Fitbit Versa connected GPS issues

[SunsetRunner]

Hi There!

My versa loses connection with my phone (nexus 5x) during bike excercise and thus shows no route on the map. I know I have gps, because Strava app shows it right.

Is this a bug in the software from the Versa?

I tried to start an excercise from fitbit app, but only walk, run or hike does gps. (no bike. why not?!?) so i choose hike.  now i have a hike excercise with hr and ps data. this this excercise shows after sync with strava in strava as hike. in strava i change hike in bike.

now i have bike excercise in strava with hr and gps. after a while just from magic, the ecercise in strava has been changed back into hike again with no hr data anymore.

I know that fitbit versa is not a swiss watch, but at least it should be working as advertised!

connected gps is not not working. People at Fitbit, can you fix this?

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject For Clarity.

[Marrrmaduke]

@kcronin honestly, 2.74.2 is the only relatively non-problematic build for me. 

[Nicky2706]

Hi. Did you ever get this resolved?? I'm having issues with my new versa wondered if u had any suggestions

[MJNinDallas]

I have tried everything short of rolling back the Fitbit app version.  The last thing I tried was the locking app (Wake Lock) suggested by Marrmaduke; It made no difference after trying all of the locking modes available on that app. I've lost faith that a solution is coming any time soon.  If your watch is relatively new, I would get my money back before you can no longer.

[Nicky2706]

Hi. Thanks so much for replying. Yes watch is only a week old but bought via next catalogue so going to contact tgem.

So frustrating all I wanted was for it to track whole running so I can see pace and heart rate on wrist. If it can't do that I may as well go back to tracking on Strava on phone which means £200 watch is useless!!!




Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[MJNinDallas]

Welcome to the club.  I use Strava to track everything and only use the watch to see if someone is calling me or texting while biking so I don't have to pull out my phone.

[Nicky2706]

Thanks but for me £200 is bit too much money for it to not do what i hoped. I'm hoping I can return to next for refund even though used it for a week



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[Hotlush]

I tried all of the suggested fixes and got it working, sort of. It was still flaky and no guarantees it would stay connected.

Hoped they would sort it but last few weeks it also started with battery problems so got fitbit to give me a case number and Argos gave me a full refund even though it was over 5 months old.

Much preferred the versa design, but have now brought an ionic instead. Same features plus built in GPS...

[Nicky2706]

Is gps better/works as should on iconic?

Im.same much prefer versa look

[Nicky2706]

Is gps better/works as should on iconic?

Im.same much prefer versa look

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@Hotlush wrote:

I tried all of the suggested fixes and got it working, sort of. It was still flaky and no guarantees it would stay connected.

Hoped they would sort it but last few weeks it also started with battery problems so got fitbit to give me a case number and Argos gave me a full refund even though it was over 5 months old.

Much preferred the versa design, but have now brought an ionic instead. Same features plus built in GPS...

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[Hotlush]

Only had it a day but tried it on a lunch time walk and it worked OK.

30 seconds or so to lock on (not surprising for first lock) and map route looks alright. Route is a little bit off compared to the versa/phone but with the versa it was always 50/50 if it would record at all. I can live with it being a few feet off.

[KKBatman]

I just bought my versa and have GPS connection issue as well.  Do the connection better with vivo3?

[ChestnutKazooie]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but turn OFF 'battery saving mode' on your phone, if you have it on. I've usually had it on, and I just figured out that THAT was the source of my connectivity issues. 

[SunsetRunner]

To be honest, reading this thread and several others along similar lines, it beggars belief to me how little responsibility and ownership of this quite severe issue Fitbit are taking.

We shouldn't have to try all these workarounds to fix a problem that is, from my experience, significantly worse with the Versa than it was with my Charge 2.

I am having this same problem with all of my cycles and it is ruining the experience for me. I am having to resort to a phone app to log my cycles. If I had the impression that Fitbit acknowledged the issue and were actively trying to do something about it and keep us informed about progress, then I would feel more relaxed about it.

