I have an iPhone 7 Plus and was having problems installing firmware on the Plantronics Backbeat Fit. The firmware installation process would make it about 40% through, then the headset would disconnect and go through an “Update Interrupted” cycle, over and over again.
Here’s what happened.
Part 1. I installed the PLT Hub and Backbeat FIT apps by Plantronics from the App Store. After the Backbeat FIT connected it immediately explained that I needed to install a firmware update. I followed the instructions – plugged the headset into a charging adapter, which signaled the headset to begin the update process.
Part 2. After a few seconds, the Backbeat FIT app reads, “Downloading Update” with a percent counter steadily increasing. The Backbeat FIT headset itself lights up with magenta color (no red, not blue, but somewhere in between). The light blinks steadily until around 40% complete, when the headset goes dark. There’s a message on the app saying there are just a few moments left and to be patient.
Part 3. About 10 seconds pass and the light comes back on. The message disappears from the app. The counter starts moving up again. It stops about a second later with the message “Update Interrupted.” I assume it lost Bluetooth connectivity so I tried reconnecting, but it won’t reconnect. I don’t hear any response in the earpiece when I try to re-pair the device, but the app says I’ve reconnected. I wait a second or two and it says something about Restoring Update because it didn’t properly install the update last time. This Update Interrupted cycle repeats over and over until you realize you’re defining insanity and start trying different things.
Part 4. THE SOLUTION. On one of the Update Interrupted repetitions I noticed that the headset had an easier time connecting if I pressed the play/pause button. I assume the Backbeat Fit (or the iPhone 7 Plus) disconnects after a certain amount of time, probably to save battery life – unless there is some input that tells the headset (or the phone) to stay connected. So I repeated Part 2 and Part 3 above except when I got to about 35%, I pressed the play/pause button and tapped the iPhone screen to keep the phone from going to sleep. The headset still went dark at 40% – but while it was lights out, I pressed the play/pause button every 5 seconds or so. After the lights came back on, the counter kept going. Every 10% (so at 50%, 60%, etc.) I pressed the play/pause button, and also made sure to tap the screen to keep the phone from going to sleep. The “Update Interrupted” error never happened and the firmware update made it entirely to 100% and completed with no problems.
After it was all done, the magenta light goes out and red and blue alternating lights came on. I unplugged the headset and it works just great.
If this helped you, please feel free to share this article.