RESOLVED: Steps count increase while charging Fitbit Versa

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 9/09

 Hi, Versa Fam! 

Thanks so much for your patience while our team continues to investigate and work on this issue. We're still working on this and I hope to have more information for you all very soon. 

As soon as there is a fix in place, I will make sure to announce that here. Please stay tuned and subscribed to this thread for updates. 

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Fitbit Update: 7/25

Hey, everyone!

I know many of you are wondering what the status on this bug is and I'm here to reassure you this is still being worked on by our team. For anyone still getting ghost steps on their Versa's, we are definitely working towards a fix. I don't have a timeline for when the fix will be released, so I appreciate everyone's patience for the time being. I recommend if possible, placing your Versa on a different flat surface without any vibrations to prevent the extra steps. 

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Fitbit Update: 6/21

Hi, everyone!

Sorry to hear that some of you are accumulating unwanted steps while charging your Versa's. Thank you for taking the time to report this issue here on the forums. Our team is aware of this affecting some of you and is working towards a fix on a future firmware release.

Thanks for your patience for the time being. 

[geepondy]

Agree with your sentiments.  I'm back to using my One and if it dies, I will most likely give up the Fitbit family and move on which is a shame.  Just a poor and totally unacceptable response from Fitbit with a canned message every few days for weeks on end, stating that they are working on it with absolutely no further details.

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@wetdog1965 wrote:
Nope, trying to figure it out on our own. We have owned 7 Fit bit products
and have been very happy. The Versa so far has been a let down. I don't
think it was ready for release. Fit bit may lose 2 loyal customers. My
wife's is the main problem, but we will send both back soon. If this is not
solved...looking at competitors products now. Sad thing is we still have
friends in our Fit bit community.

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[SunsetRunner]

After working in the computer business for over 20 years, what exactly would you like them to tell you.  We've tried 45 different things none of which worked.  Or maybe we have changed resisters in the watch, however, that didn't work either.  Do you want a blow by blow of what they are doing.  I managed software developers for the last part of my career, and they will always tell you, we'll have it fixed in the next build, then the next and the next, on and on.

Computers aren't simple.  And that's what these things are now days.

[Nu2_4rum]

I was mostly concerned to know if the feedback in the forum is reaching the developers or not. Getting a response from a developer would be proof of that. It concerns me that there may be an intermediary process between the forum and the developers, to protect them from vagueness and noise, that is not recognising the possible usefulness of some of the customer feedback and not passing it on to them.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[geepondy]

I work in the electronics industry as well and have interfaced with hardware and software engineers and have done a lot of product testing and design verification  and I agree with your point up to a certain extent but there is a serious issue on a core feature that has not been fixed in months.  As far as I know we don't have an inkling if they have even identified the source of the problem.  I know if my company stonewalled our customers this way, they would not be happy and perhaps stop doing business with us.

Anyhow I realize my posts sound whiny and crying sour grapes so I will just shut up from now on and be grateful I was able to return mine within the return period.  It is what it is.

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

After working in the computer business for over 20 years, what exactly would you like them to tell you.  We've tried 45 different things none of which worked.  Or maybe we have changed resisters in the watch, however, that didn't work either.  Do you want a blow by blow of what they are doing.  I managed software developers for the last part of my career, and they will always tell you, we'll have it fixed in the next build, then the next and the next, on and on.

Computers aren't simple.  And that's what these things are now days.

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[Nu2_4rum]

Agreed it is a core feature that is not functioning and credibility depends on such things. This is the situation in which management aware of the perception developing among customers would step in and shine some light on the development process and adjust priorities to address a problem such as this. I would hope.

My reason for getting a Versa was to track my sleep, which it does well. Luckily I get no ghost steps, but I find notifications from my phone reach the Versa randomly if at all, and apps on the Versa never succeed in requesting data from my phone, which is disappointing, and happens whether I use my Lumia 650 or Nokia 6.

[KB9WNS]

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@geepondy wrote:

I work in the electronics industry as well and have interfaced with hardware and software engineers and have done a lot of product testing and design verification  and I agree with your point up to a certain extent but there is a serious issue on a core feature that has not been fixed in months.  As far as I know we don't have an inkling if they have even identified the source of the problem.  I know if my company stonewalled our customers this way, they would not be happy and perhaps stop doing business with us.

Anyhow I realize my posts sound whiny and crying sour grapes so I will just shut up from now on and be grateful I was able to return mine within the return period.  It is what it is.

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

After working in the computer business for over 20 years, what exactly would you like them to tell you.  We've tried 45 different things none of which worked.  Or maybe we have changed resisters in the watch, however, that didn't work either.  Do you want a blow by blow of what they are doing.  I managed software developers for the last part of my career, and they will always tell you, we'll have it fixed in the next build, then the next and the next, on and on.

Computers aren't simple.  And that's what these things are now days.

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Judging by the posts this is getting to appear to one of those strange intermittent issues that is defying even the best engineers.  With 2 million+ devices sold the overall number of affected devices seems to be relatively small as a percentage.

