WiFi connection for Alexa and Spotify

[Thinker1]

  Versa 2 Alexa and spoify are usless features if watch does not have the ability to connect to Wi-Fi..

  Fitbit app is required on phone to be open and connected via bluetooth..

 What's the point if I have to have my phone with me at all times to use Alexa and spotify? 

I could just use Alexa and spoify on my phone.

Having watch connect directly to Wi-Fi is kinda the most important fix that's needed. 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Marrrmaduke]

@Thinker1 You need your phone with you to use Alexa because it needs access to data. It doesn't have to be wifi, it can be wireless (LTE or other), but it needs access to internet. Your echo at home also needs internet access. As per Spotify, it is only a remote control app. It is not full fledged app that would allow you to download your Spotify playlists on Versa. This is not Fitbit limitation but Spotify. Please reach out to them with your feedback.

[Thinker1]

• Dude you don't get it, there all remote control apps that connects to the spotify server. 
• Don't post stuff you don't actually understand. 
• The watch should  able to get internet with out having to connect to your phone to get it..it does have a built in wi-fi device to do it. A firmware and software update is all that's needed to make it happen.

[LizzyFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hi @Thinker1, I'm glad to see you around. @Marrrmaduke, thanks for stopping by to help our member with this inquiry. Your post is very helpful.

@Thinker1, thanks for sharing your feedback. I see your point of view about having WiFi connection enabled on your Versa 2 to use your apps without having your phone nearby. Currently this isn't a feature available for this device as it's required to have your phone with the Fitbit app running on the background to ensure the connection of your Fitbit device, as well its apps performance. I'm sorry if this causes you any inconvenience and be sure our team will continue improving our devices based on the feedback posted in the Community.

We want our Fitbit Community to be a place where users can come to share their feedback and stories in a positive and conducive manner, so please keep in mind the Community Guidelines when posting. Your opinions are always welcome.

I'll be around if you have another question.

[Marrrmaduke]

@Thinker1 I laughed a little. 🙂 You should be a bit more like your nickname. 🙂 Perhaps what you really wanted was LTE support not WiFi. There's no point of having WiFi-enabled Versa outdoors. Unless you want to be looking for available hotspot all the time and are willing to have a battery life of one day. Indoors it works just fine within BT range of your phone. So... Nopes. Not gonna happen. Move on. 🙂

[N8teGee]

This has always been the case since the Ionic launched and then subsequently Versa 1 & 2. WiFi is only activated when you place the watch into the charger, this is then used to update apps and FW and also for music transfer. There is little reason for the watch to use battery sucking WiFi when it can connect to a low powered Bluetooth connection.

The following is from the Versa 2 user manual which is readily available to anyone who wishes to research how the watch operates before purchasing it. 

Connect to Wi-Fi

During setup, you're prompted to connect Versa 2 to your Wi-Fi network. Versa 2
uses Wi-Fi to more quickly download playlists and apps from the Fitbit App Gallery,
and for faster, more reliable OS updates.

As for the Spotify connect app, well it needs to be connected to your phone in order to control what is playing on your phone. 

[Thinker1]

we are talking about the present versa 2 which doesn't have the option for LTE support so why would I talk about that? lmao

Who said anything about using the Wi-Fi outdoors.. we all know it has the ability to store music and it's not like your going use Alexa well your running outdoors...lol. 

That's great if your Versa 2 is in range of your phone.. doesn't work if your phone is on your locker.. but if my phone has to be that close ,why have spoifty or Alexa on the versa 2. when I could just use it from my phone directly..

you'd realize that wi-fi wouldn't be connected until you exacuted Alexa or spoifty.. The BT connecting to your phone is a consitance conntection, and is more power draining. 

  It will happen and when it does..I'm going to repost and say thank you to fitbit for the awesome update. 

Good luck hope you find your happy place. 

Moderator edit: word choice

[Thinker1]

Wi-fi is only active when you are transferring music. 

Again Alexa and spotify are pointelss feature if your phone has to be near you.. just like the music..why stream from my watch when i can stream music from my phone, if my phone needs to be near me at all times.

 Also I might add your phone needs to have the ability to conntect to multiple BT devices at the same time, otherwise your offline cuase your bluetooth is conntect to a differently device. so hmm why is my Alexa not working. oh crap have to active my app on my phone or wait i need to disconnect from my other bluetooth device.

If power is really a problem charge it. I charge my phone daily. 

Its all good, its my oppion either your ok with how it works or your not. I've returned mine. 

I'd rather have the power draning GPS activate well I'm on my bike..

[Marrrmaduke]

@Thinker1 I'm happy you have already found your happy place 😄. So many words, so little sense... FYI, none of Versas supports LTE, it doesn't matter whether it's 1 or 2. 

If you had read the manual you would have figured out the connection used for Alexa and Spotify was BT not Wifi.

No matter how many exclamation marks and capital letters you use in your subject, wifi enabled constantly is not going to happen. Not for Versa 2. 👍🏻

Moderator edit: word choice

[N8teGee]

@Thinker1

It's incorrect saying that WiFi is only used for music transfer, I even posted a quote from the manual saying that it's used for FW and app updates. The user manual can be found here if you are interested in reading it.

