News This Fitbit-breaking update feels like the last straw

[AC News]

Most Fitbit Charge 5s now last less than a day per charge, if they turn on at all. And Google's response thus far has been to tell people to buy newer Fitbits instead.

This Fitbit-breaking update feels like the last straw : Read more

 

[taynjack]

When a company tells me the only fix is to buy a new device, that's certainly when I change brands. I won't be replacing my Fitbit with a Pixel watch either. I'm wearing out my last Fitbit, then I'm heading to Garmin. Selling Fitbit to Google was the worst thing that could have happened to Fitbit. Unfortunate for me, I bought my last Fitbit a month before this sale to Google happened.

 

[Mooncatt]

I'm wearing out my last Fitbit, then I'm heading to Garmin.

I'd heavily research them before you make that jump. I have a Garmin Vivo Active 4 and less than impressed. The battery life while tracking everything stinks, and the pulse ox is consistently around 10 points low when compared to a medical grade machine from a hospital. The pulse ox issue especially seems to be a long standing problem with them not interested in fixing, judging by posts on the Garmin forum.

While this next issue may not apply to you if you want an activity monitoring watch, I decided I'm not as interested in all that as I initially thought and have tried disabling those features. I say try because it always seems to turn activity tracking back on by itself and without my input. I usually find out because I'll get a surprise notice on the watch that I've reach my daily step goal. There's no way to permanently disable activity tracking.

 

[Roby117]

The battery issues are not limited to Charge 5, I have had a Charge 4 for 2 years (without any battery issues). It is definitely a firmware issue.

I have experienced the exact same thing battery drain issues and so have hundreds if not thousands of Fitbit users since the last firmware update. My device degraded in a few days and now is unusable. Fitbit/Google is not taking any responsibility and is only offering a 35% discount on a new device purchase. Are these devices meant to be disposable? EXTORTION!

Search for this thread on Fitbit forum and like the original post....
https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-5/Fitbit-Charge-5-battery-problems-since-update/m-p/5563787