No Google Assistant on Sense 2?

[Dopovo]

I went through all materials, video, docs and Google Assistant is nowhere to be mentioned, contrarily to Alexa. Shall I remind that Fitbit is a Google Company?

Fitbit, what's happening to you???

[Dwuuds]

@N8teGee, @LissaxKristine I agree, and by the time they get around to polishing up the software, they will likely be at a deep discount (although I'm probably just going to a used Apple Watch or Garmin at this point). I also can't justify a 300+ dollar piece of tech that essentially has the exact same features that my ORIGINAL Fitbit Inspire HR (that I found in a thrift store for like 5 dollars) has. I mean jesus, the inspire actually has a better battery than the sense 2 meaning that for my use case, it is a better "fitness tracker". I was only upgrading in the first place because the metal connectors on the inspire are so corroded at this point it can no longer charge. Sad because at full charge it lasts around TEN DAYS. 

I feel like the only substantial differences between the two are the screens and that the Sense 2 has a buggy, low quality implementation of Alexa and a crap battery. Oh, and to top it all off, I have to pay a monthly subscription for... what exactly? It's madness.

[Guy_]

"At this time, there are no plans to deploy Google Assistant on Versa 4. While we don’t currently have plans to release this feature, we always appreciate the passion and creativity that comes out of this Community. Since we know this idea is important to many of you, we have left voting open to continue tracking interest and will post another update if anything changes. "

Presumably this applies to the Sense 2 as well.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Versa-4-should-have-Google-Assistant/idi-p/52405...

[Dopovo]

Thanks a lot @Guy_ to point us to these locked feature suggestion. I'm really puzzled why Fitbit mods do not bother to come to this board to answer to our legit questions while they didn't have any problem to close that feature suggestion.

[t.parker]

@Dopovo there is some activity of moderators on the Versa 4 forum but it's not much and usually, they don't seem to know what they are talking about (like advising on using Spotify on Versa 4). Sense 2 and Versa 4 release it's a total mess on every possible side. I still plan to get Sense 2 for testing so can tell more about the device (not released in the UK yet) but certainly will use my return window.

[LizzyFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone, and welcome to our new members.

Thanks for your interest in our new Sense 2, and your feedback about its features. In regards to the voice assistant, let me share currently there are no plans to deploy Google Assistant on Sense 2 or Versa 4. I understand how much you'd like to have this feature available and we look forward to bringing this feature to future devices. For more information about how to use Alexa, let me recommend this help article.

@Dwuuds and @Dopovo Thanks for letting us know about the information displayed on the Fitbit app. I'm sorry for any confusion this may have caused and I've reported this to our team so they can make the proper correction.

[Dopovo]

@LizzyFitbit will the screenshot and informative manuals be correct as fast as this similar mistake done on Ace 3 (reported in January 2022 and still not fixed)?

[N8teGee]

@LizzyFitbit How about the other missing features? Is support for 3rd party apps coming? Or is that also not planned like some of the reviewers are saying? 

[Dopovo]

One more question @LizzyFitbit : this discussion started on August 24th, immediately after the announcement of the new Fitbit flagships, start of presales, and now more than one month ago. 

Why no Fitbit representative came to clarify the matter earlier? You're the first Fitbit representative who bothered to shed some light (actually i could say to turn it off completely)

[Dsptd]

I'd also like to say in regards to this stupid thing. I have google nest etc and a google phone so was pretty excited to get the new watch that advertised so many features! I had hoped to enabled google assistant on this device as their last ones had  But no! This one doesn't. Again another disappointment. Fitbit stop saying these are suggestions and see them for what they are. Complaints and the fact loyal customers are NOT happy with a product line sold as a premium smartwatch!!!! 

[mike-MKvip]

...Pixel Watch with 18~24 hours of battery life @Jdsenter 

Ridiculous and unacceptable!

