Replaceable Battery

[SunsetRunner]

In Future products I'd like you to make it possible to replace the built in battery with a new one when it no longer holds a charge.  This is my main gripe when it comes to fitbit devices. While I've not had any of my devices batteries fail as yet, I'd like to be able to replace them when they do.

The Ionic should have had a replaceable battery (and don't try saying it would ruin the water resistance ability, I can drop my phone in 50 meters of water and still replace the battery myself and I've had dive watches that can go to 200m and still replace the battery)

Even if people have to send the device in to have the battery replaced, it would be preferable than having to buy an entire new device.  So please for future devices please consider adding the ability to have the battery replaced even if only by authorized service technicians.

[AJD1]

I totally agree. A replaceable battery is desirable. I currently have a Zip which does have a replaceable battery. But, I'd like a band, too. So now I'm considering Garmin's fitness bands since some of them offer a replaceable battery. Having to invest in a new band when the battery no longer works is not feasible and is also wasteful. Hopefully Fitbit will consider this option for more of its products. I would be in favor of being able to send the band in for replacing the battery, if needed.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Nice suggestion, thanks for sharing. We look forward to hearing what other community members think.

[Kel10]

Agreed on the battery fix, I’m using a blaze currently out of warranty repair, and contacted support about trying to fix it. Would be wonderful to not have to buy a new one, I love using my blaze and wasnt looking to change which watch I was using, so a lower cost option to repair would be nice to have. 

[RobbieG31]

Agree 100%. Mine just died at 22 months. They offered me a 25% discount, no other option. I sure don't want to spend another $200 on the new Versa to have it go down less than 2 years old again. 

[pminton82]

I agree need replacement options other than a new purchase. Sending it in for repairs is something I would consider however I am able to do the repairs my self if they offered a replacement battery.  

[BrianPCarr]

My basic FitBit was purchased refurbished and I got it at 1 year since manufacture, no warranty (my mistake).  After two years the battery no longer retains its charge, so I am only considering tracking devices with replaceable batteries, perhaps the Zip or another manufacturer.

[kensurfer]

I agree with everyone here, I have HR Charge and less than 2 years the battery will charge, but not hold it, making the device unusable. I got the same answer as Brian from support. I am thinking of the new Versa, but I'm having trouble of the justification of having a device to be thrown away after  18-24 months for $200. The 2 year extended warranty will not cover this as well. I understand Fitbit would not want people changing the battery themselves in that the Versa is just about water proof  for swimming and surfing and removing the back and re-sealing could be problematic.  There should be a way to send the device for battery replacement with a battery replacement fee.

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[RobbieG31]

I just bought the Samsung Gear 3. Blows the Fitbit away. On sale now for
280. I won’t go back to Fitbit. I will say my co-worker’s Blaze is still
going strong after three years. His charge will last up to three days. I
bought mine because he liked his so much. His still going strong while mine
lasted 20 months. I don’t know how the battery could be so hit or miss but
I also cannot understand how Fitbit doesn’t offer a viable solution like
Bose or other electronic companies.

[ringnalda]

Sorry but 150-200 charge cycles for these trackers is unacceptable, and the excuse to make more money by offering a 25% discount for a new tracker is not really acceptable after this short time reliability experience...  You are in the watch market.  Watches last for years. Many years.  Battery replacements are easy.  So come on fitbit, get your stuff together and offer a sensible battery replacement policy before we all choose different options.  An apple watch is starting to look pretty good right now.

Moderator Edition: Format 

[robynbeary]

Good Morning. I purchased a new tracker back in May 2017, after the tracker that was purchased in December of 2016 had a total of 6 replacements less than a year into my purchase. I was extended a 25% discount on purchase of a new tracker. I upgraded to a fitbit charge 2. It seems that as soon as the year was up, my fitbit started decreasing in battery life. I tried cleaning, a different charging station, but nothing worked. I just corresponded with a most helpful fitbit associate Indira today. Since my limited warranty expired, there was no replacement that could be offered. I was however given a 25% coupon to use within 30 days. While I appreciate the gesture, it seems a little unfair that I have to buy another tracker exactly a month later than the warranty allows. I definitely love the fitbit charge 2, but in the future, it would be most helpful to replace a battery rather than an entire tracker. My budge is a bit tight and it just doesn't seem fair that I have to buy a device again just because the battery is problematic. I wanted my voice to be heard. I really love the fitbit products, but if I chose to take advantage of this deal and the same problems persists, I will be force to look else where for a fitness device. 

[SunsetRunner]

Fitbit-do the right thing. Be a responsible, green, company. Being able to replace the battery is not only budget-riendly, but environmentally-friendly! 

The battery needs to be recycled and why waste all the rest of the tracker when it's usable if it had a new battery.

Build them with replaceable batteries! 

[GershonSurge]

Could be the charger.

[Andy997]

I agree withbal above.  My charge he (x2) have failed because of battery.  I did also looked at others and don't want to pay for the super watches as I wouldn't use half of the things they do.  I did think about others but decided to stay with fitbit as i like the charge hr and newer charge 2.

