Update. Fitbit Customer Service over the phone was pleasant, and requested a photo to review, which I promptly sent. Their reply was very quick too, if not helpful, 'Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience this has caused you. We we're able to determine that your watch doesn’t meet the replacement requirements of our warranty policy. For details about our warranty policy.' I got the message: Not their problem if the screen broke with no apparent reason.
I then took the Fitbit Sense to two local phone / electrical repair shops. Both said that the part to replace the screen was not available to order. For Apple Watch, yes, but not for Fitbit. So the Fitbit could not be fixed.
Having now struck out twice, with Fitbit, and with trying to repair, I contacted my credit card provider and put a claim through Purchase Protection. I have never claimed through Purchase Protection before - and it was only through reading one of the Posts on this page that I even considered it. I provided the note from Fitbit that said Fitbit would not replace, and that there was no part available to repair. I am very pleased to say my credit card's insurance provider accepted the claim. Yes, I am out of pocket the policy excess, but it's better than just being left with a damaged Fitbit Sense.
Now what to do? Do I buy another Fitbit Sense, knowing that the glass can just break, with no known, out of the ordinary activity? I have looked at this Fitbit pretty intently now, comparing it to the Fitbit Ionic. I have noted the curved glass, that protrudes above the metal surround on the Sense, such that the glass edge has no protection. On the Ionic, the flat glass sits level with the metal surround, protecting the glass - or at least I never had any issues with the glass. Yes, the Sense design is more attractive, but that doesn't help much if the glass just breaks under normal use.
Having been a Fitbit user since 2016, I am loath to move on from Fitbit, because there is much to like. Part of me keeps hoping that Fitbit will improve the glass design of their top-end product Sense. Or bring back the Ionic with the software improvements of the Sense. I would buy it. But I won't buy another Sense. Not after this experience.
