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Fitbit admits to Charge 2 bugs, says software update fixes it

Fitbit admits to Charge 2 bugs, says software update fixes it

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The free software update is meant to correct distance tracking

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A few weeks after Fitbit's Charge 2 started shipping to customers, the wearable maker and digital health company has admitted that there were software bugs in the device that have resulted in inaccurate distance tracking, and says a fix has been issued.

In our full review of the new Fitbit Charge 2, The Verge noted that the device had recorded distances that were significantly different from the distances measured by GPS-equipped fitness watches, whether the Charge 2 was in "connected GPS" mode or was simply relying on the accelerometer for distance tracking.

Fitbit has identified two software bugs

Fitbit now says that it "recently uncovered two software bugs that affect specific uses of Charge 2: one related to using Connected GPS while in a few different modes like walk, hike or interval modes, and the other related to using multi-sport tracking for run and treadmill activities."

"These software errors caused the tracker to occasionally calculate stats like pace and distance with less precision than we expect from our products," a spokesperson for Fitbit said via email. "We corrected these issues through a free software upgrade available to all Charge 2 users."

Fitbit also underscored that the company "has performed and continues to perform internal studies to extensively test the accuracy of" its products, and that it believes that it's health and fitness trends over time that matter most to its users.

The Verge has updated its review to include this new information from Fitbit, but we have not yet had the chance to re-test the fitness tracker and verify the company's claims. We will continue to update the original review as needed.