Interesting. My previous post mentioning that the competitor already supports SpO2 and explaining how they implemented it has been removed as off-topic in the topic about SpO2 sensor. I guess Fitbit doesn't want people to know that Garmin already supports SpO2 monitoring (I expect this post to be removed as well). Now I'm not sure what I am allowed to say.
FDA approval is just smoke and mirrors. 7 months ago Alphabet got clearance for their ECG sensor and it didn't take them several years. Is it so much harder to get one for SpO2 if Fitbit really wants to make it a medical device (looking at other companies the FDA approval is not needed if it's not used as a medical device, so Fitbit would rather have to be willing to enter the medical equipment business and deliberately delay the feature)?
The sleep score has been released recently and it doesn't need SpO2 at all. It all took Fitbit so long that it's already unreachable for me as I have no working device anymore.
I don't expect the feature to be delivered anytime soon or at all within this generation of Fitbits. I believe Fitbit has other problems to solve right to stay afloat and stop burning cash. They cut down expenses on R&D which probably affects future work done on SpO2 sensor and other planned but never announced technologies. It's a shame as they could deliver the first wearable with SpO2 and that could give them a significant boost. True that competitor would join sooner or later providing a similar feature but an innovative solution would be beneficial if delivered 2017-2018. My point is, when other manufacturers start bringing the same feature onboard (like HR, it will become a standard thing at some point) then nobody will be waiting for Fitbits SpO2 and this is going to be another part of the cake that Fitbit will give to somebody else. From the business side, it is a very strange strategy.
