New Versa 3 Update Available Notification

[DavidJ726]

GM,

Yesterday my phone app started displaying the message that a firmware update is available for your Versa 3!   However, my Versa Watch itself says I'm on V36.128.6.12, which I believe is the latest version, and I updated to this Version quite some time ago.

Today I started getting a bar across the top of my Versa indicating it isn't connected via BT with the App (even though the two are next to each other), so I go through the normal process of toggling BT off/on on my phone.  That's when I noticed the Versa 3 is listed on my Phone (Google Pixel 5) as a device I can connect with, which I have never seen in the BT devices screen before, but when I click to connect, the status doesn't change to show connected. Very Strange...

I have also held the sensor button on my Versa to initiate a restart, but that didn't help reconnect via BT.

BTW.., steps are still being counted in the App, and when I look at my Acct settings in the App it shows connected, and it shows the same FW version listed above, and it shows last synced 6 minutes ago.

The only change that I've done is add a new clockface  last Sunday called Clean Stats by K.K. Designs which was last updated on 08/06/21, so I assume it's stable...  Maybe not? 

Should I go ahead with the FW update?  Seems like I have little to lose.

Thanks,

David

[JonDavidL]

I came on here to ask about the update notification also. I also received the notice this morning but my tracker is already on the latest firmware. When I clicked to see what it was it said it was a 20 minute update to set up my Versa 3 (which is already set up and on the most recent firmware). I’m holding off on updating until I hear back on what is going on. My Versa 3 is working flawlessly right now and I don’t want to mess it up.

[stepharoo_23]

I did the update and now my fitbit isn't working.  

[JonDavidL]

@stepharoo_23 @Thanks for the info! I’ll definitely hold off until one of the moderators explains what is going on. 

[VeryNew2Versa3]

Yes me too! BTW is it safe to download open source apps to my Versa 3?

[DavidJ726]

I searched the site here before I posted earlier this morning, and I also Googled for a Fitbit Versa 3 Firmware Update and didn't get any relevant results.  I also saw that the latest FW release was 44.128.6.12.  Did I miss seeing something else here at Fitbit?   

Then, just a few minutes ago I saw a story at 9to5Google that says;

"The Fitbit Sense is going from 44.128.6.12 to 44.128.6.17, while the Versa 3 jumps 36.128.6.12 to 36.128.6.17. This versioning suggests an incremental patch and the Fitbit OS update list says as much."

I then followed a link in the story and now see that there is an upgrade (Fitbit OS 4.2.3 (Sense and Versa 3 only) but it doesn't list a FW version or date when it's released. I'd love to see some clarification from a moderator... 

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/2302.htm

[Guy_]

Hi all, I would hold off updating the firmware if you see the option to install it.

First look at issues others are posting.

If your watch is working it's best not to change anything.

There is currently a bug in the latest version of the Fitbit App which stops notifications coming to the watch.

Updating the firmware won't solve this and may make things worse.

There are also issues with no, or incorrect, announcements, OS version 4 does not apply to Sense or Versa 3 watches, it is probably a mistake.

[stepharoo_23]

do not update, my Fit Bit Versa 3 is still not working and all they can do is give me a discount for a new one! My fit bit was just fine until I did that update. 

[booksfan]

I tried to update and not mine is not working either! Great... If it doesn't get resolved I'm switching to Garmin. I've had it with Fitbit!

[stepharoo_23]

Well of course my warranty was up.  I will check our Garmin

[AllnamesRtaken]

My wife's Versa 3 got the firmware update notice at the start of the week... she had no issues updating and no issues since.  I got the notice for my Versa 3 two days ago and also did the update... again, no issues everything is working well.  Of course we just represent two individual data points among the hundreds of thousands who own these watches and so that might not mean much but let me add that generally only people with issues are going to be purposefully perusing the help forums and thus feel inclined to respond only to specific issues that's concerning them at the moment (for what ever the reason... of course I'm the rare exception).  All I can suggest is if you do decided to update your firmware please be sure to have both phone and watch batteries fully charged up (or at the least plugged into a charger), place both devices very close to each other (example, say within a foot of each other) without any electronics nearby that could cause interference (microwave, baby monitor, echo devices, etc) and make sure you have a good strong wi-fi signal with your router so as not to lose connection... firmware is far more riskier than a software update, any firmware upgrades are something you don't want to mess up as sometimes, depending upon the specifics of how it failed, it can kill a device so you don't want to introduce any hic-cups during the download and installation and transfer.  And please don't fiddle with either phone or watch until the update has completed fully!  That is about all I can tell you... well besides wishing you a best of luck.  PS the upgraded version is 36.128.6.17

[Guy_]

HI @AllnamesRtaken - thanks for the useful insights, can I ask what was the reason to install the firmware updates? Was there something not working?

Btw. I am still on 128.5.38 and Fitbit App 3.51.1, everything seems to work.

[abdul2961]

Can't Fitbit actually aknowledge what the update contains I haven't had any issues in a year so I don't want it if I don't know what's in it.maybe be the ones who have it can say what new features they have seen.the Fitbit android app has had an update and I'm regretting already...the sleep metrics and charts are worse 

[LZeeW]

To all users in this thread.  The OS update link, previously shared by @DavidJ726 has been updated.  The Firmware being released is Fitbit OS 5.3.1.  It contains an important security fix.  Personally, I don't ignore security fixes.  My update went smoothly.

[VeryNew2Versa3]

My fitting was updated and is no longer staying connected to my phone its
toggling off and on and my Bluetooth has been turning off and on

[VeryNew2Versa3]

Thank you so much I will try that

[VeryNew2Versa3]

Yes my Versa 3 was not getting notifications

[VeryNew2Versa3]

Yes they're not correct at all

[JonDavidL]

After reading the online article about the security aspect of the update, and hearing that some people are updating just fine with no problems, I decided to update my Versa 3 this morning. I just got it from Amazon two weeks ago, so if it bricked, I could always return it. However, the update went fine. Took a little over 5 minutes to install and my Versa 3 is working just fine. Good luck with what you all decide to do. Updating a Fitbit is a roll of the dice! You never know the outcome. 

[AllnamesRtaken]

In reponse to Guy_'s question...

Since each of us do not use every feature I cannot give an exhaustive response outside of the things that we use.  We are both older (68 and 71) and my wife is concerned with her Afib (which has greatly improved through diet alone) and for me, its about sleep apnea and heart improvements (I go hiking with the dogs everyday).  The only major changes that stood out to me was the correction to EOV charts and snoring report but as LZeeW focused on its also about it being an Important Security update to the OS... that too should be a concern.

Below is an excerpt taken from the 9to5google website...

This versioning suggests an incremental patch and the Fitbit OS update list says as much. 

However, the new changelog entry for an update that’s “Sense and Versa 3 only” is misidentified as Fitbit OS 4.2.3. That was a previous update from March for the Versa, Versa 2, and Versa Lite Edition, with the Sense and Versa 3 notably running Fitbit OS 5.x. That said, the contents are clearly new and should be accurate:

That error has been addressed and the update is now referred to as Fitbit OS 5.3.1:

This release includes bug fixes, improvements, and an important security update.

The emphasis is on an “important security update,” with Fitbit recommending that “you apply an important update immediately”:

The security update patches a vulnerability that, if exploited, could compromise data security, potentially allowing access to confidential or sensitive data but stopping short of full code execution.

Past releases only noted bug fixes and improvements. This update is rolled out to a Fitbit Sense we checked this morning. In our brief usage, we’ve yet to spot any other user-facing changes.