Afraid to apply Sense 2 firmware update

[HowardL168]

• I just got notification on the app that the new firmware is available. But given the Sense 1 battery drain issues, is anyone having complete "SUCCESS" with the update or should I avoid it?

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

@HowardL168   It is a minor firmware update.  It adds Status Indicators that will show you if you turned on Do Not Disturb, are in Sleep Mode, your Fitbit is disconnected from your phone, or if your battery is critically low.

These indicators were on the Sense and Versa 3 and I was really surprised that they weren't included on the Sense 2/Versa 4.  The touch screen is very sensitive and it is very easy to turn on DND or Sleep Mode without realizing it.  I've helped MANY users troubleshoot this.  My husband tends to forget his phone, but the disconnected phone icon helped me more than once when I used a Versa 3.

I haven't received the update yet.  You can wait and monitor the forum to see other user experience.

[KLN21]

I installed it yesterday and now my Fitbit is stuck in DND and sleep mode. Restarting has not resolved the issue. I get the Fitbit logo than I big red :cross_mark:. Trying to decide if I should do a factory reset. 

[HowardL168]

@LZeeW Thanks so much for your reply and detailed info! I was hoping for a more robust feature update, but if that (status indicators) is the entirety of the update, then you’re right, I should and will at least wait (if not totally ignore). The clock face I use the most has a graphic (green>yellow>red) illustration of battery status which serves me well for knowing critical low status. The clockface also has a phone disconnected indicator if needed. And I rarely unknowingly change the DND on/off albeit my wife who also has the sense 2 does, so 🤔. I would be most concerned with the battery drain I’ve heard about. One of the key reasons for me choosing Fitbit over Apple is the ability to go 5 or 6 days (depending on whether I use GPS for morning walks) whereas you have to charge the Apple Watch every day. 

I’m going to wait for now. A concern for “not” updating is if I don’t and thus the “update tracker” notice remains on the app, what happens if/when there’s “another” update…how would I know? Or is this the last firmware update for (the rumored discontinued) Sense 2?

Thanks gain for your info! ☺️

[HowardL168]

@KLN21 Wow, that’s not good! I get frustrated as is, when my DND goes on (by my own settings design to go on at sleep time) if I’m not yet sleeping and I have to manually turn it off! 😳😂 But (having not updated firmware) I “can” turn it off. Thanks for giving me another bullet point for not updating. 
How is your battery draining? 

[KLN21]

Keeping an eye on battery life and can update in a few days 🙂 

[LainyB007]

Hi - I used the feature for 2 mins of mindfulness when settling down to sleep. This now seems to have disappeared AND it looks like I have to log all moods in the app! I do not have my phone on all the time (trying to be mindful) so this is an undesirable update consequence in my eyes. Oh, the irony…

hope it helps. My recommendation - proceed with caution.

[LainyB007]

Further to my earlier message, just spent some time with chat and the solution for my issue was to reset my device, i.e., hold side button for 10 seconds,wait for Fitbit logo to appear, and everything appeared as it should on the device.

[Lynoure]

I am here because my Sense2 did not find my phone anymore after I once walked out of it's reach after the software update. Reboot didn't help, now considering a factory reset. 

[HowardL168]

Thanks. I'll look forward to your update

[Netweaver]

Don’t do it!  Since the update, Sense 2 will lose steps and battery life is not improved.

[KLN21]

After keeping an eye on my battery life since the update, I can say that after charging to 100% on Monday the 21st, my battery is at 78% this morning. I can’t confidently say whether the update affected my battery or not. 
Still have the issue with the DND and Sleep mode, but will probably just live with it instead of doing a Factory reset. 
Will update here with results if I end up doing the factory reset. 

[HowardL168]

@Netweaver , I’m actually not expecting battery “improvement” but rather concerned if the battery life is “worse”. Currently my battery lasts about 5 days if I use GPS for my morning walks. If I keep GPS off, the battery will last 6 days, and that’s fine with me. I just don’t want to update if the new firmware causes degradation in that battery life. 

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@LainyB007 , How (many days) is your battery life?

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@KLN21 , that (battery at 78% from 21st to 24th) actually sounds ok. I currently (without doing the firmware update) get 5 to 6 days, so it sounds like battery life has not gotten worse?

[KLN21]

Thanks for the feedback!

I never really monitored. I would just charge it every 4-5 days so I don’t want to say with 100% certainty, the battery life is not degraded with the firmware update. 
Hope that makes sense… no pun intended 🙂

[HowardL168]

@KLN21 ☺️ Sounds good, thanks so much for your info…really appreciated! One more question, not really about battery, but still about the firmware update. If you know, have you heard if, aside from the small functionality updates, did they perform any general “bug fixes”? I ask because sometimes the watch will act a little weird, particularly some watch “faces” that don’t update completely. It’s likely a problem with the clock face and not the watch or Fitbit OS, especially since most of the watch faces are old and not updated, no doubt since developers see the Fitbit’s’ end of life and are devoting time to other apps. Anyway, just curious if you know.

Thanks again…be well