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.

[McG_32]

2.19 - the first one with the new logo

[XBrav]

Thanks. Sorry I did the same originally, but it didn't work until I re-enable the notifications and then restarted.

[unknownuser]

Great I just updated the app. 

The main reason I just bought a Blaze was because of the Bitticker app.

The app that provides features that users want and the stock app just does not provide.

I will probably return the Blaze and get something else instead.

[prlahiff]

I agree, please bring back this feature. i will be reverting to version 2.19 until this is resolved!

[AndrewFitbit]

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.

[Vince1211]

Is there any plan of integrating a simple text notification just like the call notification to give the consumers what they want?

[unknownuser]

@AndrewFitbit would it kill fitbit to reach out to the devs of bittracker to find out perhaps how to allow the app to still function? 

Fitbit should have bought the Bitticker app from the developer and brought its features into the stock app.

Instead claim its a bug fix, and say its not going to be reverted or fixed in the future. 

Why?

Having more notifications are bad somehow?

Supporting a company thats trying to make your product more appealing with additional features is wrong?

At least make some sort of effort.

[XBrav]

@AndrewFitbit thanks for the reply. Perhaps we can open up the discussion a bit.

The bitTracker app is selectable as a third party call notification app. It was capable of sending notifications as a caller ID flag to the app to allow us to receive notifications other than Caller ID on the Fitbit Charge HR and other devices. It honestly works flawlessly within the restraints of the notification options of the firmware.

The question now is: what is the purpose of the Call Notification selection option on the Call Notifications screen? My banking app, RBC, also shows up on this list, which makes no sense. The assumption was that this feature would determine which notifications would reach the Fitbit: If Phone is selected, you will get the caller ID notifications. If you select another viable app, its notifications would be shown. bitTicker acts as a notification consolidation app.

If the intention of the new version's bug fix is to only accept notifications from com.android.dialer, why do we still have the ability to select the notification app on the above noted screen?

There's no finger pointing here, but is there any option for Fitbit to investigate the success of this app, and integrate a similar feature for your users?

Until then, 2.19 works perfectly in this way, especially with firmware 122 on the Charge HR.

[Stankoman]

Just got it installed! Thanks

[Rich_Laue]

This whole thread seems to make no sense.

Fitbit is not the author of Bittracker, and does not need to consult worth them worth every update that Fitbit puts out.

Bittracker does encourage anyone tyat dinds a problem to let them know,  i would think that Eberle by now would have contacted them. 

No Fitbit did not scheme up this to disable Bittracker.

For one Fitbit welcomes and encourages 3rd party apps to interface with them, does out really make sense, having this open policy?

[Dobbs33]

BitTicker has been one of the most useful apps I've used and has really added to the functionality of my Fitbit HR.

According to the BitTicker website:

Sadly we can confirm that Fitbit have blocked all call notifications except incoming calls from the dialer. For some reason they have left in the option to select call notifications from third party apps. Please note that they have not blocked bitTicker specifically, all apps you can select in the UI are blocked.

Fitbit have confirmed that they have no intention of reverting the change.

I do hope that Fitbit can see sense and allow bitTicker notifications to work as before.

If you're in agreement please reply to let Fitbit know that we users are unhappy about the current situation and that we'd like the functionality restored to our Fitbit devices.

Thanks.

[Helenjc]

Thanks, have reverted to 2.19 and its working for me! Hopefully BitTicker
(brilliant app!) and Fitbit can work together to get a permanent fix. For
now I would rather sacrifice Fitbit updates to keep BitTicker working.

[Crunchyfroglegs]

If Fitbit isn't going to enable these notifications, then at least let someone else do it. 

It's very conveneient that the very next update was "not an intentional block".  This is totally not cool. And due to the lack of updates on my device for these types of features, including new watch faces, and idle alerts, I'm looking for a replacement for my Surge.

[Dobbs33]

Up until now I've never had reason to revert back to a previous version of an app, so how do you do it?

No doubt this would be of interest to all (former) users of the BitTicker app.

Thanks,

Dobbs.

[pjec]

I strongly support some other comments that you should incorporate BitTicker into your core functionality. It turns a good, but very expensive, wrist worn pedometer and heart rate monitor into an excellent alternative to a smart watch. Why not embrace the innovation and please your investors?

[pjec]

Hi. Did you mean firmware 18.102? I'm back on the previous version of the app, which is fine, and I'm wondering whether to update the firmware. Peter

[Dobbs33]

Ah, I've found a download for the previous version (2.19 - do a Google serch for the download), downloaded it onto my phone, uninstalled the new version and reinstalled 2.19 and now BitTicker notifications are working again.

Pity I've had to do this - hope FitBit can get this issue sorted out - until then I'll not be updating FitBit on my mobile.

As per the post from bjec, BitTicker "turns a good, but very expensive, wrist worn pedometer and heart rate monitor into an excellent alternative to a smart watch" and I think that the Blaze would be superb as a smart watch.  But unitl then I'm holding off getting a Blaze until I know the issue has been sorted.

Over to you FitBit...

[homebound]

Situation is not as dire as everyone seems to make it.

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.

[RoofusCat]

Done and working.

[Goldblum57]

Also decided to revert the Fitbit app back to version 2.19.  Everything working again with BitTicker.  Honestly, I didn't notice any improvements with version 2.20 anyway.  I guess I'll keep 2.19 unless and until Fitbit makes major improvements with their app.