Zip Firmware Release Version 5.90

[KateFitbit]

Update 8/25/2018: This firmware release was completed last year and I'm closing this thread for further responses. If you are experiencing an issue with your Zip and are unable to find a thread that addresses the issue on the Flex board, please start a new thread. Thank you! 

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Update 11/9/2017: We have continued to roll out this firmware for the Fitbit Zip, and expect more users will see it as available today. This is a progressive rollout, if you haven't seen it previously you should by the end of day today. 

We've begun to roll out new firmware for Zip. This is a progressive rollout, and all Zip users can expect to have it within a few days. 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:

• 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 5.90.

Instructions for updating your tracker can be found here.

[Bayla]

Sorry to be cynical but I don't think this is going to be sorted out any time soon....a quick search shows that the Zip isn't easily available to purchase in the UK apart from a few on eBay. Why would they want to spend time fixing a tracker that is being withdrawn from sale? 

[Crash76]

Has anyone else's time changed with this current update?  Not only will Zip not pair with my iPhone app or my Windows 10 laptop, but the time is off as well.  If my clock say 12:00 the Zip displays 6:00.

[CincyJimK]

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@Crash76 wrote:

Has anyone else's time changed with this current update?  Not only will Zip not pair with my iPhone app or my Windows 10 laptop, but the time is off as well.  If my clock say 12:00 the Zip displays 6:00.

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@Crash76, the time on my Zip is off as well, but I assumed it was because it could not sync (which I assume keeps the time in sync as well), and the Zip's clock had drifted off the real time.  Mine is only off by about 30 minutes now, but before the Daylight Savings time change (-1 hour, I'm in US/Eastern zone), it was off by almost 90 minutes.

[Daws]

Mine was doing that. I would sync and the time was correct but when I looked later it would be out by several hours. I eventually noticed that the zip was crashing/rebooting occasionally and when it came back up the time was wrong.

I had been syncing with my iPhone and PC. I removed the zip from my account, took the battery out and then put back in again a few minutes later. I re-added the device to my account from my PC and now only sync from the PC. So far so good in that I haven't had the zip crash or reboot. I am not going to sync with my iPhone for the time being as I suspect that it might possibly be the cause of the zip rebooting and the time getting messed up. I am not getting my hopes up however !

[YooperJ]

I have the time display turned off on my Fitbit, so I can't tell. I can say it still won't sync.

[Daws]

have you tried removing the batteries out of 2 of your 3 zips and then attempting to sync the 3rd one (in case they are interfering with each other).

Maybe try syncing away from the house  where there are no potential sources of interference. Bit of a long shot perhaps but worth a go if you have not tried that already.

As per my last post I would be wary of syncing with an iPhone although this thread does indicate that different people are experiencing different issues !

[bk318]

Same issues with the update as others on this page.  I was offered 25% off a new Fitbit, but there are other comparable trackers out there that are less than 1/2 the cost of a Fitbit.

[CincyJimK]

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@bk318 wrote:

Same issues with the update as others on this page.  I was offered 25% off a new Fitbit, but there are other comparable trackers out there that are less than 1/2 the cost of a Fitbit.

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Yep. I went with a Garmin VivoFit 3 (see earlier post), with a belt clip instead of the wristband.  Got the refurbed VivoFit and set of 3 belt clips for less than the cost of a new Zip - and the VivoFit is waterproof, which was really the only complaint I ever had with my Zip (up until the firmware debacle anyway).  Good luck!

[kevingaunt]

It seems like the end of my zip.It displays an amount of steps that don't match my dashboard at all.There is a 60% difference between them.The dashboard,I know is correct.I'll be giving it another test today with more steps,to see if the the steps on the zip will change.It seems I'll have to get a simple pedometer.I've already bought a little graph program to display my daily steps.I'll have to put the zip aside.I'ts showing a nearly discharged battery after a week,even with "LIVE DATA" disabled in settings.Not being able to believe what that little screen says on the zip is of coarse,the end of it.That update did destroy it.All the best.

