bitTicker Notifications

[AndrewFitbit]

Fitbit Update 3/11/16:

Hey all,

I realize for most of you bitTicker was an important part of your experience with using Fitbit. With each iteration, we definitely aren't looking to limit functionality. Quite the opposite really, we're always looking to improve. Receiving notifications from various apps can be a huge factor when it comes to using activity trackers or smart watches and there's certainly potential for this feature to exist. If this is something you're interested in, I'd suggest voting for this notifications Feature Request. The Feature Request board is a great place to get the attention of our engineers and developers.

I wouldn't recommend reverting the Fitbit app version to 2.19, especially since you don't always know the source of the download.

In the meantime, looks like bitTicker is still working for @homebound:

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homebound wrote:

I have a Blaze and my BitTicker is working fine. I use it as "text" replacement not as "phone" replacement.

FitBit 2.20.1 , Blaze Firmare 17.8.102.7. All notifications are coming trough as they always did.

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Hope this helps. Remember to vote for that idea to bring more attention to it! 🙂 

Fitbit Update 3/10/16:

Hey everyone,

Here’s the situation with bitTicker.

Though we’re not familiar with how bitTicker works, the recent bug fix for outbound call notifications for the Fitbit Android app may have caused bitTicker to stop working.

This was a bug fix, not an intentional block of bitTicker. Since we don’t support bitTicker, there are no plans for reversing the bug fix.

You can reach out to bitTicker directly for further information.

[BigD_1]

 I too reverted back to Fitbit  2.19 APK on my smartphone.    Seems to work again after setting up BitTicker one more time,  I'll run it like this until something better comes along..Thanks all for your insight,   I guess it's my own fault for allowing auto app updates.....

[AndrewFitbit]

Hey all,

I realize for most of you bitTicker was an important part of your experience with using Fitbit. With each iteration, we definitely aren't looking to limit functionality. Quite the opposite really, we're always looking to improve. Receiving notifications from various apps can be a huge factor when it comes to using activity trackers or smart watches and there's certainly potential for this feature to exist. If this is something you're interested in, I'd suggest voting for this notifications Feature Request. The Feature Request board is a great place to get the attention of our engineers and developers.

I wouldn't recommend reverting the Fitbit app version to 2.19, especially since you don't always know the source of the download.

In the meantime, looks like bitTicker is still working for @homebound:

---

homebound wrote:

I have a Blaze and my BitTicker is working fine. I use it as "text" replacement not as "phone" replacement.

FitBit 2.20.1 , Blaze Firmare 17.8.102.7. All notifications are coming trough as they always did.

---

Hope this helps. Remember to vote for that idea to bring more attention to it! 🙂 

[XBrav]

Thanks for the update, @AndrewFitbit

@homebound is correct, the app will continue to work for the Blaze, as the notifications are pushed through the SMS notification service. For users of the Charge and Charge HR, the app will not function for now past 2.19 as we were using the Call notification option. There is no SMS notification option for these users.

Thanks for notifying us of the feature request post. I'd love to see this as an option in the future.

[rearnold864]

The one thing that made my fitbit worth it was being able to use bitTicker to send all notifications to my fitbit. Fitbit has now blocked 3rd party app notifications and ruined the one thing useful on our fitbits. It's going in the drawer until I can find a replacement product from another company. So long fitbit.

[Mahogany1213]

I hate it!! I no longer want my HR

[Mahogany1213]

I no longer like my HR without the Bitticker functionality

[oMaT_Knows_Best]

Please update the app to re-enable 3rd party notifications. 

Not sure why we're voting for a year-old feature request when 3rd party application notifications still exists in the app but simply doesn't work. Before I installed bitTicker I could select Skype, for example, and get notifications on my Charge HR now that doesn't work either. I have to tell you, Fitbit, that bitTicker revitalized my enjoyment of my Charge HR. It's small enough to wear to bed and light enough to be worn by someone who doesn't like wearing watches - plus I got notifications at a vibrate/glance for emails, chats, etc. Now? Well after that experience now it feels like a dead mini-weight. I'll be reverting to v2.19 regardless of provenance to get back the functionality y'all removed for me. Please work to fix this.

Moderator edit: format

[AndrewFitbit]

Hi everyone,

Please keep in mind bitTicker is not a supported app. You can refer to the lead post here for more information.

[Soulless]

Thanks alot, Fitbit. I've paid for this product, and the new firmware doesn't allow notifications through third party software anymore. I want a downgrade. If I knew about that this would happen, I would never have spent my money on it. It was my reason for buying it. Would you PLEASE take to your senses and make a update which allows thirdparty notifications?

[Goldblum57]

It's actually the updated app (v. 2.20) that's the problem, not the firmware.  If you uninstall 2.20 and download the app v. 2.19 and turn off automatic app updates, bitticker will work again.  Since I didn't see any improvement between 2.19 and 2.20, it was a no brainer for me.  Of course in the long run this is not ideal since there may be future improvements to the app that are desireable, but for now it works.

