Sense Firmware Update OS 5.1.1 (44.128.4.17)

[FitbitCommunity]

Update 12/11/2020: An update OS 5.1.1 (44.128.4.17) is now available to all customers.

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Update 12/8/2020: An update OS 5.1.1 (44.128.4.17) is currently in progress. Full release notes can be found here.

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Update 11/25/2020: OS 5.1 (44.128.4.15) is now be available to all customers. If you have any difficulty updating, make sure you are following the directions in this article, and then provide as many specific details as possible in your post so that we can assist.

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Announcing the release of Fitbit OS Firmware Update 5.1 (44.128.4.15)!

We release firmware updates to all customers in phases. The update will be available to everyone soon, and a banner will appear in the app when you can install the update. If you don’t see the banner yet, check the app again later.

Important Note: You will need to be on the latest app: iOS 3.34 or Android 3.34.1 in order to view the latest features. Please update your app.

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

• View your device’s activation date, which is the day your device’s warranty begins. The activation date is the day you set up your device.

• Use Google Assistant on Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3. For more information, see How do I use a voice assistant on my Fitbit smartwatch?

• Use the built-in speaker and microphone in Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 to take calls from your wrist. For more information, see How do I take on-wrist phone calls with my Fitbit smartwatch?

• This release includes bug fixes and improvements.

Full release notes can be found here.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Sense can be found here.

I recommend updating your Sense over a home Wi-Fi network as this can greatly reduce the time it can take to get set up. For more information on connecting your Sense to Wi-Fi, check out this article. 

If you run into any trouble updating, review these troubleshooting tips. 

We look forward to hearing your thoughts! 

[DonRW]

I don’t think so. The swiping seems the same to me. What bothers me on the new release feature for Answering calls is the volume. Can barely hear anything!

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[SunsetRunner]

Tell me about it. The speaker sucks on this watch. Guess that's why they
didn't activate it off the bat. Wait till people buy it then do it. But
yeah the speaker volume sucks. I'm just hoping they can make it a littler
louder with updates.

Sent from Pixel 4 XL

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. Thanks for your continued reports and thoughts about the Sense firmware update.

@BigSweets, thanks for sharing that the battery level isn't changing and I'm sorry that your Sense isn't able to update correctly. In regards to the battery, are you using it with the charging cable that came in the box? I'd recommend to give a try to the steps from this help article. If your watch starts charging correctly, please attempt updating the firmware one more time.

@DonRW, thanks for your comments and feedback about the Sense features. In my post you can find a link that will take you to the Press Release where you can find more information about how to track and see your SpO2 data with a Premium subscription.

@Ladycaz, thanks for the detailed information and let me help you with your questions. Before anything else let me explain that the Google Assistant will be available in United Kingdom in late 2020 in English only. This is the reason why it's not available for your Sense but be sure that our team will work on this feature so you can have it soon. Because you mentioned to have issues with Alex Assistant, do you refer to Amazon Alexa? Or is the issue with the voice-to-text feature? If it's the latter one, I'd suggest to remove the Sense from the Bluetooth settings, sync with the Fitbit app and set up the quick replies one more time. Please make sure the Microphone is turned on in the Settings app.

@Desfroos, thanks for the information provided, I'm sorry that your Sense battery quickly drained. As you may know, the Sense has a battery life of up to 6 days, however it's expected to see the battery draining a little bit after an update because of the time it takes to be completed along with the WiFi usage. Because the SpO2 clock face was uninstalled, let me recommend to use any other Fitbit non-animated clock face, charge your watch and follow the suggestions from this help article. Let me know how it goes.

@sockatume, just to confirm, did you have the same issues with the swipe function before the update? If you've not done so, please try restarting your watch to refresh its performance.

Keep me posted.

[Micsb]

@SunsetRunner I agree, taking calls on the watch works fine, had a few calls where the phone was out of reach on the charger and had no problems having a conversation using the Sense mic and speaker. I would never use it outside in a busy environment, I am not walking around outside or in the office with the phone and using cell phone speaker for calls neither.

It is counter intuitive anyways, being too lazy to pick up the phone to take the call and instead staying on the couch using a fitness watch. It should have encouraged you to run over and pick up the phone 🙂

It is a nice feature and anyone expected to be carying a full blown stereo system on the arm for this cost might have had too high expectations.

[sockatume]

I think the swipe scrolling speed was slower before the update, so no I don’t think I had this behaviour before.

I’m having trouble getting “Sense controls” to stay connected to my phone too - it’d be great to be able to receive calls but unless I manually re-pair the watch and phone after they’ve been out of range of each other, I don’t think it will work very often.

