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.

[Smokester]

Should any of us have to go through all of this just to get one of the basic features of the device to work properly?

[Smokester]

Having been through every possible remedy, they finally gave up and are sending me a new Versa.  I am curious to see if it was just my device or if it is the app itself.  The latest firmware upgrade did nothing.

[urmoluts]

if you get new, then you can sell it away and buy something better 🙂

[Frank75]

My GPS connection is just where I need it, so that problem has been
solved for me, howeveer I do have a suggestion: I keep getting the
notices that I need to take more steps, while this is good, I think that
drinking water is lots more important.  It would be need to have Versa
remind me to take a drink of water every hour or so. Steps will be taken
no matter what, but we don't drink enough water.

Thanks

Frank

[silvermetis]

Hi, if you have got a fix for the high battery drain when using GPS connection you are the only one I know.

Pls turn on GPS connect and do a 4 hr walk and tell how much the battery has drained.

I look forward to your reply.

[Smokester]

You're killing me, man.  I have not experienced the battery drain issue but I have also not experienced a 4 hour walk.  My device usually lasts about 4 days between charges.

[silvermetis]

If you are using GPS connect and it does not drain your battery you are the only one I know. 

You must be a real smart guy tell us how you have done it and we can all benefit from your wisdom.

[MarkMM]

Who said anything about battery drain being solved? This thread is about connection issues. AND, go for a 4 hour walk with connected GPS engaged? Who does that?

[Dewk]

A year later and they still have not resolved connectivity issues.....

[Dewk]

Over a year later and the connectivity issues are still there.... useless!

[Smokester]

I just got my replacement Versa and experienced the exact same issues.  They wanted me.to start the trouble shooting all over again, which I refused.

I will switch to my Garmin until this is fixed.  I don't like it as much but it works flawlessly.

[SunsetRunner]

I do find that ensuring Versa has line of sight with phone improves
reliability.

[silvermetis]

Hi,

I have had gps connect problems big time apart from the inaccuracy, fail to connect issue the real killer was excess battery drain. I was just about to return my versa for a refund but I gave it one last try my wife and I were going for a short 3 mile walk  we both set our versa's on walk connected gps and set off. At the end the walk my battery had drained almost 40% but her's less than 5%.

Just before I put mine in the box for its final walk to the reseller I did a factory reset and reloaded the software after about 1 hr I did one final test walked 4 miles and to my amazement the battery only drained 4% SO IT WAS FIXED! well for the time being!

Neither of our phones are on the compatibility list being moto G4 and G5. the G4 is on android 7.0 with 1 April 18 patch and the G5 is android 8.1.0 both versa are 32.33.1.30.

So what have we learned - most likely not a lot - versas are fickle, the software is fragile people love them because they are a fashion item, when they work they are very very good but when they frequently don't they are awful.

[MarkMM]

Interesting. I had fast battery drain and Fitbit had me do their battery test and sent a replacement. They never suggested a factory reset. Good luck, hope it continues to work for you. 

[silvermetis]

Hi,

For the benefit of the rest of use trying to do self diagnostics how do you do a battery test?

[RonS16]

I really feel for folks who are having connectivity problems with their Versa. I went through the same torture for months. For the last 6 to 8 weeks it has worked flawlessly. Here are the things that I do.

1. I always make sure that the Versa and my phone have at least 70% charge before exercising.

2. Before leaving for a bike/walk/ride I sync the Versa.

3. From time time, maybe every couple of weeks, I turn off the b/t on my phone for a couple of minutes. Then my wifi. Then I put the phone into airplane mode for a couple of minutes.

4. Every couple of weeks I go through my gps apps and clear the data and cache.

5. When exercising I don't have my Fitbit app running.

My phone is a Samsung S9. I am running the newest firmware on my Versa while the app is 2.74.2

I don't know if anyone of these things that I do is responsible for the change in reliability of my Versa. All I know is it now works consistently. The Versa connects within 5 to 10 seconds and rarely if ever drops connection. 

One last thing, I  keep the phone and Versa within 2 to 3 feet of one another while  exercising. 

[silvermetis]

Hi,

I just turn my versa on and bow my head enter into a brief moment of prayer and meditation and hope for best versa on my wrist phone in my back pack always set of in an eastward direction until GPS connects.

Don't what latest version of fitbit app is in US but in the UK its 2.95 released 13 June 18.

[Smokester]

Funny how you solved it but don't know how and all their trouble shooting does nothing but they keep doing it.

I just went for a walk.  #1 and 2 of your suggestions were true so I added #3, since it is the easiest.  First time I ever stayed connected the entire time.  I need to try this on my bike, which has always been a bigger problem.

Thanks for the tip and for the more thoughtful attention than I'm getting from customer support.

[MarkMM]

It's not really self diagnosis. They ask you to fully charge your fitbit, note the date and time, then allow the battery to completely drain and get back to them. This is of course with notifications and quick awake turned off.

[RonS16]

Just a quick update. Last week I went for a bike ride and the Versa would not connect. I got the dreaded "Connecting" message for two hours. When I got home I reset both the watch and phone. No change. Then I remembered that I had not reset the GPS apps on my phone for a month or so. I went into my apps and cleared the cache on all of my GPS apps. The Versa is back to working flawlessly and connects right away.