Finally! Wireless Sync (beta) on Android!
We’re excited to announce that wireless syncing with Android has arrived! Our free Fitbit App for Android now syncs your Fitbit One and Zip stats directly to the Samsung Galaxy SIII and Note II. With our app, you can sync your stats wirelessly (beta) and see how you are tracking against your daily goals, with friends, and against historic averages. You can download the app from Google Play today!
Android dashboard
We know how important it is for our customers to get real-time access to their stats. Those who’ve been able to take advantage of wireless background syncing already have been telling us how they’ve worked to get their extra steps in after receiving notifications that they’re close to their goal, or how they find motivation from the instant feedback right on their Dashboard. We are very excited to bring this feature to our Android users!
We began working on the wireless sync for Android and iOS at around the same time. It took us much longer to get this working on Android phones than it did with iOS, and we appreciate our Android users’ patience in the meantime. We know many of you may be curious about the development of this feature, and we’d like to share some insight into some of the challenges we’ve encountered and what they’ve taught us in the process.
- Currently, the Android OS does not provide apps with access to the Bluetooth 4.0 chips in newer phones. To work around this, some phones instead have custom software that provides access to Bluetooth 4.0. Since this software is different for each phone, our team has worked on developing a solution for each phone independently.
- Fitbit is among the first to try and use the Bluetooth 4.0 in Android phones, and part of being the first means we got to help find and document any problems with the software. We also spent quite a bit of time piecing together how the software works, since it previously hadn’t been well-documented. For many of the problems we encountered, we were able to create our own work-arounds. For others, we coordinated with phone manufacturers and carriers to get more permanent fixes in place.
- For phones we have yet to introduce syncing capabilities with, we’re working with phone manufacturers to see which phones will allow our app to work with their Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities. This process involves us individually checking each model of phone. There may be better support for third-party apps to access Bluetooth in the future, and once this is available we will be able to easily support all phones with this update.
We’ve been working hard to improve the wireless sync experience, but the feature is still in beta. Syncing your stats will typically take about 30 seconds. In some cases, especially where there are issues with network connection, it may take longer. We’re working hard to provide the best user experience possible, so improved syncing speed is just one thing you can look forward to seeing in future updates of our Android app.
Fitbit is dedicated to making connected devices that fit seamlessly into your everyday life, and we fully believe that incorporating Android phones in all of our future efforts is a huge part of that. We truly appreciate our Android users’ patience as we continue to work on supporting additional mobile devices. We’re closely collaborating with phone carriers and handset manufacturers to try to support more phones. There’s a number of phones we’re actively working on, but we don’t yet have an ETA on when we might be able to release updates to include them. For now, you can see a list of all of the supported devices here. If your device is not on that list, we encourage you to contact your phone carrier to ask that they work to build out further Bluetooth support. Your feedback could help us speed this process along!
Happy syncing and logging — wherever you go!
–The Fitbit team
Thank you for recognizing Android users! Works perfectly on my Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
I downloaded the update today for my Galaxy S3 and so far it is working great! I appreciate the support as well although I’m sure many other android users can’t wait to have their particular phones supported. I guess this is where the fragmentation of the android market becomes a problem as opposed to the iphone. Good luck with the engineering challenge, hopefully you will find something that works well.
I would like to say thank you too. I have been waiting for this. Works great on my note 2
THANK YOU!!! I understand its a challenge and appreciate all the work. I cannot use the bluetooth dongle at work (PC is on lockdown) and its hard for us Android users to guestimate throughout the day how we’re doing on the fitbit alone. Keep it up!!! YAY! Sooooo happy!!
Thanks so much. I am addicted to my Fitbit and can’t wait to try out the Android update.
Thanks so much!!! Got the app upgrade today and it seems to be working wonderfully!!!!
Works great with my samsung galaxy s3, thanks fitbit for doing it for android
Works GREAT on my Galaxy S3. Thanks for this!
I am so glad this app is now out. I can’t wait for Fitbit to do more because I know it’s coming! So happy that I decided to upgrade to the One from my Ultra (which I loved). Best purchase I’ve ever made!!! BRING ON THE FLEX!!!
Hello,
Congratulations for having launched apps for Android users!
I want to get rid oft my Nike Fuelband now, because they still have not been able for a long time to come up with something similar. Besides, the built quality is poor: oxidating screws and deteriorating plastic on the back.
Aonce again – my sincere congratulations to the Fitbit Team and looking forward Tod your ‘flex’ Band.
I’m so happy with the app. I had an activelink from weight watchers that I was happy to pay a subscription fee. However I find the new app with Bluetooth connectivity be a real deal maker. Thank you for the Android update!!!!
Thank you for the continuing efforts on the Android front. I am hoping for additional phones to be supported as you move forward.
Keep up the hard work, fingers crossed you can look at the Nexus 4 soon!
Sync works on my Samsung Galaxy S III. Thanks so much!
Works great on my Samsung S III. Thanks!
Support for this on Nexus 4 may take some time, there is a general issue with Android and it’s support for Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Profile, see issue ticket link below
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=33371
Wow! So glad to discover that for the past week or so, also syncs with my old LG G2X (still in Gingerbread OS). I thought is was a fluke, but it keeps syncing.
A totally unexpected and welcome surprise! Awesome, guys! Keep up the great work.
Love using my new fitbit. Will be super excited when my android phone is added to the list. I am away from home quite a bit and it is a pain to have to return to my desktop computer to sync. I have gaps in my data to say the least.
Waiting patiently, but in the meantime thanks for all you do to make the process seamless.
FYI, I’ve side-loaded this app via my android phone to my Kindle fire and it also syncs great with the Fire. Thanks, Fitbit!
Don’t remember the product specs but my FitBit One just survived an unintended bath through the washing machine!
My Fitbit One just synced to my HTC Sensation?! Have additional Android phones been added/not announced? This is the first time it has just randomly synced and appeared on the web dashboard.
Note: I am 25 miles from home right now, so I am not mistaking this as a sync to my computer.
Love to see the progress. I just want to add a reminder that Windows 8/RT does support Bluetooth 4.0 and us Windows fans would LOVE to get wireless syncing on our tablets (and phones once Windows Phone supports Bluetooth).
Thanks for your hard work. I’ve been so happy with my fitbit that my wife just got one and we’re both loving them!
I’m using a Note 11 and it works well. My partner is using an S3 mini. Will that be able to sync soon?
Google has reveled at Google IO 2013 that it will bring Bluetooth Low Energy support to the next version of Android. This means that all Android phones with the hardware ability will now be able to work with Fitbit wireless sync!
I just got the flex about a week ago. one thing I would LOVE to have on the android app is the ability to add journal entries! It’s a bit annoying to have to go to the website to do this.