Google Rolls Out First Fitbit Air Firmware Update With Bug Fixes and Improvements

First Major Update Released for Google’s Screenless Tracker

Google has started rolling out the first firmware update for its newly launched Fitbit Air fitness tracker. This is the first major software refresh for the device since launch, and it comes at a crucial time. The patch is heavily tasked with stabilising the user experience and smoothing out early wrinkles, as early adopters have been heavily vocally complaining about a handful of frustrating performance issues.

The new firmware, version 20001.253.2 (up from 20001.245.19), is now rolling out. As with all Google hardware updates, the rollout is staggered so it may take a few days to show up on all devices.

Fixing activity and sleep tracking mistakes

Google’s official changelog is short and sweet, with a mere “bug fixes and general improvements” listed, but reports have suggested that this update is aimed at the most maligned aspect of the tracker: automatic workout detection. Since its launch, many users have complained that the device has had trouble categorising activities accurately on its own, sometimes tagging regular runs incorrectly or not logging them at all.

Beyond fitness tracking, early users also reported some quirks with data syncing and sleep monitoring, with some trackers occasionally dropping connections or miscalculating rest cycles. The new firmware is supposed to adjust the tracking algorithms to dramatically reduce these bugs and give much more reliable day-to-day data.

Integrated with the rebranded Google Health app

The software refresh follows hot on the heels of a major ecosystem overhaul. Google recently made significant updates to its newly renamed Google Health app, which many users knew as the classic Fitbit app. Google has been consistently tweaking the interface and refining features based on a wave of early user feedback.

This firmware update is meant to go along with the recent app improvements, as the Fitbit Air is highly dependent on its companion app for displaying data and managing settings. To check if the update is available for your tracker, simply open the Google Health app on your phone and look at your connected devices page.