's steps. Is there a fix for this?

[Luroc]

Fitbit staff/moderators: Any update on when the firmware update/fix will happen? I have talked with support via chat and they said they logged my case, but I haven't heard back. It would be helpful to hear a timeline update for this fix.

[Julie4605]

When I talked to them last wk they said it was out there but I've not seen
it.

[Luroc]

Julie 4605: Did they say it was a firmware or software update that would be the fix?

[Julie4605]

I do not know.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. It's good to see you again.

@SunsetRunner, @Julie4605 and @Luroc, thanks for sharing your feedback about your watches. I understand how important your watches are for you as well your concern about their functionality after the update. Our team always takes every comment posted in the Forums to work on our products and develop improvements to make sure that we're delivering what our users want and need. They're working on the issues reported on this thread to bring a fix. Since the issues are different and affected some of our users,  it's recommended to exhaust the troubleshooting find in our help site which have helped others. I'll continue being around and update this thread with any new information that I have from them.

@reikiheart, thanks for letting me know about your Versa. It's odd that your watch isn't syncing unless it's plugged in and to investigate, may I know your phone's model and OS version? Also, do you see an error message when trying to sync?

I'd recommend to give a try to the following in the given order:

1. Remove your Versa from the Bluetooth settings.
2. Turn off other Bluetooth connections nearby.
3. Force quit the Fitbit app.
   For iOS devices, check this article.
   For Android devices, check this article.
4. Reboot your phone and restart your watch.
5. Open the Fitbit app, tap on your profile's icon > set up a device.
6. Choose the Versa and follow the onscreen instructions.

I'll be around, keep me posted.

[Sri24]

Hi! Thank for the response and guidance but still I am unable to get incoming calls on my versa. Please do guide further. Thanking You.

[Kenca]

Yes, I am having this battery drainage problem with my Versa. The watch will drain battery even when it is totally shut off. Did a full charge and it give you around 50% when you switch it on the next morning. This only happen after I update to the latest firmware.

i am very sure this firmware have issue as I was given a replacement set due to the same problem and now I am having this problem on the new set after the update. It was working perfectly before the update.

Did all the help advice but it is still having battery problem.

[JasonFan]

@LizzyFitbit 

After my Versa upgraded to 70.7.14. 

I have two problems.

The first problem is new FW change turn-on mechanism. If Versa watch turns off, you need to force to turn on it by keeping pressing the return-bottom + right-down bottom until the Fitbit logon shows on the screen. I think It is not a good way to turn-on a Watch (not smart and waste time).
(Although the previous way just needs to press return bottom to turn on but sometimes it is easy to turn on unconsciously.)

The second problem is a big issue. If Versa watch turns off, the battery power drops so quickly.

(96% -> 19% in 24 hours). But if Versa always turn on, it looks like fine. I think the latest firmware doesn't turn-off Versa completely and correctly.

I have emailed to Fitbit-support these problems. They guide me to do some steps to test the battery and then they will investigate it. This test needs some days till the battery down to 0%.
I still wish Fitbit can release a new FW to fix these.

[curt81]

Anyone else having issues when you sync your device to the app, your stats (steps, calories) are different?  I lose steps and calories pretty much every time I sync.  And any active minutes I have disappear.  I contacted support, but they were pretty much useless, telling me I'll be contacted by email.   What a joke.  I've done pretty much everything to try to fix it (deleted the app, restarted the device, doing a factory reset).  I have a useless $230 watch and now I have to wait for an email that might never arrive.  

[PebbleOwner]

Myself, my wife and my son all bought Pebble watches when they first came out. They cost us $125 each. Yes, they too had a couple of firmware issues but soon were an integral extension of our android phones. My son's watch developed a glitch fully 2 years later and Pebble sent him a new watch ... no questions asked! My wifes Pebble battery died last Year and I bought her a Fitbit Versa for $249 . What a mistake. Literally, all I have heard for the entire year is "My watch isn't working again". I have reset, reloaded, checked settings and on and on and over and over again. Fitbit's answer is always "Check the settings and all of the things you have checked every time before... rinse, repeat". Why, if the thing was working yesterday, should I need to uninstall, reinstall and check all the settings YET AGAIN? F THAT! I can't take it anymore. I am going to buy my wife a watch ... with diamonds embedded in it! Sure, all it will do is tell time ... but it will ALWAYS sparkle! Even without the newest updates!

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. Great to see you in this thread and welcome to our new members. Let's continue working together.

@Sri24, thanks for getting back and giving a try to the steps posted before. Since the issue persists, I'd recommend to verify if the Fitbit app is allowed to run on the background. Also, make sure the notifications are off by swiping down from the top of the Versa's screen, tap the quick settings icon and turn off the Do Not Disturb (circle with line icon) and Sleep Mode (moon icon) settings.

Once that is done, please remove the Versa one more time from the Bluetooth settings and set up your watch to reconnect it to your account as described here.

@Kenca and @JasonFan, thanks for letting me know about your watches and let me help you with your inquiries. The issues with the battery draining after powering it off and not being able to turn it back on unless the three buttons are pressed have been reported to our team and they're currently investigating to bring a solution to all our members. I understand the inconvenience this is causing and once I have more details I'll share them with you.

@curt81, thanks for sharing detailed information about your watch and the steps that you've tried prior posting. I'm sorry for the experience that you've had with our Support team and appreciate the feedback as it'll help us to improve our services and overall environment. Although I don't have access to your case, I've got in touch with our team and I was informed that your case is currently under review. They'll send you an email with more details, please keep an eye on your inbox.

@PebbleOwner, I appreciate every step that you've tried on your own. I totally understand your point of view as your wife's Versa should have been working correctly and I'm sorry that you've had this experience. If you change of mind and you'd like me to help you with this, I'll need you to provide me with more details about what's not working on her watch. Did this start to happen after the latest firmware update? May I also know your phone's model and OS version? I'll be looking forward to your reply.

See you around.

[ShaneN30]

Why is there no update option for my Versa 2, its still on 35.68.912, how long do I need to wait?