Able to return to previous Fitbit app version

[Dsarazin]

Woke up this morning to your new app. To say the least I am not impressed. It lacks color and is boring and adds nothing new to what was there before. I absolutely hate it. I am a longtime Fitbit user but this might actually change that on next purchase.

Moderator edit: Clarified subject

[Catman81]

I know a lot of comments have said Google has a plan to downgrade FitBit to push people over to their smart watch, but this is probably not the reason for the current update. Most companies strive for a uniform style across their digital content. I've noticed that the style of the new app is more consistent with the styles for the FitBit and Google Store web pages. The style of the fitbit.com user dashboard that displays what we see in the app has the same style as the app. It would also make sense that Google would want their fitness trackers and watches to have similar apps so that customers can use either device and have a seamless transition if they ever switch devices. I've never seen or used a Pixel watch so I don't know what that app looks like. 

Consistency across different product lines is more likely to be the driving force behind the current update. However that is no excuse for changing how data is processed and presented to the user. A fitness tracker is all about data and numbers: collecting, analyzing, and presenting it to the user in a very informative and motivating manner. In this case function should come first and style should only enhance function. It looks like Google got their priorities reversed in this update.

[Bappass62]

I tried that it didn't work

[BlissJC]

As far as I understand it, Google have taken their existing fitness app (GoogleFit, which is given away free with their watches), and used or to replace our beloved FitBit app. So I've effectively paid £80 for a year's subscription to Fitbit Premium and all I get is the vastly inferior GoogleFit app (which is free of charge). Fitbit say we can't have a refund for the unexpired term of our Premium subscription because we had a 6 month free trial period of it first. Which is clearly nonsense, and wouldn't stand up in any law court, given the trial was of Fitbit Premium, not of this shockingly inadequate GoogleFit replacement 

[slarsson]

Thankfully, my app has not updated yet, but my husband's has and I have been trying to figure out wtf happened here - this is the worst interface I have ever seen, and I've been a Fitbit user for almost 11 years! Please bring back the old app, this is awful!

[Meno49]

Why? There's nothing new and I hate it. It's colourless and I'm finding it so bland that it's hard to see. I want my app to motivate me but looking at the new version makes me feel miserable! I'm actually avoiding looking at it. Bring back the circles to fill with colour when goals are completed and put back all the information on the main screen!!

[Clarkebahr]

So frustrated with the new app, and with all of this negative feedback, I’m surprised it hasn’t been improved. I can’t see the information I’m looking for easily, I wanna be able to look in a glance at my week and see actual steps, zone minutes, and sleep tracking. The new graphs take too long and I don’t see the data. I miss the live heart rate. I want the old app back. Is there a way to do that?

[BeechewDC]

@LizzyFitbit You just sent me a DM, noting "I will be happy to answer any questions you have, and would ask that you contact me or another member of the Community Team directly with concerns about moderation practice."

I've tried replying to you but keep getting this error "You have reached the limit for number of private messages that you can send for now. Please try again later" – which is quite strange and clearly a bug because I have not sent any DMs to you or anyone today. In fact I've only ever sent one private message ever – to you, a few days ago. 

[LeeAnnArizona19]

I had the same problem (texts/phone calls would no longer go through on Versa2). We tried several fixes and finally something worked. At the end of the day, I think turning off the phone and restarting it triggered the fix, but we had tried so many other things that I'm not really certain what did it. Very frustrating and I'm glad it's working again. Only wish I give exact instructions re: what worked.

[Cjl2.0]

“Please don’t make your comments publicly, let us try and placate you in
private” 🤷‍:female_sign:

[dbbaggs]

Your new phone app sucks. For years we get used the app you had then you change it with no apparent improvement, why? Now it is just more complicated to view the same data!

Sat 11:40 AM

You eliminated the battery indicator, so now I don't know the charge level until I get a low charge indicator.

