Fitbit just made its first big mistake of 2024: are its devices still worth buying?
Reports are emerging that Fitbit Charge 5 devices have recently become “unusable”, reportedly due to Fitbit’s most recent firmware update, with one of the most common complaints being shorter battery life. Not all Charge 5s are affected, but there has been outrage from hundreds of users being left with a blind device, although Fitbit has flatly denied this is due to the most recent firmware update.
It’s a shame, because the Fitbit Charge 5 was one of the for a long time best Fitbits you can buy before it was replaced in its range by the updated version Fitbit Charge 6, which is a great fitness tracker, but not that well rated. With many Charge 5s failing after the firmware update, some users are reporting that they are getting up to 35% off the price of a new Fitbit Charge 6.
Unfortunately, this first blunder of 2024 comes just after a very disappointing 2023. Disappointing releases (apart from the excellent Google Pixel Watch 2), controversies over the handling of sensitive health data, and the anger over the redesigned app and stripped community features have left Fitbit in a very different state than when Google acquired it. Existing Fitbit users have been, and continue to be, the hardest hit by this gradual decline. Most Charge 5 owners are older Fitbit users, as it is a much older device.
Of course, this isn’t to say that Fitbit is absolutely worth investing in if you’re thinking of buying one in 2024. The Google Pixel Watch 2 smartwatch and Fitbit Inspire 3 fitness tracker are both very well rated, with the latter being a good choice. for people looking for a cheap, reliable way to track health and fitness stats without spending a lot of money on one of the best smartwatches.
Although the Fitbit app has dropped some outdated features, it is still very useful for new users, even without paying for the extra Fitbit Premium content. Getting a Fitbit Inspire 3 remains a great way to help you get active and record your progress.
While Fitbit’s recent track record doesn’t inspire confidence, the standard Fitbit Inspire 3, the stylish Luxe, the excellent Versa 3 and its flagship Pixel Watch 2 remain fantastic devices, so there’s still plenty to like about Fitbit. We’d say these devices, along with the Charge 6, are still worth buying, and Fitbit Premium remains an excellent service. Fitbit’s persistent denial that there is a widespread problem with Charge 5 devices only adds fuel to the growing mistrust, driving existing users away and causing problems for themselves later.
Fitbit is no longer synonymous with fitness tracking in the same way it was when it debuted in 2009, especially now that it’s faced renewed competition not just from smartwatches, but also from the best smart rings and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Fit 3.
Google will have to fight hard to maintain its market share against such competitors, producing high-quality devices, high-quality content for its apps and generally ensuring that the output is of an excellent standard. Assembling hundreds of copies of one of its best devices isn’t the best start, and if the last few years are anything to go by, Google has started as it is meant to continue.