[degsyh]

I've also downgraded to 2.19 and using legacy mode in bitticker. I've noticed though that regardless of the notification setting in the fitbit app it seems to loose the setting (possibly when syncing) and notifications stop coming through. I have to toggle bitticker/contacts and click the test connection button to check it's back working again. Anyone else have that issue?

[MatthewFitbit]

As detailed in this post, this happened because of a bug fix, and was not an intentional block of bitTicker. We'd recommend reaching out to bitTicker directly for further information.

[dannydel]

Are there any mods out there who can provide a solution to the bitTicker block (other than downgrading the APK)?

For context: I've had the Charge HR since it was released, and have patiently been waiting for Fitbit to stop ignoring the feature requests to include text / other notification functionality with it. But in the meantime a third party developer created a workaround called bitTicker. Now Fitbit has decided to block this functionality! It's ridiculous that you not only refuse to implement a feature on their device that so many people want, but also block the feature (not to mention close down all the threads asking for more information about this, meaning I had to start a new one, what's the point of a forum?!).

So, are there any mods out there who can let me know if this is going to happen soon? I'm downgrading to the previous APK so I can keep using the feature of bitTicker for now, but that can only be a temporary fix. If there's another solution please let me know asap, othewise the Gear s2 has just stolen another one of your customers.

[HelenaFitbit]

As detailed in this post, this happened because of a bug fix, and was not an intentional block of bitTicker. We'd recommend reaching out to bitTicker directly for further information.

[dannydel]

Hi Helena,

I did see that post, I just couldn't reply to it because it was closed before any solution was forthcoming. Your response, and that in the post you linked, really isn't helpful at all - what I'd like is an answer as to *how long* it will take for Fitbit to find a new way to allow this sort of functionality. 

You could, for example:

1. Work with bitTicker to make it a supported third party app and find a way to both "fix the bug" and allow your users the function they want; or

2. Actually listen to the request of your users and implement this basic functionality of allowing a variety of notifications to be pushed from the user's phone to their device

My query is whether either of these options are currently being actioned. In the year since I bought this device a lot of competing products have come out that have much better and broader functions, so I hoped that someone who worked with Fitbit could say "Yes, we're aware our devices are a bit behind the times, but we're doing out best to update them to stay competitive. While bitTicker isn't currently working on your device we're looking into ways to deliver you that same service and/or we're hiring some competent app developers who will be able to deliver you that same service." Rather than just pass the buck.

Essentially my gripe is -- you pretty much just want to push your current customers to buying the newer product (which does work with bitTicker) and that's the reason most people believe this app was disabled in your bug fix. The Charge HR is an otherwise good device, but if it's not going to move with the times, I'm going to move on to something that will.

[SteveC006]

Agreed, my posts were removed because a moderator was concerned I was advising readers to download an unsafe APK from the internet when in fact, I suggested reverting to a backup version of Fitbit's own program. 

For the moment, I purchased an inexpensive notification-based smartwatch for around $33 and now use my Fitbit much less, primarily for working out. On a positive note, the battery in my Charge HR lasts much longer.

I hope Fitbit decides to bring us notifications on these units ASAP. It is obviously possible to add this functionality since bitTicker was providing this to many of Fitbit's users at a reasonable cost.

[Graxlos]

I was so happy with my charge hr until they did this. Calling it a bugfix is a joke.
Either fix the "bug" that is blocking third party notifications or more logically add it to the fitbit app. The latter will never happen since Devs are working on new models. If this isn't solved I will never go for fitbit again. Horrible company policy.

[dannydel]

Likewise. I figure I'll give them a couple of months to see if they'll sort this out - or at least see if they're interested in finding a solution - but as you said it's unlikely to happen... notice the radio silence from @HelenaFitbit since I asked her to actually respond to customer's concerns instead of just try to pass the job onto the third party app developers? 

I loved my Fitbit until this feature was disabled (and I still do, now I've downgraded to the old app version), and I get the irony that I'm probably going to buy a different device because I'm upset about them wanting me to just buy the new Fitbit that allows bitTracker... but it's not about money for me, it's about having a device that I can use the way I want to. The fact is, the Charge HR can do the things I want it to do, but for whatever reason Fitbit would prefer that it doesn't. I feel like I have the demo version of their fitness devices.

[lblankspace]

They're not going to add functionality to an "old" product when they're trying to push the new ones on us. I bought by charge hr in December and was loving the functionality biticker provided. If fitbit would add this feature themselves, we wouldn't need third party apps. This latest "bug fix" along with the dramatically shorter than advertised battery life is pushing me towards any brand but fitbit.

[Graxlos]

I found the old apk and it's working again perfectly