Sat 11:41 AM

Besides exercise I use the data for sleep and as a heart monitor, so I see it as critical data. Now we have Google invading our personnel life with no positive advantage to the user. I want the old app, and no data going to Google.

Accumulated steps were easily visible! Not any more now I have to scroll down to see that.

This looks like some new EE doing something just because they can.

I will also look for an alternative more to my liking.

[Kikih22]

I’m really dissatisfied with the new update. My Fitbit stopped calculating my steps today because the battery was low. I didn’t receive a notification. I miss seeing the percentage. My next purchase maybe an Apple Watch. It depends if Fitbit brings the percentage back for the battery indicator.

[Pauletteb34]

I agree! I think the update is awful 😖. 

[Cornelius1911]

The new app seems to cater to people who don't want detailed analytics. The worse part of the new format is the absence of the step consecutive tracker. Removing this appears to appease people who can't string together decent consecutive days. Also, you can't track your hourly movement accurately, including tracing the history over a long period. 

Not all new ideas are good FitBit. You should seriously consider going back to what all serious fitness enthusiasts prefer. Ditch this new app and bring back the old one. 

[Brightmind]

Totally agree but don't forget one of the worst things they've done is require full location permission, not just background or only when the apps being used but continuous and that has not only the effect of no privacy but is draining people's phone batteries way faster. This entire update is a disaster. 

[BeechewDC]

Hi @LizzyFitbit - still unable to reply to your DM. I've been getting this error all day – "You have reached the limit for number of private messages that you can send for now. Please try again later." 

I've only ever sent one DM – in reply to a message from you, yesterday. Not sure why this forum would think I'm sending excessive messages – it's clearly buggy. 

[BEhh]

The previous app version should absolutely be reinstated. Thank you.

[Siren72]

Hands down THE worst update I’ve ever seen of any app for over 15 years! You can see how many of us are saying the exact same thing. please please swallow your pride, ditch the new update and give us back our old Fitbit. It was wonderful. This other one is so terrible that it makes me want to stop using Fitbit all together.

[1GinnyME1]

They would if they cared. Will be purchasing a Samsung Watch next month and say BYE, BYE, BYE, to Fitbit after being with them since 03/2014 when they were Fitbit not Google. Greed makes people do weird things and Google can't even acknowledge their mistakes and right their wrong.

Sent by Samsung Galaxy S20 GG via Microsoft Outlook

[Repman55]

Well said, totally agree.

[Olek1024]

Hello @LizzyFitbit ,

Thank you for sharing your views on this topic. What do you mean by "other customers" and "popularity"? Are there any specific metrics/targets/conditions for this topic to become actionable?

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @LizzyFitbit ,

I'm sure you can't make changes immediately and on your own, but there are hundreds of complaints from long-term customers about the Fitbit rebrand. These complaints list very specific issues and are uniform. Talking to others about Health & Wellness will not help when the new app is nearly impossible to use, not ADA compliant, doesn't track and report metrics reliably, and removes all reasons for remaining a Fitbit customer.

[Kel118]

@LizzyFitbit

Following on from NicJemz comment, due to the volume of complaints regarding the app I think it is time we recieved an official response from FitBit management/CEO! Many of us have paid a considerable amount money for multiple devices over the years and many have had premium memberships as well. I look forward to receiving a public official response, thank you  

[Preacher1966]

The new App is not user friendly one of the things I always liked about Fitbit was it was easy to navigate and get the information that I wanted to see. The old App wasn't broken why fix it. I feel you are pushing people away from Fitbit to other brands. I also have no desire to use a google password to get into my Fitbit acct.

[StanReardon]

Uninstall the new app and download an older version. That's what I did.
This new app is utter crap.

[godfrey_tibbet]

I contacted Fitbit yesterday and they did not care. So I contacted Amazon (purchased over a year ago) to explain the situation and they have flagged the product for review. They have also given me a refund. If you bought it from Amazon, contact them and tell them you are not happy. If enough people complain, Amazon will stop selling it.