Looks Like Amazfit and I are Done

[acurrie]

My high regard for the cheap and cheerful Amazfit Bip remains, but my relationship with it was summarily ended by a recent update to the companion smartphone app. Said app now requires access to my phone's camera before it will even pair to the watch.

Does the Bip have a remote shutter function—that is, can you prop up your phone on some stable surface then use your Bip to capture a group selfie from several feet away? Nope. Do any of the other watches made by Amazfit support this feature natively? A cursory search of their product portfolio would also suggest no. Should you be at all concerned about an app that provides no camera functionality but has the ability to send photos and or video from your phone to an external server? I sure am.

There is another way I could continue using my Bip: Gadgetbridge on F-Droid will connect a Bip or other supported wearable to your phone without accessing the Internet at all. But this very secure solution also means that syncing your fitness data with any other app is going to be a chore.

So for the moment I'm back to Wear OS and the transflective displays of my Casio Pro-Treks, at least until something better comes along. Because, as I've written here before, the perfect Android smartwatch doesn't exist.

[GiantPenguin]

I think it wants camera access initially to scan a QR code on the watch in order to sync up. After that you can remove camera permissions. That's what I did anyway and it worked. Location is required for Bluetooth low energy.

[happygrrl1]

I just bought an Amazfit Bip U for my husband. He surprised me by expressing an interest in a fitness tracker/pedometer. I did enable the camera to set up and pair the watch with his phone.

I was attracted to this watch for him by its 9 day battery life and it’s low price. I have a Samsung Galaxy Active 2 but I charge it every day. I can get, just barely, 2 days out of it, but my habit is charge it everyday. I know my husband would not be happy with charging that often. I looked at a Garmin with a long battery life, but I want to see if he will really use this before spending that kind of money.

Any Amazfit tips? It doesn’t seem to have the quality build of my Samsung, but if it works it is amazing tech for a cheap price.