My Versa Appears to be bricked

[randytoad]

I've had my Versa for at least 8 months, and for most of that time, it seemed to work fine. Then, just today, I stopped being able to link it via Bluietooth with the Fitbit app on my iphone. I went online and followed several sets of instructions to try and fix it. I tried the following:

• Turning the fitbit device on and off using the the proper buttons(multiple times)
• Turning the iphone on and off (multiple times)
• Forced closing and reopening the app (multiple times)
• Turning Bluetooth on and off (multiple times)
• Removing the device from the app and attempting to set it up again (it didn't work, because it couldn't link with the bluetooth on my iphone)
• Every combination of the above actions (except the removal thing).

Finally, out of desperation I reset the device to factory settings and it quit working altogether. It blacked out and now does absolutely nothing.

[gmea]

Update 28Aug2020: In all fairness I have had my versa replacement for 7 months now and it is still working. One thing to consider if you do get one of these is to stay away from setting up apps like music or the wallet. When I got my first one I played with lots of these apps and my feeling is Fitbit just didnt test these enough - the result was bricking the first one. If you keep everything default, (although i did change the clock face - even that wasnt a clean change - took a few tries), and it shouldnt give you troubles. My sleep monitoring works maybe 80% of the time but that is good enough for me but heart rate, steps, activity, etc. all seem to work ok.

[silvermetis]

I second everything you have said but would add

* once it is stable turn off all updates

* make sure you have the Wifi connected remember it will only connect to a 2.4Ghz network that only     uses an alphanumeric password - none of those characters we are told to use in a secure password

* force stop the fitbit app and restart it weekly

[hart016]

I see Fitbit is still up to their old tricks of killing the old devices that are just outside of the warranty (usually dies around the 12 month mark, at least my 3 previous fitbit devices did with the ionic, versa AND aria scale.  All just outside of the warranty and no replacement was given...but they offered more a 50% discount on their newest product they just released - funny how the timing works with these devices just shutting off when a new product is coming out, hmmm...

I stopped buying their products, got myself a different smartwatch/fitness tracker and have been happy ever since with no issues. Customer support isn't helpful with fitbit, but I don't think it's the customer supports fault, it's Fitbits poor business model of 'planned obsolescence'.  For the money you spend on their products, I would like to see them last at least 2-3 years if not longer.  Just shameful they do this and why we will NEVER purchase any fitbit products ever again.  I suggest to everyone to STAY AWAY - FITBIT is nothing but a crooked business. 

[silvermetis]

I am sympathetic of your views, if we did not get a 2 year warranty with the retailer in the UK I would have given up years ago, as have never had one that's lasted 2 years but just return them for replacement and start again. It's a bit like those bottomless coffees you get. 

[AmazingA123]

this has happened to me too, is there anyway to flash the firmware back on to it? surely there is a way, they would have to do it in the factory when they are being setup. kinda surprised at the lack of documentation on fitbit os and its architecture, even devs arent told a lot about how it runs