[Nu2_4rum]

We have no information based upon which to estimate the percentage of Versa users who have the problem. My guess is that few people ever report anything to a forum.

[SunsetRunner]

Any issue, especially an issue like this that does not affect everyone, is difficult to isolate, if they find a fix but it breaks other features.

I have no idea how many Versa users are affected, because those that don't have the issue probably don't even look for step counting issues in the forums.

I have seen where a small very vocal group can affect a product in development, and sometimes turn it into a direction not originally foreseen by the developers.

[Runtu]

Well I found this subject before I received my Versa, I am glad that I did because it made me more aware of an issue I should be watching for. This ghost step issue is not a small flaw, it is specific to the use of the watch.  It may be a smart watch also but the main purpose is to help you count your activity and if it is giving an inaccurate report, it is important to alert those who are on the fence whether you purchase this one or not.

I have had my Versa for 2.5 weeks and have watched it closely for these issues, my watch has been showing signs of maybe a couple hundred or so ghost steps and increased floors, but not enough right now to return the watch.

If my watch started to report thousands of steps I would be furious and knowing ahead of time does not deter you from purchasing, but alerts you to an issue that needs to be resolved and observed.

There are many devoted customers that Fitbit has and they should have the courteousy to help them and alert others.  Also I read the warranty very carefully and come to find out that if Fitbit exchanges your watch you are not guaranteed a new versa, you might get a refurbished one. That to me is not a good. So if I see my Versa show ghost steps into the thousands within the 45 days it will go back as fast as it came, if after that I am not honored with a credit, I will take that up with my credit card people and maybe a few more.

 I disagree that people don’t come here to see if others have had issues, I think they come more for info about there purchase.  Customers want what they pay for and should get what is advertised.

[Nu2_4rum]

People are still willing to purchase a product based on their confidence in the vendor and the fact that new products often require software updates to get them really rolling. If we all waited for perfect software, no one would buy anything. The problem comes when the expectation of ironing out of teething troubles is not met within a reasonable time.

[wetdog1965]

That may be true...but my wife getting over 15k steps that she didn't take
is unacceptable...

[ACG]

We all agree at Fitbit that there are issues with ghost steps. We to are waiting paitiently for the engineers, developers and designers to come up with a solution just like you are. 

As its been said before, some of these bugs are not an easy fix in the computer world. 

[Runtu]

I agree wetdog1965.

[slellis128]

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Geepondy, I for one have appriciated your support...@geepondy wrote:

I work in the electronics industry as well and have interfaced with hardware and software engineers and have done a lot of product testing and design verification  and I agree with your point up to a certain extent but there is a serious issue on a core feature that has not been fixed in months.  As far as I know we don't have an inkling if they have even identified the source of the problem.  I know if my company stonewalled our customers this way, they would not be happy and perhaps stop doing business with us.

Anyhow I realize my posts sound whiny and crying sour grapes so I will just shut up from now on and be grateful I was able to return mine within the return period.  It is what it is.

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

After working in the computer business for over 20 years, what exactly would you like them to tell you.  We've tried 45 different things none of which worked.  Or maybe we have changed resisters in the watch, however, that didn't work either.  Do you want a blow by blow of what they are doing.  I managed software developers for the last part of my career, and they will always tell you, we'll have it fixed in the next build, then the next and the next, on and on.

Computers aren't simple.  And that's what these things are now days.

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[Sammi96]

I just told my dad the whole story of what is happening (he is a unix administrator and also was a manager), and he said 3 months is a long time for this issue. So. Yeah.

[Ramesh24]

@Runtu - Very well said. 

[AlejandraFitbit]

Hello guys,

Hope you are doing fine. As you already know, our team is aware of this issue and is working in finding a solution for it. At the moment of having any update, we will be glad to share it with you. In the meantime, your patience will be much appreciated.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with. 

[wetdog1965]

Well, my wife called in for a replacement today. I have not called, my
issue isn't the ghost steps, it's the zero steps on Android and it will
lose steps if I recharge during the day. This morning I got up and only had
78 steps, but noticed it was at 47% charge, so I put it on the
charger....those steps are now gone.

We upgraded from our Fitbit Charge 2's to the Versa.
So Far: My wife's has a severe ghost step problem, mine has the zeroing
thing and difficulty syncing with the phone. In addition to this I have
been trying out the music feature and have noticed the sound quality seems
better from the watch than my phone, but it drops for brief moments. I am
going to do an experiment today and take my Charge totally off the phone
(maybe this is part of the problem???)

We loved the HR's we had until I killed one in water totally my fault).
Ordered 2 of the Charge 2's from a place that could waterproof them and
they worked great until my wife scratched the screen and water killed hers
(again our fault). We figured the Versa would be great and we have
protectors on order. SO FAR, not impressed, they seem very unreliable.

Figure this out!!

[shughesy]

So this is happening to me now as well. Was that a common occurance? I just bought mine and don't want to deal with an inaccurate expensive tracker. 

The tracker is showing 7500 steps, but when I look at the activity to see when it happened it's only showing 1500 steps. 

[slellis128]

Return it!!!