Can no longer send email to myself using my iPad Pro after workout

[Lenwade]

I have been sending myself emails DAILY to keep a record of my workouts showing the graph along with my comments since the end of April.  As of Wednesday 10/9/19, I can no longer send myself that email on my Apple iPad Pro with iOS 13.1.2 (latest OS). The screen now shows half of a keyboard in portrait mode, cannot put it into landscape mode, cannot even cancel the email - have to swipe up to get rid of the app. 

Have several iPads on 13.1.1 and all the same - iPad screen shows half a keyboard and no way to show the other half. No way to enter even my email address let alone any comments. No way to even cancel the email.

Again, this behavior started just yesterday. I performed all the steps for Notifications but this does not solve my problem. 

UPDATE: Just for an experiment, I sent my usual email by my iPhone Xr and no problem! It seems that the layout for an iPhone is being used by my iPad with disastrous results. WOW. Just spoke to FitBit support, deleted and re-installed the app and also shut down /restarted the iPad. No effect. Then I was informed that this is a known issue and I should look for future updates. What makes no sense is that this issue started yesterday by itself after previously working OK with the new iOS.

[SunsetRunner]

Hello @Lenwade 

Welcome. It is correct that it is a known problem currently with notifications. Why it has been working then suddenly stopped is mysterious but I don’t have an answer for that. I can provide you with a link that takes you to the thread where others are experiencing similar issues with notifications. Here you can see tips, possible workarounds and keep updated with others sharing the same notification issue. The link is here: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/iOS-App/Stopped-seeing-notifications-after-updating-to-iOS-13/m-p/38...

I wish I could have been more help.

[Lenwade]

MegaBite

Thanks for the reply!

I tried all the workarounds to no effect. Again, why this suddenly happened is very strange. 

If I am allowed, just a comment. I do not think that the FitBit engineers/programmers actually use the devices. There seems to be a disconnect between the app and the end user. The Charge 3 itself is great - love the 7 day charge length (actually longer!) and since all I need is the time and heart rate, you have a nice face for that. But the syncing to my iPad is a real struggle. Every morning I am afraid of "What Next?" when I turn on my iPad. If there is an update to the app, it does not appear to be anything logical.

For instance: When I email myself the daily workout, the graph, while thanks (!) for it and the max heart rate arrow, has minimum graduations on the X and Y axis. It would be a great help to have more than start/finish on the X axis and more than 2 heart rate lines on the Y axis. Again, I do not not think your engineers/programmers use these devices.

PS  Why do I use my iPad? I have a home gym and zoom my heart rate to the iPad so I can see it across the room.

Regards

[SunsetRunner]

Hello again @Lenwade 

Im so very sorry for the slow response. Is it possible that having your Fitbit being paired in two devices at the same time could possibly be the issue. Maybe causing a conflict in some way....syncing issues

[Lenwade]

Thanks again!

This AM was a "What Next?" moment again. Luckily I know the exact method with no deviations, to re-sync from scratch. Just wastes time when I could be working out. 

I do NOT have more than one device in an active sync (defined as my heart beat, um.., beats on the screen). I am well aware that two devices active at the same time will cause problems. Unfortunately, I now need my iPhone to send my daily email but I purposely do not show active heart beats on the iPhone. I will see what happens overnight and whether my iPad needs re-syncing tomorrow AM. Testing sync the same day is not indicative of what will happen in the AM.

Here is a question that may be related to the problem: With the new dashboard/firmware, the app constantly auto-syncs and then states 'Failed' even though all current information is on the screen and the heart is beating. What is the auto-sync looking for? What is failing? (Hint - I do not publish my workouts to 'strangers'). When my workout is over, I perform a simple manual sync (single finger swipe down) to reflect the new finished workout and then email the results, along with comments, to myself.

I appreciate your concern and hopefully new firmware will solve some issues. As I have stated, all I want or need is to show my heart rate on the iPad and then be able to email myself without jumping through hoops.

Regards

[SunsetRunner]

Hello again @Lenwade 

I have read your post over and over again trying to see the problem then it hit me. Your iPad Pro is LOCKED in portrait mode making it difficult to navigate your iPad to send yourself emails. (Boy I hope I’m right about this) if that is indeed the case here is how you fix that. First make sure all your apps are closed by swiping up from the bottom of your iPad screen with your finger and then take your finger and swipe up all the apps/programs until they are all gone and now your just seeing your main page of your iPad. Now take your finger and swipe “down” on the upper right corner of your screen. When you do this you will see a lock that is red in color. Tap that lock and it will turn white. Now your iPad is free to rotate both landscape mode and portrait mode.

😃 Does this resolve your issue? Please let me know

[Lenwade]

Nice try...(seriously)

With 6 active iPads, I am a big fan of the Control Center. Not locked! Only this particular iPad Pro is used in the gym. AND I have used my other iPads to see if it will help - nope.

Funny though, about once per month, the app shows in landscape mode all by itself when I open the iPad until I jiggle the iPad and back to Portrait and there it stays. No rotating the iPad will ever change that. The FitBit app is ALWAYS in portrait mode! Unfortunately, I am used to my zoomed-up heart rate showing sideways.

When I swipe up (or sideways that is) to close the FitBit app to open something else, the iPad reverts to normal landscape mode (for me) to accommodate my iPad stand/case.

BTW, I just looked at my gym iPad and had to do a re-sync from scratch. Real annoying. I wonder if this is because I now have to use my iPhone to email myself. 

Oh well, maybe one day the FitBit app will be user friendly. Right now, the app is set up for an iPhone normal Portrait mode and the programmers will not change this for an iPad.

Regards

[SunsetRunner]

@Lenwade 

Im really sorry I wasn’t able to help you in anyway. I can only suggest you contact Fitbit Customer Service here: https://help.fitbit.com/?l=en_US&cu=1&fs=ContactUs&co=GB

Good luck to you

[Lenwade]

I spoke directly to FitBit Customer Service to discuss the problem and they are relaying the issue on to the programmers.  FitBit app appears in Portrait mode on an iPad and cannot be ever changed to Landscape. (and yes, screen lock is 'off')

To sum up this thread and the phone call to FitBit: The app is designed for an iPhone, not an iPad. I suggest that there be a separate app just for iPads (some developers do this), have an iPad preference to choose on the app, or just have the app automatically realize that the device is an iPad.

[SunsetRunner]

That’s great news @Lenwade 

I hope this works out for you. I use an iPad as well but I actually prefer the portrait mode myself but I understand that everyone has different preferences 😉

[Lenwade]

Always a pleasure to hear from you MegaBite!

I still cannot compose emails on the FitBit app on the iPad (screen freezes) and have to keep on using my iPhone to send the daily workout email. And when I do this, the iPad then has to re-connect via Bluetooth the hard way by forgetting the Charge 3 etc etc. Pain. So this is more than viewing preference at this point. I have even logged out of FitBit and turned Bluetooth 'off' on all my iPads to no avail. Unfortunately, I must keep my iPhone Bluetooth 'on'. My next experiment is to log out of my iPhone FitBit app after I send the email to see if this prevents the loss of Bluetooth connectivity on the iPad. Double pain. 

FitBit Customer Service is relaying this issue also. I am hoping for the best and patiently waiting for the next firmware update.

Regards

[Lenwade]

My latest experiment failed.

As I cannot even compose a FitBit email to myself on my iPad Pro, I have been composing and sending those emails on my iPhone Xr. Unfortunately, even logging out on the iPhone after I send a FitBit email, the iPad Pro again requires Bluetooth pairing the hard way - forget Charge 3 etc etc.

The FitBit app is probably the most annoying and least user friendly app I have.