What do you think about Sense 2?

[DW369]

I really wish I had spent more time researching the Sense 2 before purchase. Hopefully this post will serve as a warning to others as well as help me decide what to do next. 

I had the unfortunate experience of buying a Versa 3 14 days ago only to learn the unit was defective (step counter didn't work - recorded 500+ steps for every 15 steps or so). 

I contacted support twice on the issue. They offered troubleshooting the first time (to be expected) and a warranty replacement the second time. 

Great. No worries defective tech is expected once in awhile. Support was easy, friendly, and rather frictionless all things considered. 

But then I was sent the option of replacing the Versa 3 or buying an upgraded device for 50% off. So, I splurged and got the Sense 2 which still cost more at 50% off than what I paid for the Versa 3 in sale.

I was actually excited!

I had got a taste of what the Versa 3 could do (although the UI and device input response was a bit janky and there was the faulty step counter) and I couldn't wait for what I thought would be upgraded hardware and more features than the Versa 3.

Boy was I wrong. This Sense 2 is a complete let down. I feel scammed just like other users have mentioned. 

Like some many other community members have said (and surprisingly only a small handful of online reviewers which I had to go digging for 🤔) the Sense 2 is a downgrade in so many ways. It's like they positioned the device to dupe users into thinking the premium price will get them something extra. But alas it really doesn't.

Maybe I could accept the device if they had categorized it as a Tracker and not a Smartwatch... maybe.

But unfortunately the excitement of joining the Fitbit community and the anticipation of becoming a fan has been tarnished. 

Should I get a refund and move on or do I hang out with a small glimmer of hope that 3rd part apps, google assistant, and snore detection will make their way to Sense 2?

What do you all think?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[t.parker]

It's been several months (1/4 of the usual Fitbit device market lifespan) since the release so the hope is rather fading quickly. If I were you I would return it. There are no signs any improvements are on the way.

[Nandor]

I feel the same. I miss my original Sense every day when im in the laboratory or walk to the train..:(:twelve_o_clock:

[asiayeah]

Sense 2 is Charge 6 functionally.

[sgbednar]

I am quite disappointed.  I had been using an Inspire 2, and while I liked it, there were technical difficulties.  The first one ended up going back and being replaced on warranty.  It took a long time to get my replacement, and when I did, the band attachment broke off while I was sleeping, rendering it useless.  I limped along for a while with a third party band that didn't use the funky band attachments, but it rendered the HR sensor less accurate.

By then, I was addicted to having a tracker.  It was motivating me to move more, and I loved the sleep metrics.  I thought that if I upgraded to a better quality device my experience would be better.  Boy, was I wrong!  

Sense 2 has had problems from day one.  HR tracking has been innacurate, the device struggles to sync, the active zone minutes and readiness scores make no sense, and many of the promised innovations either don't work or are not even there.  

I have received one replacement from Fitbit, but it isn't a whole lot better, and it now no longer reboots, so my general experience is deteriorating.  Customer Service has no interest in helping me again, despite my warranty.  I had hoped if I hung in there a while they would at least fix some of the bugs, but I don't see that happening.  It is too late to return at this point, so I am stuck. 

I hate to admit it, but I've been duped.  Fitbit used to have a good reputation, but I think Google has destroyed it.  They are apparently putting all of their effort into their Pixel watch, and are planning to abandon the Fitbit line.  So I guess that means that all of us chumps who have recently bought their degraded products are out of luck.  I won't be pressured into buying Pixel.  As soon as I find another brand that can do a reasonable job, I'm out.  I am taking my time to research the options this time, so I won't be duped again. 

[Guy_]

Hi all, did you know if you are unhappy with the watch Fitbit have a 45 day refund policy if bought direct from them or from an authorised shop perhaps, and some stores offer a 14 to 30 day one. It may be a bit more complicated if it was a discount replacement purchase.

[DW369]

Thanks for the suggestion!

As I said I am considering returning it. But that's not really the point. 

There are things to like about Fitbit. It's just really disappointing when a mature product organization which is owned by a consumer tech giant doesn't fulfill their value promise. 

Both the Fitbit and Google brands have earned my (and I'm sure other community members) trust. And so I opted to spend more on the top tier product expecting to receive more than what this product delivers. 

I don't want to "punish" or boycott these brands. Quite the contrary I want to be a fan and continue to buy/use their products because generally speaking they add value and convenience to my life. 

So, in the end I will likely keep my device. It is proving to be a good tracker which is the primary reason I bought it. However, the lack of features offered by previous generations (ex: music storage so I can leave my phone behind when I go for a run/walk) will continue to be frustrating.

I hope the product team listens to their customers and realize they have let people down with this particular product by calling it a Smartwatch and positioning it as an premium upgrade to previous generations. 

I hope they use the feedback to make a better version that lives up to the brand promise on the next release. 

(And maybe provide a trade-in offer for existing customers to upgrade again - but I'm not holding my breath)

[Kaps2000]

I've sense 2 and I can't see laps during swimming. Do I need to change any settings?

Even the cheap Honor Band 5 and the Samsung Watch4 both show swimming laps during activity. I set targets by activity and not by time. It currently shows the duration that by common sense I would be able to see on the swimming pool clock. So dumb and expensive device Sense 2, doesn't show laps.

They made me pay a lot more for the SmartDumbWatch and a fitness non-tracker Sense 2 where they have downgraded the features? Sense is cheaper and better than Sense 2. A basic & cheap fitness tracker from Huawei will show the lap counter during swim... I didn't have to pay £260 for this crap.

[Killroy-TM]

The 3rd party apps are NOT being implemented. In the original advertisement for preordering the Sense 2 it stated that there will be hundreds of apps that part of the advertisement has been REMOVED since. You can find screen shots in this forum as well as searching the Net for one of the Archive sites that preserved the original advertisement.

Your choice is stay with the watch as it is since there will be no added 3rd party apps in order to sell the Pixel watch or return it and remember Google can't be trusted as they have done similar things to there other services and products.

[Redmoomin]

I bought the sense 2 a week ago, it’s incredibly disappointing. Some of the main features don’t work where I live, other features like hrv are very badly executed. Poor attempt from Fitbit