Band not showing the WP specific firmware features? (keyboard) - Known Bug

[coolbreeze78]

All,

Well I posted here and on the front page several times about my Band being locked into an "Android firmware" version and everyone told me I was wrong, crazy, etc. I initially used the Band with an Android phone (and iOS at some point) and recently switched back to my 1520 only. After completing the initial keyboard firmware update using my Android phone, I decided to use my Lumia. Then, I applied the second firmware update using my Lumia. No keyboard has ever been seen.

Just hung up with Microsoft support and they have confirmed this is a known issue. The phone OS you use to update your Band turns it into a band that follows that OS version, i.e. you have one of three types of bands now (iOS, Android, WP). There is not a way to "force write" the WP firmware on the band. It's locked to the device that did the initial major keyboard update.

I suggested they allow the desktop Band sync software to have a master reset procedure where you tell the software what device platform you want to master reset for and it will download/write the specific firmware. Just my idea, no clue how they will remedy.

So, I am not crazy. A simple reformat/factory reset and re-pair with a Windows Phone does not work, sorry. The firmware is locked to what OS you used to update. That's unfortunate and requires that you ask any re-seller if it's a "Windows Phone Band, iOS Band or Android Band."

The good news is Microsoft's engineers are working on a fix.

Just letting everyone know in case you run into this. It's frustrating for sure.

 

[realwarder]

And a factory reset of the Band won't reset that?

Reset your Microsoft Band | Microsoft Band factory reset

 

[coolbreeze78]

And a factory reset of the Band won't reset that?

Reset your Microsoft Band | Microsoft Band factory reset

I've factory reset my Band over 20 times. Uninstalled/unpaired/reinstalled the app. Re set up. Nothing.

​So, no.

 

[papaduxx]

All,

Well I posted here and on the front page several times about my Band being locked into an "Android firmware" version and everyone told me I was wrong, crazy, etc. I initially used the Band with an Android phone (and iOS at some point) and recently switched back to my 1520 only. After completing the initial keyboard firmware update using my Android phone, I decided to use my Lumia. Then, I applied the second firmware update using my Lumia. No keyboard has ever been seen.

Just hung up with Microsoft support and they have confirmed this is a known issue. The phone OS you use to update your Band turns it into a band that follows that OS version, i.e. you have one of three types of bands now (iOS, Android, WP). There is not a way to "force write" the WP firmware on the band. It's locked to the device that did the initial major keyboard update.

I suggested they allow the desktop Band sync software to have a master reset procedure where you tell the software what device platform you want to master reset for and it will download/write the specific firmware. Just my idea, no clue how they will remedy.

So, I am not crazy. A simple reformat/factory reset and re-pair with a Windows Phone does not work, sorry. The firmware is locked to what OS you used to update. That's unfortunate and requires that you ask any re-seller if it's a "Windows Phone Band, iOS Band or Android Band."

The good news is Microsoft's engineers are working on a fix.

Just letting everyone know in case you run into this. It's frustrating for sure.

Did they offer you or did you ask for them to send you a replacement band? maybe if you got a new one and synced it first with the windows phone it should be fine.

 

[DroidUser42]

And a factory reset of the Band won't reset that?

That's bizarre. I can understand storing what kind of phone it's pared with, but in the firmware update???

 

[bksalt]

If they give you a refurbished band, as they have been doing for replacement bands , will it still only work on the type phone it was up graded with?

 

[realwarder]

I've factory reset my Band over 20 times. Uninstalled/unpaired/reinstalled the app. Re set up. Nothing.

​So, no.

That is nuts. Never heard of a factory reset that wasn't a factory reset. Some options are not being cleared in the firmware EEPROM which to call it a factory reset should be.

Glad they are aware of the issue. Hopefully a firmware update will fix the factory reset properly. Sounds like a small change.

 

[Tim Stone]

Just thinking out loud here. A firmware update changes the band, and I don't know if a "factory reset" would do any more than remove the personal settings. I doubt there is enough memory to save a full rollback to the earliest release firmware.

When you did the update, it would have sent across features from the updating software ( Android or iOS specific ). If they ever voice enable with an iPhone, the firmware would be quite different.

Once the firmware is on the newest version, the phone won't see any need to update. Perhaps the Sync software might work at some point to re-flash a band ... but again, it would have to sense different Firmware settings for the OS used with it.

The big issue is you must clear everything on the band that is not appropriate, and save all new stuff. There is just not a lot of space to work with when doing that.

 

[Teeceman]

Am I right in that it is not so much locked as the band can still be used, but features are lost if you want to revert back to a Windows phone?

