Surge Firmware Release - 16.34.6.1

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update 8/23/18:

Hey, everyone! Just wanted to thank you all for your participation in this thread. 

Since the majority of Surge users have successfully updated to this firmware: 16.34.6.1. I have decided to close this topic from further comments. 

If you still have not updated your firmware to 16.34.6.1, check out this help article for how to update your device. 

If you're experiencing any issues with your Surge, unrelated to the firmware-up process, I invite you to start a new topic on the Community or find a related topic. 

Thanks for all your feedback and contributions on this thread. 

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Fitbit Update: 11/2/2017

Hey, Surge users! 

I wanted to let you all know this firmware release to version: 16.34.6.1 is now out to 100% of users. Please update your trackers! Take a look at our update instructions and make sure to charge the tracker to a full battery before you begin using it again. 

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Fitbit Update: 10/26/2017

This firmware has now been released to 50% of all Surge users. Please update your trackers if you see the update available to you!

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Fitbit Update: 10/17/2017

We've begun to roll out new firmware for Surge! This is a progressive rollout, and all Surge users can expect to have it within a few weeks. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. This firmware update includes:

• You can now turn off real-time data tracking. For more information, see Can I see real-time data in the Fitbit app?  
• Bug fixes, stability improvements, and an important security update. For more information about security updates see How do I interpret the severity of a Fitbit security update?

Click here to see our firmware release help article for more details on version 16.34.6.

Instructions for updating your tracker can be found here.

[Roleigh]

Doing the upgrade instructions it says I'm already up to date, but I have the older version, so I'm not in the 50% allowed to upgrade yet.  I have Version 16.34.5.14

[SunsetRunner]

Wow, I really wouldn't have thought that I would ever get an update again.

While we're at it... would it even be technically possible to deliver the more precise sleeping data with the Surge as well? I'd really love to buy the Ionic, but... I can't at the moment and have to wait until January. If either I buy myself an Ionic for Christmas after all or we get another update that'd be great. 😄

[Crazy-Fritter]

If you read the release notes for this latest update it takes away the live pulse rate reading in the Android app unless you have notifications enabled. I never use notifications but I rely on the live pulse reading in the Android app to show me my surge is completely synced and connecting. I have the update waiting for me to install it..... not sure if I'm going to or not though. It doesn't offer any new features, I'm not worried about any slight security risk, but I am worried about an update making my surge work worse.

C'mon you other updaters, tell us how the update worked for you 😉

[dawnrodney]

After I installed the update none of the buttons are working. Pretty much useless right now as I can’t start any exercise session at this point. 

[CoD]

Well padded. 

Security updates are important but you've managed to downplay that issue and succeed in angering all your users with Surges by 'removing' a feature completely. 

For a device that cost almost $300, you never made an official statement about when you would stop supporting it. 

You also kept lying to your userbase and future users giving us the false hope that we'd get the new features that trackers < half the price have. 

Great going. Anyone have recommendations for other devices? I need to get off this ship before they bankrupt themselves. 

And fun fact - I've posted twice in the past year asking for just a confirmation that the surge had been discontinued. Nope. Not a word. 

Great job Fitbit. 

[VF31AE3]

@CoD Garmin Vivoactive Hr has come up in other threads. That's where I'm looking. Good luck.

[CoD]

Any reason you picked the vivoactive over something like the Forerunner
235/630?

[whocareswhowins]

Looking at vivoactive HR plus or new vivosport. 

[SunsetRunner]

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@whocareswhowins wrote:

Looking at vivoactive HR plus or new vivosport. 

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The Vivoactive 3 looks like what they would've liked the Surge to've been.

[rob_leeson]

I am completely disgusted with the way that Fitbit has treated Surge owners.

The level of customer service is the worst that I have ever experienced.

After this, surely no one will ever purchase a Fitbit product again.

Fitbit was already on the skids. It deserves to fail.

All Surge users should spread the word.

[crfd63]

Can you give us the option of seconds on the clock screen?? I would gladly charge it more often for that opportunity. 

[SunsetRunner]

People get a new phone every couple of years (or sooner) because vendors quit supporting old hardware. Nothing new with Fitbit. I've had the Surge since 2015 and it has done everything I've wanted. 

And, I've had nothing but great service from Fitbit - even replacing my old Surge with a new one due to band issues.

So, sure, try the Garmin - though you'll find the exact same complaints from Garmin Vivoactive 3 users that you do from Fitbit users; crappy sleep tracking, crappy heartrate tracking, crappy sync, crappy bluetooth, crappy app. I'm not kidding... I've been looking for a week now at past reviews.

