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! 

[bobby2478]

Can someone clarify: with Google Assistant do you get voice response?  Meaning once you integrate the Sense with Google Assistant and you ask it a question/tell it to do something, do you get a voice response on the Sense speaker from Google Assistant? Or only text on the screen?

It appears with the latest update Amazon Alexa now has a voice response through the speaker on the Sense instead of only the text on screen. If Google Assistant is lacking the ability to have a voice response through the built in speaker on the Sense then that's dumb and would need a feature suggestion to add it.

Also disappointed that it only allows you to answer phone calls, but not make outbound calls. With Google Assistant / Amazon Alexa, it should allow you to use your voice to ask Google Assistant / Alexa to make an outbound call and to have this call through the speaker on the Sense. Hopefully this comes in the future instead of only allowing you to answer calls through the speaker on the Sense.

[SunsetRunner]

It does not do blood pressure, only pulse & Spo2 readings! 

[RDizzzle]

This has been one of the most frustrating experiences and could be the final annoyance that makes me switch back to Samsung wearables. From a fitness band standpoint, Fitbit has been my preferred device for tracking my health and fitness. But software wise, they need a serious overhaul. Hopefully Google's pending acquisition will improve the software portion of their business. As an early adopter who purchased this on release date, I was patient of the Sense's shortcomings. Like why would you require a specific watch face to use such an important feature such as blood oxygen monitoring? Why not include the ability to use the watch to talk to when answering calls? (a feature that competitors had for a while now) 

So now I'm finally excited that an update addresses some of these issues, that should have always been available at launch. But I can't even get the update installed cause its never offered to me in the app. Add insult to injury is that FitBit has emailed me to tell me to update, where I click the link and all it does is open the Alexa setting in the FitBit app. Why email me to update when I can't actually update?! And why is there even a "Check for Sense update" in Help & Support section of the app? All it does is straight up lie to you to tell you that the device is already up to date. 

This all makes the software portion of their business seem like a joke, when they can't even do a software rollout properly.

[DaveS3]

I've never heard that the sense would do blood pressure or that it has sensors for that. Pretty sure you'd need an inflatable cuff for blood pressure.

[DaveS3]

just did my update - quick (relatively) and easy. now have google assistant set up! once you do the update, just click the link in the email you received (or just go into the settings on the app on  your phone). The setup also installed the SPo2 app, so I didn't have to do that separately - maybe a result of clicking the email link. Don't have the SPo2 watch faces but I don't think they've been released yet. great job fitbit. Hoping this release fixes a few of the other little defects that most people found, like the shortcut to the watch face selector would not change the selection etc. But, google assistant and SPo2 changes are really big. 

[Ripez]

@DaveS3 Google assistant can't even make outbound calls, very useless. And the speaker volume is really bad...

[Ripez]

@Beezy1978 how you can say that? You have compared it with another smartwatch? Thanks

[forthewatch]

SpO2 clock faces are available now, there are 3 of them. Check Clock Faces on your phone and search SpO2.

[DaveS3]

you are clearly unhappy with it, I get it. for me, I'm fine with the
improvements for google assistant and will continue to use it for market
leading sensor and health tracking technology. and it does exactly what I
want in a smart watch after other iterations I had with samsung / wear OS.
For me, it's an excellent balance of smart watch features that I want as
well as the health tracking which I really want and like. all good for me.

[DaveS3]

cool - thanks, will check for the spo2 clock faces now. big test will be tonight when I leave whatever clock face I have and look forward to spo2 readings without changing the clock face. and, impressed that it'll do this (hopefully) without killing the battery. I recall some of those wear OS updates that were total battery sucks b/c the google team didn't test that before release and never quite got it right.

[DaveS3]

actually I saw a mockup somwhere of the waveform clockface with SPo2 on it. don't quite see that on the waveform after 5.1 update so will keep an eye out for it when released.

[MrGlenn]

First impressions:

Nice first implementation of Google Assistant, I don't really care for audible feedback, so the current implementation works fine for me.

On wrist calling: connection to phone is good, but position of mic on the Sense is really, really stupid. It is placed almost on the back of the watch and when your arm is pressed against the mic opening callers can barely hear you. Speaker volume is also very low even on max settings, making it very difficult to hear callers when outside. Hope they improve upon both of these. 

Performance: navigating through menus on the clock seems more responsive and fast. Unfortunately then visual glowing effects in the background of all default apps and menus is still there. I don't like that look at all but that is just personal preference... 

[Ochie]

My update also came today (NYC). Minor hitches in updating but done. Google Assistant there and working. So that's that I guess.. 

[Ripez]

@Ochie are you able to make outbound calls with Google Assistant? 

[Fit058]

Has someone, who got the new update, made some new tests with activities like walking or running? Are there any improvements regarding accuracy and stability?

[killer2239]

Don't take this as a bash but why do people want to take calls from their watch? The speaker in it has to be crap given its size and compact design of all the sensors. Are they wanting to stand their holding their wrist to talk like a power ranger from 1995? 

[BrenFit87]

I am getting the same problem in Australia. The FAQ says it should be available in the UK and Australia.

[DonRW]

Don’t care about the feature at all. Agree with you.

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[DonRW]

No. Way behind that in versions.

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[forthewatch]

Oh ok yeah I am still on the previous version still waiting for the update. I see three SpO2 watch faces made by Fitbit. Hopefully when I get the update they still be there to download. Right now I cannot download these because of the older version.