SPO2 sensor on Ionic

[JAH67]

Part of the sales pitch for the Ionic watch was that it has multiple additional features that would come online after launch, including the ability to check blood oxygen levels. I've yet to find anything to do with it anywhere. Has anyone got any information when this stuff is going live or was it just marketing? 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity and word choice.

[bbarrera]

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@WavyDaveywrote:

Launch the Ionic with no mention of the sensor? How do you keep that hidden while dancing with the FDA? Just one day you announce there was hardware in there all along? Investors would appreciate that? 

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@WavyDavey It comes down to how Fitbit wants to manage expectations in the consumer market: deal with backlash, or deliver a surprise.

There was nothing preventing Fitbit from launching the Ionic on its own merits, as a smartwatch, the first Fitbit to support apps, music, and mobile payments, while delivering 10 hour GPS tracking and 5 day battery life. All the Fitbit 24x7 activity and health tracking you know and love, in a smartwatch. That would be the "under-promise and over-deliver" approach to launching features supported by SpO2, if and when they receive FDA approval.

I'm not a fan of the over-promise and under-deliver approach. And on these forums Fitbit is famous for no comment about future software enhancements, so yes, I believe withholding info at launch about SpO2 (a feature without any idea of a delivery date) would have been a better way to do business.

Last year could have been simply Ionic the smartwatch, and then over time build momentum with app store opening, Adidas, new smartwatch, new healthcare app partners, and eventually the apnea/afib/hypertension features when they receive FDA approval.

[SunsetRunner]

Was never going to happen. Shareholders want to know futures otherwise they don't invest. Maybe the mistake was to put on an SPO2 sensor in the watch in the first place (should have waited until Ionic 2 is out).

Then again vast majority of customer don't care. They either like the watch or they don't. Not many people are raving on internet forums about it when you compare it to sales.

[datalore]

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I'm not a fan of the over-promise and under-deliver approach. And on these forums Fitbit is famous for no comment about future software enhancements, so yes, I believe withholding info at launch about SpO2 (a feature without any idea of a delivery date) would have been a better way to do business.

Last year could have been simply Ionic the smartwatch, and then over time build momentum with app store opening, Adidas, new smartwatch, new healthcare app partners, and eventually the apnea/afib/hypertension features when they receive FDA approval.

They knew they were going for FDA approval, so just say nothing until the feature is live. I understand the push pull of investors and the quarter cycle of investment, and maybe saying nothing was worse from their vantage point, but saying nothing would have been better in my opinion. 

[bbarrera]

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@SunsetRunnerwrote:

Was never going to happen. Shareholders want to know futures otherwise they don't invest.

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Futures for investors start with stopping year over year declines in revenue and unit sales, responding to market shift from trackers to smartwatches, monitizing the healthcare partnerships, and seeing proof points that Fitbit will shift revenue from product sales to annual subscription revenue over next 2 years.

Looking at the big picture, adding SpO2 to an already crowded Ionic product press release wasn’t necessary. My 2 cents. 

[russoan78]

Any news about the aviability to market of this sensor and other features ?

[SunsetRunner]

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@russoan78wrote:

Any news about the aviability to market of this sensor and other features ?

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Please read threads before you post in future. The conversation has looped several times now.

[Kkjb]

They could always go for the middle ground: ambitious press release mentioning the sp02 at the start then keep customers informed along the way as they develop the software. Make customers who have bought in early feel part of the development process much like Google does with their beta releases. Fitbit could release the raw Sp02 data within this release and we could report back on how we get on with it. Meanwhile keep everyone informed about the status of their FDA application etc and you strengthen the relationship with customers instead of weaken it. They really need to step up their PR game. I still hope that their technical teams can pull this out of the bag.

[SunsetRunner]

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@Middywrote:

@SunsetRunner Please get a life. Most people on this topic dont care what you think. 

Now go to your mummy and tell her you’ve been a naughty boy.

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@well I went running to mods instead. You have only done two posts, both on this thread. All your posts are backing up @Kkjb, are targetted towards me, have similar writing style, intellect and mannerisms. You both regularly miss out apostrophes and write "..." . You're both obsessed about PR and keep telling people to leave forums and the only people who do person attacks. Both of you are from the UK as well. I would hazard a guess that you are likely to be one and the same person.

If mods are reading this would it be possible to compare their IP addresses please. I doubt this guy is clever enough to mask his IP. Also please check editing datestamps they may attempt to cover up their writing style now. Thanks.