But for the money, for the convenience of keeping all my past data, I ordered an Iconic. I have 30 days with which to evaluate it, and if I don't like it, I go back to my Surge, or get a Garmin myself.

[emsomaso]

I’m actually happy with what the Surge has done for me, it really has helped me get my training going. That’s not the problem!

The reason I think Fitbit really let us customers down is that they for 2 years promised us that they were working on updates (like whatsapp notifications) and then  when they release the Ionic (which got the requested features) they completly left us Surge users for dead...

That kind of customer service stinks!!

[b-mike]

If it's correct that the updated firmware only does live pulse rate when notifications are enabled then I won't be upgrading to it. I've had my Surge for over 2 years, I've changed phones (Android ones) several times in an attempt to get my Surge to communicate properly (Fitbit always blamed it on my phone). I've never managed to get notifications to work reliably. In fact, with notifications enabled my Surge wouldn't even sync reliably either - sometimes it would go for a week or more without successfully syncing.

So I've had to disable notifications to get the sync to work reliably.

I even joined the Fitbit beta program. I sent them debug logs over and over again, but they never seemed to do anything with them, they never managed to fix the problem (or even improve things).

I would buy an ionic, except that I've had to revert back to an old version of the Fitbit app to get any reliability at all (one with the old user interface), and I'm guessing that the Ionic will need a new version of the app on my phone? So I'm stuck with what I have.

[SunsetRunner]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

People get a new phone every couple of years (or sooner) because vendors quit supporting old hardware. Nothing new with Fitbit. I've had the Surge since 2015 and it has done everything I've wanted. 

And, I've had nothing but great service from Fitbit - even replacing my old Surge with a new one due to band issues.

So, sure, try the Garmin - though you'll find the exact same complaints from Garmin Vivoactive 3 users that you do from Fitbit users; crappy sleep tracking, crappy heartrate tracking, crappy sync, crappy bluetooth, crappy app. I'm not kidding... I've been looking for a week now at past reviews.

But for the money, for the convenience of keeping all my past data, I ordered an Iconic. I have 30 days with which to evaluate it, and if I don't like it, I go back to my Surge, or get a Garmin myself.

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Your response seems legit on the surface, but after thinking about it for a bit, I have to disagree.

When I get a new phone, it's not because the manufacturer quit putting out updates for it. I get a new phone because the new phone has features that weren't possible on the old one, or because my needs have changed and I need to upgrade to facilitate those needs. I have never gotten a new phone, or heard of anyone having to get a new phone, because the manufacturer simply quits supporting the hardware.

[SunsetRunner]

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@emsomaso wrote:

I’m actually happy with what the Surge has done for me, it really has helped me get my training going. That’s not the problem!

The reason I think Fitbit really let us customers down is that they for 2 years promised us that they were working on updates (like whatsapp notifications) and then  when they release the Ionic (which got the requested features) they completly left us Surge users for dead...

That kind of customer service stinks!!

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Exactly. 

Some people just bought the watch for full price, only to now realize that they got duped into helping Fitbit and their retail partners clear off the shelves to make room for the Ionics.

[viz]

My battery has just started draining within an hour of full charge. Coincidence it was straight after the update???????

[SunsetRunner]

Not to worry, the Ionic will most probably be their make it or break it product.

It's this or chapter 7 (or 11.)

They will have to prove themselves with the Ionic. Let's hope they'll get there in time.

Yes, us Surge owner were left with a short straw... but I prefer that to them going out of business, despite of all their shortcomings.

[AlessFitbit]

Hey, Surge users! 

I wanted to let you all know this firmware release to version: 16.34.6.1 is now out to 100% of users. Please update your trackers! Take a look at our update instructions and make sure to charge the tracker to a full battery before you begin using it again. 

[SunsetRunner]

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@b-mike wrote:

NO I WILL NOT BE UPDATING MY TRACKER, THANK YOU! Have you even bothered to read our replies to this thread? Why would I update my Surge to a newer version of the firmware that doesn't add any features or fix any bugs? All it does is REMOVE functionality from my device. That's not an upgrade, it a DOWNGRADE!

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@b-mike, as far as I understood it, the option to disable live data was only an option, not a must.

Yes, I may not have that option on iOS, but as far as I could tell you should be able to turn it on or off. 

@ all - can someone with an Android device please confirm my theory? Thank you!