Google also messed up Fitbit’s battery so it gives you $ 50

Google took Pixel 4A owners on a wild trip this year, those who still use this smartphone from 2020. The Pixel 4A Battery Performance Program Update Published in January 2025 reduced capacity by around 44%Whalve maximum charging speeds and disabled functions such as adaptive charging and charging time ETAS. Now Google is releasing a similar battery performance program for Fitbit Sense and Versa 3.

Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 Battery Performance Program

Google has posted a consumer alert For Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 owners, inform them that a limited number of these devices risk overheating batteries. Consequently, Google rolls out an immediate firmware update that will reduce the risk of battery overheating. However, the update will also reduce battery capacity as a side effect.

The update will improve the stability of the device’s battery performance and reduce the risk of battery overheating. As a result, the battery will last for shorter periods between the charges, and you may need to charge the device more often.

In the same way as the Pixel 4A update, this problem is said not to affect all sense and versa 3 devices. Google says that if the device is not affected, the battery will perform the same as before. However, if the Pixel 4A update is any indication, we suspect that many users can meet the battery’s performance even if they do not have a wrong battery. Google has one request form As you can use to find out if your device is affected.

Google says the update has started rolling out and will reach owners next month. When users receive the update alert, they must manually update the device firmware. If they do not do it within a few days, the device will sync any of their data and then reset the factory. Some information will be deleted, including alarms, targets, credit and debit cards, saved settings and notifications.

After the factory reset, you must configure your device again, where the new firmware will be installed.

It is not immediately clear if the manually installs the update retains your data, but even this alone is such a bad user experience.

In the same way as Pixel 4a, users with an affected Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 may be eligible for a $ 50 appe mement Submit a request To check your qualifying. If you qualify, you may require appeasement even if you do not regularly use your device. You do not need to return the device even if you claim Appreaement, and you can continue to use them after the firmware update is used.

However, unlike Pixel 4A, there are no provisions to replace the defective battery on the affected fitbits. Exercise trackers and smart watches are notoriously difficult to repair, even for simpler tasks as a battery change, so we are not completely surprised.

Details are scarce at this stage at what just the firmware update changes, how widespread the problem is, and whether many seemingly non-touched users are also affected, which we witnessed with Pixel 4A. These frequent updates of battery reduction leave a bad taste in their mouths when they appear several years later.

For context, Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 were announced in August 2020, and even Pixel 4A was announced that month. Yes, not so many who still want to use the same devices. But the few who use them happily will definitely be affected. If they have held on to the devices, there is probably a good reason why, and a $ 50 appe cement cannot solve these problems.

It is unlikely that we will get more details from Google beyond the sentences sent, so we do not expect to get an official response to what happened. For affected users, we recommend taking $ 50 appeasement if you are eligible and upgrading to a New fitness tracker or Smartwatch.