[Kkjb]

Scary and funny at the same time!!!

[bbarrera]

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@russoan78wrote:

Any news about the aviability to market of this sensor and other features ?

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Fitbit is going thru FDA pre-cert approvals for features like alerting about possible sleep apnea, that will require use of the relative SpO2 sensor. Some details here:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/SPO2-sensor/m-p/2586718/highlight/true#M40156

My medical customers have to produce volumes of documentation to receive FDA pre-market approval, and that adds to the time and effort to bring new medical hardware to market. As digital healthcare starts to make inroads, the FDA recognizes the traditional approach is too cumbersome for software based healthcare. So the FDA is trying to streamline the process with the new "Software Precertification Pilot Program" and Fitbit is part of that pilot program.

Hoping that results in quicker approval for Fitbit. Until then we won't know when Fitbit will enable relative SpO2 to support alerting of possible sleep apnea.

[MattFitbit · Accepted solution]

I want to take this opportunity to truly thank many of the users who provided productive feedback in regard to the implementation of the SPO2 sensor. 

As many of you know, this sensor could give consumers the opportunity to identify potential health issues like sleep apnea. Fitbit is still exploring how this could manifest in the consumer experience and, such technology would use this sensor. 

As this conversation has gotten off topic and is no longer a civil discussion about the implementation of this feature, I will be closing this thread to new comments for the time being. 

I appreciate your understanding in this matter. As new information becomes available I will be sure to update you all, here and potentially reopen this topic for civil discussion.

[jonfb]

With the Fitbit OS 2 in the works, will the SpO2 sensor finally make an appearance? I'm holding on buying the Ionic until this feature is available. Does anyone know of a timeline for this feature?

[SteveH]

I don't think fitbit have given any hints for a timeline for this.

There's a note in yesterday's press release for the versa that doesn't give much hope for quick availability:

"A relative SpO2 sensor opens the potential to track important health indicators in the future, such as sleep apnea."

[jonfb]

Why the big delay. Is the technology not good enough yet, are the readings to inaccurate. Doesn't look like the have released the function to developers either. 

[SunsetRunner]

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@jonfbwrote:

Why the big delay. Is the technology not good enough yet, are the readings to inaccurate. Doesn't look like the have released the function to developers either. 

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I imagine the delays are due to seeking FDA and various health bodies regulatory approval. But it could be that they haven’t got it fully working to their satisfaction.

[tgspinner]

Morning all. As Apple has showcased its new iWatch with Advanced exercise sensors and capabilities, I was wondering when is the Ionic’s sensor suite available and supported as it has always been a fashion fitness watch. It’s been over a year and I bought it for its Tech. Don’t want have to go to Apple. 

[bbarrera]

Nobody knows when Fitbit will enable SpO2. However Fitbit continues to put the sensor into new devices like the recent Charge 3, so there is hope. Personally I'm not waiting for SpO2 in any device, but everyone has to make their own judgement call on the value of a particular feature. It doesn't make Fitbit look good, to release a high-end device like Ionic and then a year later SpO2 is still not enabled and key usability issues not addressed in fitbitOS.

After the Force I bought the original Watch, still have it on my wrist. I keep trying the latest from Fitbit, hoping for something well beyond step and calorie tracking. I'm a pretty simple guy when it comes to working out, cycle and lift free weights. Just put in an order for the new series 4. Hope someday Fitbit makes it easier to sync data from my Aria scale to HealthKit, and that my 50 shares of Fitbit stock go up.

[Jbhagdev]

Its almost a year since the launch of Fitbit Ionic. It was marketed as a device with relative SPO2 sensor for monitoring blood oxygen level. When will Ionic Receive Firmware Upgrade for SPO2 Sensor?

[MattJ71]

I think they already activated the SPO2 sensor.  The sensor flashes GREEN and RED during the night and just GREEN during the day.  I think Fitbit is actually collecting SPO2 data for quite some time, now they are figuring out how to translate it to something useable.

The aggregate data will then be used to create some kind of "score".

[Jbhagdev]

If its collecting data that it should have app update to provide the info.. I am suffering from some illness and have clubbing on my nails. so spo2 machines doesn't function on my finger tip.. If app provide info similar to 24*7 heart rate, it can be of an help to people suffering from asthma or Interstitial Lung Diseases..