Hoping the battery does the 2 years at least.

Andy

[SunsetRunner]

I totally agree with everyone here. Especially if there's only 150-200 (!!!) charging cycles inside them, that's way too little for non-replaceable batteries. Barely over 2 years of use! And if they act like smartphones, you just know that the 2nd year will be super-frustrating as you'll see the battery last shorter and shorter until you have to recharge almost twice a day. I don't want my fitbit to pack that quickly and have to throw it away. I'd rather buy a different more long-lasting or serviceable brand in that case. This is seriously making me reconsider getting a fitbit tbh.

[SunsetRunner]

I originally owned a Charge HR. After a year of use, the band on the Charge HR broke.  Yes, I was upset.  A perfectly good device made unusable by bad design.  However, I was more than happy to upgrade to the Blaze.  The Blaze offered features that made it worth upgrading from the Charge HR.

Now, my Blaze's battery is dying.  After two years of use, I am currently getting under 24 hours of life per charge.  There is no official way to replace the Blaze's battery.  This time, there are no compelling reasons to upgrade to a new offering, other than a need for a new battery.  That is why everyone is extremely upset.

Offering a device with a user replaceable battery (or manufacturer battery replacement for a nominal fee, say $25-50) would allow each consumer, in their mind, to get the most out of their product.  Then when a customer decides that a new offering offers a compelling reason to upgrade from their current device, they would be more likely to upgrade. 

The Blaze situation has people looking at the Versa & Iconic and seeing a modest upgrade, but the same battery issue.  Fool me once, shame on me. I am not going to let you fool me again.

[PeteJ]

I am wondering if the new (as of April 2018) VP, Global Head of Customer Service is aware of that this issue is causing Fitbit to bleed customers at a rapid pace.  Fitbit needs to develop a process to replace batteries either with a national battery chain or at a Fitbit facility.  I had to get my battery replaced because my Blaze was not longer useful.  It saddens me to think that Fitbit, with all of their resources cannot come up with a battery replacement for a device that retails for $200 or in the case of the Ionic $300.  In addition, I feel like the people that have battery failures with a certain time frame should have that battery replaced for free and people outside of that time frame should pay only a nominal fee.  Also, I feel like the software and connection to the new Fitbit phone app. have caused a problem with the Blaze battery draining fast.  Instead of giving your customers the standard replies to turn off all the Blaze functionality and/or clean your battery connectors is just causing further frustration.  Please, please, please do an analysis of the issue and come up with a solution to the recent Blaze battery drain.  Thank you!

[judyeo]

My Fitbit Charge 2 battery only lasted 15 months. I carefully ensured it had a screen protector, never wore it in water, bought an upgraded band.....now I am very torn and may not buy another Fitbit. A replaceable battery at a nominal fee should be a "no brainer." We don't throw away cell phones, watches, lap tops, cameras when the batteries die. I was offered a coupon to reduce the price of another purchase, but will probably not choose another.  Please listen Fitfit.

[Riatsala]

Whoever heard of a watch where you can't change the battery???

I really loved my fitbit while it worked, but this flaw in the design has put me off.

It's so wasteful to throw away a perfectly good fitbit simply because it needs a new battery. 

This has to change!

[JJB1005]

I have a bag of fitbits that the only problem is that the battery will no longer hold a charge.  It would be environmentally friendly to make fitbits with replaceable batteries.  I know it would affect your profit margin but if you are providing the replaceable batteries; it would offset the decrease some.

Janices Brown

[MarcelBK]

Hey @JJB1005! Thank you for sharing your suggestion. The idea exists already, so I merged your suggestion into this one. 

[sremick]

Desperately needed, especially at the price point of some of these devices. I'm not interested in FitBit being something that effectively costs me $80/year if I have to buy a new device every 2 years.

FitBit has an ethical environmental responsibility here and shoudln't be fleecing its customers at the expense to the environment.

[JJB1005]

I agree 100 % "FitBit has an ethical environmental responsibility here and shouldn't be fleecing its customers at the expense to the environment."  How can FitBit to ignore its responsibility to the to the environment and its customers "?"

[kensurfer]

The point about the cost for value of the device is valid. This has nothing to do with the environment. I recycled mine at Best Buy they will accept any electronic device in a responsible way. There are other places for recycling old computers and devices that we keep buying because the manufacturers only give us a 2-year life cycle on their products.

Ken

[sremick]

This is still an environmental issue. There's significantly more environmental impact in tossing an entire device into the e-waste stream, where they are not disassembled but instead ground up and processed with chemicals, versus continuing to use the device part and only recycling a removed battery, which are handled in a better, cleaner, more-efficient manner.

Dismissing the environmental side of things because of what Best Buy offers is a classic example of naively taking advantage of externalities to understate the true cost of something.

[Timwtaylor]

I was considering another FitBit, however when mine was first having battery issues, I looked into getting it replaced.  FitBit will not replace the battery, they will only offer a discount on another product that will have a battery failure sooner or later.    It is not financially responsible to purchase a piece of electronics that costs over $200.00 and requires a battery that is not replaceable and the company does not offer repair.