Fitbit users have been left frustrated after a new update has reportedly rendered some devices ‘unusable’, a claim denied by the company’s owner Google.
The new Fitbit Charge 5 update was released in December to add new features and fix bugs, but more than 100 users have reported issues with their devices.
One of the main complaints is how quickly the battery is draining, with one user telling the BBC: ‘Basically, it’s useless now, the battery’s dead’.
And he’s not alone, as many annoyed users have taken to social media to express their frustrations.
Paul Ellis posted on X: ‘This started happening to my Charge 5 this week, before the update to 194.91. Battery charge dropped 7% in an hour.’
Another X user, Dan, contacted Fitbit with their issue: ‘@FitbitSupport my Fitbit has not held charge since this update… Charge 5.’
Fitbit recommended giving the device a restart and trying the battery-extending tips, which include dimming the screen, turning off the always-on display setting and avoiding charging the device in extreme temperatures.
But in a statement given to the BBC, a Google spokesperson denied any issues were related to the update.
‘We’re still investigating this issue, but can confirm it is not due to the recent firmware update,’ they said.
‘Users should continue to update their devices to the latest firmware and contact Fitbit Customer service at help.fitbit.com if they encounter any issues.’
Fitbit forums are full of complaints, with users suffering the same issue.
‘Updated the firmware on my Charge 5 and immediately the battery, which had no issues previously, started draining within 24 hours,’ said one user.
‘Three days later it is now completely dead and won’t charge.’
User Hadimds said: ‘I had this issue multiple time. Charge 5 runs out of battery fast and then suddenly it’s dead and you can’t even manually restart it again.’
Fitbit has shaped the fitness tracker market after launching its first device in 2009. Just 10 years later, in 2019, Google bought the firm for $2.1bn (£1.66bn).
The Fitbit Charge 5 was reviewed by Metro.co.uk, which found the battery lasted five days, rather than the advertised seven.
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