 

[Scienceguy Labs]

All,

Well I posted here and on the front page several times about my Band being locked into an "Android firmware" version and everyone told me I was wrong, crazy, etc. I initially used the Band with an Android phone (and iOS at some point) and recently switched back to my 1520 only. After completing the initial keyboard firmware update using my Android phone, I decided to use my Lumia. Then, I applied the second firmware update using my Lumia. No keyboard has ever been seen.

Just hung up with Microsoft support and they have confirmed this is a known issue. The phone OS you use to update your Band turns it into a band that follows that OS version, i.e. you have one of three types of bands now (iOS, Android, WP). There is not a way to "force write" the WP firmware on the band. It's locked to the device that did the initial major keyboard update.

I suggested they allow the desktop Band sync software to have a master reset procedure where you tell the software what device platform you want to master reset for and it will download/write the specific firmware. Just my idea, no clue how they will remedy.

So, I am not crazy. A simple reformat/factory reset and re-pair with a Windows Phone does not work, sorry. The firmware is locked to what OS you used to update. That's unfortunate and requires that you ask any re-seller if it's a "Windows Phone Band, iOS Band or Android Band."

The good news is Microsoft's engineers are working on a fix.

Just letting everyone know in case you run into this. It's frustrating for sure.

Thanks for confirming this. I am in the exact same boat as you.

 

[bksalt]

I started with Android Phone for 3months with up-dates just recently a month ago I switched to a Lumina635 WP. I just factory reset my band unpaired it from my android phone re-setup my band paired it to my WP all with out a hitch just went so smooth. I do have all the fetchers and they work perfectly. Is this problem your having just spotty?

 

[papaduxx]

I started with Android Phone for 3months with up-dates just recently a month ago I switched to a Lumina635 WP. I just factory reset my band unpaired it from my android phone re-setup my band paired it to my WP all with out a hitch just went so smooth. I do have all the fetchers and they work perfectly. Is this problem your having just spotty?

It more that when you repair it with your windows phone from another platform you are missing the keyboard and voice answer options for replying.

 

[bksalt]

well mine has the keyboard and voice answer obtions I'm missing your point

 

[papaduxx]

well mine has the keyboard and voice answer obtions I'm missing your point

Glad yours is working fine through the process...My replacement comes tomorrow so hopefully it will work fine if paired to my Windows phone first. I tried doing a reset again tonight unregistering (the whole process) from my iPhone and redoing the whole setup with my windows phone.... everything looks normal except the reply with keyboard and voice is still missing... quick reply is the only option it gives me.

 

[papaduxx]

well.... received my replacement today, shut off my iPhone.. shut off the band paired to my iPhone then paired the brand new band to my windows phone and got the same result... I think it has something to do with the Microsoft account it is registered to..

I wonder when they will have a fix for it

UPDATE: I bought a Nokia 635 and signed in with a different Microsoft account, had to download the developer preview updates and my original bad had all of the features it needed to (cortana, quick reply, and the keyboard). So it seems like it links the phone os type with your Microsoft account somehow. Also i tried this with the original and the replacement band to be sure.

 

[jvanlew]

Just thought I'd chime in to say "Me too" to OP. I've moved back and forth from WP to iOS to Android since purchasing my Band so I shrugged it off to being in a "not-normal" situation but it's good to know that I'm not the only one. Haha.

Cortana will show up but the only reply option I have is the canned responses that you can change via the MS Health app

 

[papaduxx]

Has anyone tried creating an alias (from the original Microsoft account email), restoring the phone and signing in with the alias? I just tried it with another one of my accounts and even though I signed in with my alias email it still linked my phone backup and all my OneDrive/OneNote stuff. Maybe this could work?

I would try with my main account that my band is synced with but I am waiting 30 days for my email (alias) account to be available again. I had to close it in order to add it to my existing account as an alias.

 

[night26]

So not sure if this helps anyone, BUT. I had my band paired to an LG 3G (android) switched my band over to a Lumia 830 and was having the same problem with missing keyboard. Yesterday I received my Lumia 1520.3. Up graded to Denim, rest my band and connected to the new 1520, and now have the keyboard option for reply's. So..... Uh go figure

 

[DroidUser42]

I wonder if the keyboard is limited to certain Windows phones? Or perhaps some versions don't advertise "I'm Windows"?

 

[papaduxx]

I just restored my phone through the Lumia recovery program on my computer, signed in with my normal microsoft account and repaired my band to my Nokia icon. To my surprize it works! Keyboard is back as well as voice dictation 😊