Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 Battery Performance Program

The Google Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 are Smart Watches / Fitness Trackers designed, developed and marketed by Fitbit, now owned by Google. Both devices have reached their end of support.  Google announced its Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 Battery Performance Program to users:

Google has determined that certain Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 devices require a mandatory firmware update to prevent the battery from overheating and possibly burning the user.  An automatic update to the firmware will roll out to all affected Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 devices starting January 8, 2025. For some devices ("Impacted Devices"), the software update reduces available battery capacity and impacts charging performance. [...] users of these Impacted Devices are eligible for an appeasement from Google."

Email Notification from Google:

<[email protected]>

Subject: Update your Fitbit device firmware immediately

An important Fitbit firmware update is available for your device. This update addresses a potential battery overheating issue which may pose a risk to you. Please take action to install it as soon as possible. Learn more.

What to expect You can install the update today by first syncing your device to the Fitbit app on your phone. In the app, you'll see a message guiding you to update your device. A notification on your Fitbit device will also guide you to take action in the Fitbit app.

If you haven't updated your device by February 13, 2025, Fitbit will reset your device to its factory settings. A factory reset deletes any stored data, which includes all data that hasn't synced to your Fitbit account and your alarms, goals, and notifications. After a factory reset, you must set up your device again, during which the update will be installed automatically.

What does this update do? This firmware update includes new battery management features to reduce the risk of your battery overheating. After the update, you may notice that the battery lasts for a shorter period between charges.

Why am I getting this update? We identified that certain Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 devices are affected by a potential battery overheating issue, including a device associated with this email address. If you’re not sure whether your device is affected, you can check here.

What if I'm no longer using this device? If you still have the device, we recommend syncing it to the Fitbit app so that it can receive this important firmware update. After the update is complete, no further action is needed.

If you gave your device to someone else, you can forward this message to them for their information. If you disposed of your device, no further action is needed.

Thank you,

The Fitbit Team

Google's FAQ

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Compensation

Request form if users are unsure if their device is affected. Note: If yes, you will get an email stating you are eligible for the $50 appeasement payment.

Google has not asked users for any proof of purchase

The only way to determine if a user's Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 is an "Impacted Device they must fill out this form and will be notified via email."

Compensation:

• $50 USD (or local equivalent)

Payment-processing issues

The $50 USD compensation option requires users to process payment through Payoneer

• Unlike the Pixel 4a battery program, no Google Store credit option is being offered:

Aftermath of software update

According to Google, Users with "Impacted Devices" can expect to encounter decreased battery capacity.

Google has also received a 12.5 million dollar penalty for failure to immediately report serious burn hazards with their Ionic Smartwatches

Aging lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries face degradation as they age:

• Loss of active lithium ions through repeated charge cycles
• Growth of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) layer
• Physical expansion & contraction stress during charging cycles
• Potential for dendrite formation in aged cells
• Increased internal resistance over time

• The company states that a limited-number of units are affected. This would suggest a manufacturing batch issue

Potential manufacturing variables

Several factors could explain why only certain devices are affected:

• Different battery suppliers or manufacturing batches
• Variations in battery cell chemistry or construction
• Manufacturing date ranges coinciding with specific material supplies
• Quality control variations between production runs

These technical considerations suggest the update may be a preventative measure against potential battery safety issues, rather than planned obsolescence. However, Google's limited transparency about the specific technical justification has left users unable to verify this interpretation.

Criticism by community

The following concerns have been raised regarding the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 Battery Performance Program:

1. This update is an automatic update users can not opt out of.
2. Google's use of Payoneer makes it impossible for people to receive the $50 that Google offered as an option. The most someone can receive is $47 if they share personal financial information with an unknown-to-them company including their social security number, and promptly cancel the Payoneer service to avoid additional fees.