@JerenDeb In reality t's more like 4 days with everything switched on, but that's still at least 4 times the battery duration of the Pixel watch 😁

@N8teGee No 3rd party apps, so no Spotify.

No music control either and nobody at Fitbit could really tell me if it is forthcoming or not.

The only thing they tell you IS COMING: Google Pay and Google Maps - but NO TIMELINE!

As for the 'no GA' part: at least Alexa works perfectly on my Sense 2 😉

@MattJ71 

> Can't customize favourite exercises

The Sense 2 does that automatically on the exercise tile, your 3 most used exercise types show up there on the top level (for me it shows cycling, spinning and running). In the Fitbit app set that tile as the first one on the left from the watch face and you'll only have to swipe right once and press the exercise you want (if you have only 3 preferred ones, that is).

[t.parker]

@mike-MKvip exercise tile stores 3 recent types and the Exercise app stores 5 recent ones. The problem is that if someone has more than 3 or 5 activities then it's quite a chore to find one in the list. They are alphabetical but having the generic "Workout" at the end of the list is not the greatest idea (especially that Workout used to be a generic substitution for everything).

[tnarro]

BUT WHY NO SPOTIFY???

Hey, Lizzy, It's great that you are here to give us clarity.  Disappointed that my sense (original) was taken by someone and now I must upgrade (or is it "downgrade"?) to the Sense2. I can sort of understand how you can offer only Alexa assistant as it is sort of a one of one replacement except that I have a Google home that I can't control now. But why no Spotify? I want to exercise without my phone near me. I really love this app. I might not be in the market for the Sense 2 if this isn't offered. It's too much of a step backwards, do you think?

Thomas

[InkyMyCat]

I watched a few online videos on the new Sense 2 and it mentioned all the features that where removed and unfortunately the Google Assist was removed. After watching the video I decided on to by the Sense 2 and ended up buying another Sense (Original) extremely cheap.  Kind of strange considering Google now owns Fitbit.  Maybe with enough complaints or people not buying the Fitbit Sense 2 maybe they will add the feature back.  One never knows.

[Jdsenter]

Just my opinion, but Google wants to keep Fitbit devices as health trackers, you want bells and whistles (from 2018), get the Pixel Watch, or the 2020 Fitbit Sense, or the Charge 5.

All new Fitbit by Google devices will be forever downgrades to the previous versions, seems a new trend. Charge 5 lost altimeter, Sense 2 lost so many features, Versa 4 don't even understand why it is even being sold. When I upgraded from Ionic to Sense it lost on-board music, never used it on the Ionic, but that is where the trend seemed to start for me. A newer version used to have all the old version features and added new features or resolved issues, but to take away features, just seems wrong. 

Like buying a brand new car in 2022 and getting a model T. Makes no Sense. Pun intended?! 

[asiayeah]

While we know Google Assistant won't be available on Sense 2, I find Alexa isn't too bad. I can set an alarm or timer, check the weather, look up my Google Calendar or ask fitbit about my steps. However, I can't control my spotify via Alexa.

[ActiveBret]

I was looking forward to getting the Sense 2, but if Alexa is the only option on it, then I will have to stick with my orignal Sense until it fails, then just get a standard watch. I'm not putting an alexa only device on my arm, since I don't use alexa in any way. Why would a Google device not use Google products? Just dumb. 

[Footbeat]

Same here will not be buying it without Google assistant, makes no sense. I don't use Alexa either.

[TLinkins]

I've even heard that Alexa is there only because of the contractual obligation between Amazon and Fitbit. If Fitbit had its way, there would've been no voice assistant or voice controls on these latest-generation "smartwatches" whatsoever. Imagine that...

[mrc1984]

me too....unbelievable  that Google Fitbit would market something that is not compatible with their own platform...unless it's coming out as part of their premium service???

[Guy_]

Hi @mrc1984 - please see best answer in this topic. Also it was never announced as being available, as documented by @Dopovo