[Deechte]

In my experience, Sense Controls doesn't need to be connected. When you get a incoming call, Sense will offer you to pick up. If you do, Sense Controls will quickly connect to make the call happen.

[SunsetRunner]

This is correct, once Sense Controls shows up in your bluetooth list, it will stay disconnected until you receive a phone call, you'll then get info on your Sense whether to answer it or not....

There's also lots of posts about the volume of the speaker on the Sense, I agree, it could be better....for me, I didn't get the Sense to answer phone calls, rather the health features that the Sense offers. Take the ability to answer calls on your Sense for what it's worth....i'd rather answer calls through my cellphone...it's way easier and clearer. 

[Fit058]

GPS connectivity and accuracy is still cr@p. 200m difference between reality and measuremt in running activity, which has also effetcs on your time etc., lol.

[sockatume]

Thanks Deechte. My phone had been ringing without any response from the Fitbit, but perhaps that was a different issue!

[Deechte]

@sockatumefor the sake of clarity: there are 2 devices to pair with, Sense and Sense Controls. When Sense is connected, your Sense and the Fitbit app can sync AND your Sense rings on a incoming phone call. When you pick up on the Sense, the other device - Sense Controls - is quickly connected too.

[MrGlenn]

This is an important and useful behaviour as well, if Sense Controls was active all the time it would cause unneccessary battery drain.

Having it connect automatically only when you answer a call (or when using Music Controls) is much better behaviour than before.

After a bit more trial and error the new update does feel more stable and browsing through the menus is smoother. My clockface does display some odd behaviour, I think there is some rendering issue with it, I will probably have to implement a workaround for that.

Additionally I have noticed a few crashes and reboots on my watch, but I haven't been able to reproduce exactly when it happens.

[CTerp]

For some reasons, I can no longer tell my watch "google assistant" to "start workout" to start the exercise app on my watch. 

It worked for a week but now it starts google fit on my phone. 

How can I change this back to start the app on the phone instead?

[sockatume]

Am I right in thinking there is no way to make a call on my phone and hand it off to the Sense to continue it there? Sense can only act as a speaker/mic on incoming calls?

[westsidekilla1]

Yes you are right. Blows my mind that there isn't a Fitbit contacts app to install on the watch so you can make calls from the watch too. And no way to hand a call off to the watch either. Course you wouldn't really want to with the very low speaker volume on the Sense. You gotta hold the watch next to your ear to hear anything anyway, unless you're in a very quiet room. Hoping they can add a few more notches to the Sense volume with an update or something. Or I'm gonna be looking for a new watch and leaving Fitbit behind.

[2wireless4u]

There is an app that someone had mentioned, (I believe called "fake calls") that will show your phone contacts. I have not tried this as at this time you cannot initiate a call, (only receive). When a call comes in you get an option, (assuming your Sense Controls are working correctly, I had to unpair the "Sense Controls" in Bluetooth setting and repair, then no problems since), then you have the option to answer there or on your phone like usual. Once the call is answered from the watch, there is a - / + option to increase the volume. It's not meant to be extremely loud or in stereo naturally, however is plenty loud for me and not just in a quiet room, (as long as volume has been turned up when in a call). From that point when in a call you can tap the macro to pass the call off to your phone, however not back again, (although I have not yet tried to manually initiate the connection in Bluetooth on the phone while in a call to see if will pass back, kinda doubt it). Just me, however, I would not want to have the volume up all the way while in a call regardless just for privacy, even though is a great novelty to do so when able to. 

[westsidekilla1]

I'm not expecting the watch speaker to be loud liked a phone speaker and I always make sure the volume is up. But compared to the Samsung Active Watch 2 speaker the speaker on the Sense is embarrassing. Point blank period. So I know the speaker could be louder if Fitbit chose to fix it. Hopefully with an update or will be fixed. Along with the auto time zone not changing correctly or the setting turning itself back off after it's enabled. And I hope Google Assistant can have audible replies in the future. No matter what way you cut it the Sense is overpriced and not really a Flagship watch. That's just my opinion. I'm looking into the Samsung Watch 3 for Christmas, or something else. No Apple watch for me because I use a Pixel 4 XL.

[Sambxl]

You should use volume button on the phone to increase the volume when in a call and its much better.

[Reganviola]

Since the update firmware, my Sense won't sync. I've uninstalled the app, unpaired the sense, tried on another device. NOTHING. HELP?!

[slconline15]

What is different in 5.1.1?

[Ripez]

@slconline15 is there a newer update?