[kevingaunt]

Out with the battery and back in again.She's running again.Still getting another simple pedometer.Going to order one today.Manually enter my stats.Put aside the zip for now.Problem solved.All the best.

[Love2goldens]

I am having this exact same problem too and it's driving me crazy. Have tried everything. Deleted the device from my account and I can't get it back. Same error message as yours. My last sync was on 11/4 just before the new update. When my zip was attached to the account, the device showed it was using version 5.90 but the software was showing 5.86. I have been just using as a pedometer and tracking my numbers manually.

I had been looking at other Fitbit products just before all this because the battery life was really bad but now I am looking at other brands. I really like the weekly Fitbit reports but I'm sure other brands probably have something similar.

[mav70]

My zip has been sitting showing a rectangle half colored in for about a week now since I applied the update via bluetooth from my mobile.  I can not connect to it & the screen wont change.  I have tried pulling the battery, but it shows the same result when I put the battery back in or even with a new battery.  I even tried leaving the battery out for a while to see if it makes a difference, but no luck.  Is there any way to manually reset the zip back to factory?

[Crash76]

Sorry to hear that.  I have not found a way to put it back to factory settings.

[bk318]

The best solution I have been able to come up with so far is to give up on Fitbit as a company since they haven't been overly responsive to me.


They offered me a 25% discount which made a new tracker about $12 more than their own Black Friday sale.

[siouxbee19]

I'm in the same situation as you!  I've done the update, contacted Fitbit support via phone, chat, etc... done all the fixes I know to do, and it fixed it at first.  But now all of the sudden it won't sync again.  This is getting quite frustrating, as I use this as part of a study, and I guess I won't be able to continue if my info won't show up for the study folks! 

[runsh33prun]

I ran through all of the troubleshooting steps. Took out the battery, replaced the battery, tried on my iPad, tried on another iPhone, tried on my desktop, sign out of the app, restart the phone, and remove the Bluetooth device. Finally I decided to remove the Zip from the devices in my account and set it up again. I run through the steps and get the 4 digit code. Type it in and I get the error "The operation couldn't be completed. (com.fitbit.HTTP error 400)." Then the Zip gives me a new 4 digit code. I can repeat this as many times as I want, doesn't seem to have a limit or time out. To me, it looks like Fitbit isn't accepting/authenticating the Zip. The Zip does display the 5.90 firmware version and it completed successfully.

[mav70]

Fitbit chat was extremely helpful. Troubleshot with me for over an hour trying everything. When all failed they sent me a free replacement.

Sent from my iPad

[bk318]

yes. I went through emails back and forth and eventually was offered my choice of a new Zip or 50% off of a different tracker (Excluding the Ionic).

[jularnold62]

I too am having problems syncing with the new firmware update.  It has been over a week now since it would sync.  Is there anyway to rollback the update since so many people are having problems?  It sounds as if there is a problem in the software since it isn't an isolated incident.  

[Kuroshii]

I updated my Zip to 5.90 when prompted a week or so ago. Everything seemed fine, except it often took repeated tries to get it to sync via app (syncing via PC was just fine). Then just a few days ago I noticed that the time was off by a few minutes. Starting yesterday at 6:45p local, it stopped recording steps and the screen stayed blank when I tapped it except to flash "5.90" briefly. However it was still syncing and reporting to the app/PC as having a full battery.

This morning it was completely dead, including no longer syncing and not found by apps or PC.

I dug up an older Zip which had been replaced by fitbit for a broken battery door when still under warranty. I put a fresh battery in it and it came up fine. I linked it to my account, replacing the old one. It has software version 5.64 and wants to update. It will sync via my PC but *not* via any app, I suspect because it needs/wants the firmware upgrade first. Attempts to upgrade repeatedly fail no matter which method I use--it finds the Zip, connects, and begins the download...but then stops after less than one minute, reporting as a failure.

In the meantime I am using the flex which I also have on my account, but I really prefer the Zip for during the day. I don't like wearing things on my wrist.