But the sheer arrogance of the company, that they see all this activity with this issue and ignore it, has confirmed my mind that I will be returning my Versa and heading down the Garmin road. I am quite sad about it as I've been a loyal Fitbit fan for over 4 years now.

Bye bye Fitbit! 

[MJNinDallas]

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@ChestnutKazooie wrote:

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but turn OFF 'battery saving mode' on your phone, if you have it on. I've usually had it on, and I just figured out that THAT was the source of my connectivity issues. 

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My battery saver has been off since the beginning (set to kick in at 10% remaining).  I also removed all Fitbit and blue tooth apps from android's battery optimization. Recently I updated to Fitbit OS 3.0; evidently, this update did not contain a fix for connected GPS problems for my phone. Two bike rides and still logging inaccurate mileage with "connecting..." displayed for most of the ride.

[Ryn2468]

I totally agree with you on this! How can such a reputable company not have fixed this very obvious and publicised problem! Very, very disappointing. I was holding onto my versa in hopes that they would get it fixed ASAP! But I’m about ready to return mine and go with Garmin. As much as I don’t want to, I can’t continue to support a company who has a faulty product and hasn’t found a way to fix it after months of being aware of the issue!

Incredibly disappointing FitBit!

[RonS16]

Have you tried pinnibg your Fitbit app to the foreground by going to the app drawer and locking it? This was a suggestion from a user called Marmmeduke (sic). It has appeared to have helped me. The other worthwhile suggestion was to use version 2.74.2 if you are using an android phone. 

[coolman78]

anyone know if the recent firmware updates:  Fitbit OS 3.0 (Firmware Version: 32.33.1.30) actually fixed the connected GPS issue?

My phone is asking me to update firmware for the watch.  Not gonna do that as probably won't be able to revert back (if something goes wrong) the firmware once updated.  

staying with firmware 32.32.10.15 on fitbit 2.74.2 as this combination GPS works fine.  Just don't get the latest new features.  

[TC123]

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@coolman78 wrote:

anyone know if the recent firmware updates:  Fitbit OS 3.0 (Firmware Version: 32.33.1.30) actually fixed the connected GPS issue?

My phone is asking me to update firmware for the watch.  Not gonna do that as probably won't be able to revert back (if something goes wrong) the firmware once updated.  

staying with firmware 32.32.10.15 on fitbit 2.74.2 as this combination GPS works fine.  Just don't get the latest new features.  

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The GPS connection to my iPhone worked perfectly before I did the 3.0 update. Now my Versa keeps trying to connect to the phone's GPS, but is never able to make the connection. (not to mention more than a few other issues with 3.0).

I would say you are definitely smart to hold off on the update until they work out many of the current bugs.

[MJNinDallas]

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@coolman78 wrote:

anyone know if the recent firmware updates:  Fitbit OS 3.0 (Firmware Version: 32.33.1.30) actually fixed the connected GPS issue?

My phone is asking me to update firmware for the watch.  Not gonna do that as probably won't be able to revert back (if something goes wrong) the firmware once updated.  

staying with firmware 32.32.10.15 on fitbit 2.74.2 as this combination GPS works fine.  Just don't get the latest new features.  

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OS 3.0 did not fix it on my android. Next week I'll have time to compare mileage directly with Strava running simultaneously, but after the update last week, I two 2 short rides (with and without the phone app running) and the watch still displayed "Connecting..." for much of the time. Updating the OS took some fiddling (failed a few times requiring rebooting phone and versa, deleting versa from phone's BT devices, etc).

[MJNinDallas]

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The GPS connection to my iPhone worked perfectly before I did the 3.0 update. Now my Versa keeps trying to connect to the phone's GPS, but is never able to make the connection. (not to mention more than a few other issues with 3.0).

I would say you are definitely smart to hold off on the update until they work out many of the current bugs.

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We're beta testers, at this point.