As for Bluetooth, the Versa 2 uses Bluetooth LE. Again, I suggest you have a read up on it as it's very power efficient (designed with permanent connections in mind and far more efficient than Wi-Fi) and allows for multiple Bluetooth devices to be connected (although even earlier versions of Bluetooth allowed this).

From the sounds of things the Versa 2 just isn't for you (which is totally fine). There are definitely more feature rich smart watches around, but for the "smart" you quite often have to sacrifice other things like battery life or raw fitness tracking. For me, I'm quite happy to sacrifice some smart features for better battery and tacking (sleep in particular). The Versa 2 is "smart" enough for my own needs, but I understand some might want more. 

Either way I hope you find the device that you are looking for. 

[Rich_Laue]

@Thinker1 you say you want to use Alexa without a phone through WiFi. How will this work, if let's say that you are not home and there is no WiFi availible or your near a McDonald's that requires the user to open a web page and accept an agreement. 

Are you always around open Wifi's so that when you want to use Alexa, you will be able to? 

The reason LTE was brought up is because, this would be the only logical communication, other than the phone, when a user is away from their home WiFi. 

We know LTE is not supported, but saying that you want Alexa to work without a phone will require LTE support and is why @Marrrmaduke mentioned it. 

Of course if a phone is kept with its hotspot turned on, then it would be possible to use Alexa through the phones WiFi, but that would be defeating the purpose. 

As for Spotify, no there are no remote control apps, the server is unable to play music. There are music apps that can play music as it is downloading, called streaming, but this is not a remote control app. 

[Heather-S]

@Thinker1 Please stop hurling insults at people. It’s uncalled for, disrespectful, and rude. It will not be tolerated. 

[Thinker1]

Hi,  I don't think taking away the BT option to connect to the internet through your phone was mentioned.. Lots good reasons to keep that.  I was just thinking that having the ability to connect to Wi-fi at the gym or even your wi-fi at home would be a valuable option, opposed to ensuring that's your Fitbit app is constantly open. Alexa doesn't seem to work otherwise. The watch could be set-up with a static address so when pressing the button to engage Alexa it would make a very fast connect to wi-fi, then after speaking your command it would diconnect from wi-fi completely to conserve power.  Anyhow my Alexa in my home would probably work better than trying to speak to my watch.   Don't you think its kinda a pain. when you go to say something to Alexa and its doesn't work cause you closed your app..?  I'm not suggestion that everyone needs to have my vision nor do I think that future versions of the fitbit with LTE wouldn't be a plausible idea. An enhancement two the existing Versa
2 with the ability connect to Wi-Fi as an option only.  So if Im using spoify and i have my phone with me, why do I need to use spoify on my watch when can just use it from my phone..I guess I just lacking the vision that everyone else seems to have..You guys win. it's obviously a bad Idea..😔Sent from my LG Mobile

[Marrrmaduke]

Let's shift the discussion a little here. I noticed you're on LG phone. Are you saying your Alexa works only when fitbit app is in the foreground? I can confirm my Alexa works all the time and all that is needed is the process in the background. 

[N8teGee]

@Thinker1 What you must remember though is that the Spotify app on the Versa 2 is just an app to control Spotify on your phone, it serves no other purpose. It's not the same as the Deezer app and Pandora, they both allow you to store offline music to your watch. The Spotify app doesn't have this ability. So even if you didn't have your phone and was able to connect your Versa to WiFi, the app would be useless.

I think your suggestion would be better suited to the feature suggestions board. Other users can then vote for the suggestion, with the most popular ones having more chance of being developed.

I can confirm that my experience with Alexa is similar to that of @Marrrmaduke's, whereas only the background processes need to be running in order for me to use it. I too have an LG phone, perhaps your phone is being over aggressive with battery management? You could try turning off battery optimisations to see if that helps. 

[Thinker1]

   Spotify apps are all remote devices that control your account on a cloud server....I can open spotify on my home reciever and control it from any device, such as my phone, Versa 2 , tablet, or computer.. just have login to my account. Your right thought, this post is pointless here, can't delete it now..Just going to stop replying. Sent from my LG Mobile

[Rich_Laue]

Yes the apps or a remote control, but they do not control the server for playback. The apps send the commands to to the respective device that is being asked to play the music. The requested device then does the streaming of the music. 

As for power, fitbit user will not put up with having to charge their tracker everyday. 

[Thinker1]

You know that bluetooth uses less than 3 percent less power than Wi-fi? 

and charging the device wouldn't be a daily thing. maybe an over exaggerations? 

And thank you for validating the point that apps are downloaded via wi-fi. didn't know that. is it a function that the user should be aware of?   never the less it just validates my point that Alexa and Spotify could also be used access via wi-fi when called for. 

No didnt read the manual.. found the functions very intuitive, fitbit has done a phenomenal job. 

[Rich_Laue]

Throughout your days in your normal activity, how often would you be able to connect your Versa to wifi? Do you have a hotspot in the car? How about the park when your out on a run? Would you be able to bring up a web page on the versa to log into the supermarkets wifi? 

[The5thSunday]

Don't be an idiot