Getting Updates for Collar and App

NOTE:

We are updating our app. In the article, we show you the information for the current app, and the new app (some people have early access). All the info in this article should generally apply, regardless of which version of the app you have.

Kinds of Updates

You will periodically have updates available for both your SkyShepherd collar and for the SkyShepherd app on your mobile device. Depending on the type of update and the type of mobile device you're using, the update process varies. 

Firmware Updates

Firmware has to do with your SkyShepherd collar, not the mobile app. When there is new firmware for your collar, you'll get a notification on your mobile device. It will look something like this:

Go ahead and tap on that notification. You'll be taken to the app, where you'll see a prompt telling you that new firmware is available. Press OK:

From here, pull up on the Pet Panel and tap on the middle button  to get to the Device Control view. 

Then select the firmware update button on that page. You'll need a Bluetooth connection to the collar for this to work. 

IMPORTANT: Make sure not to move your mobile device away from the collar during the firmware update process. Doing so may break the Bluetooth connection and cause the firmware update to fail and you will have to do a special recovery procedure to try the firmware update again.

After your collar's firmware update has been successful, your collar will reset itself. It may be several minutes before the "System" firmware displayed below the update button shows your new firmware version.

The current App (video):

Watch below to see what a firmware update looks like in the current app:

The new app (video):

Below is a video that follows the firmware update process in the up-coming version of the SkyShepherd app (scroll down and press play):

NOTE: Keep your phone next to your collar until firmware update is complete. The update happens over Bluetooth, so taking your phone away may cause the firmware update to fail.

NOTE: Your collar may take a longer amount of time to find its location after a firmware update (perhaps 2 to 5 minutes in a good, outdoor situation; longer if the collar is only indoors near a window).

App Updates

Whether you have an iPhone or an Android device, you'll get updates to the SkyShepherd app as we continue development and support the app. We recommend you choose to have your mobile device set for automatic app updates for SkyShepherd. But if you don't want to do that, make sure you either set up App Store or Google Play notifications for app updates. That way you will know when a new version of the app is available to install. If you don't want automatic updates for SkyShepherd, and your mobile device's settings don't allow for notifications of this type, make sure you periodically check for updates to the SkyShepherd app to ensure you have the latest version.

SSNext Beta App

If you are using the SSNext app, our beta app with upcoming features, in Google Play, you'll get your updates by checking periodically there, or if set up, updates will automatically download. For iOS, you'll get notifications from the TestFlight app about SSNext app updates. You can also configure TestFlight to automatically install updates.