Background notifications for Smartwatches apps

(Looks like I've had this improperly tagged under Ionic. Should be under SDK. Fixed.)

 

I'd like my Ionic apps to be able to send notifications to FitBit's standard notification queue. I'm suggesting a two-part solution:

 

(1) Allow apps to register a background process function that the FitBit device calls on a regular basis, even when the app is not running. The app would indicate its desired wake-up frequency, but FitBit might want to set a maximum wake-up frequency to limit resource usage.

 

(2) Allow apps to drop messages into the notification queue that FitBit displays above the clock face. This allows apps to provide notifications without having to write a phone app to push them, which would further clutter the phone's own notification queue.

 

The max wake-up frequency would determine the kinds of apps that users could write. Once-an-hour wake-up would allow apps to provide reports or reminders. Once-every-N-minutes wake-up would allow apps to monitor progress and make suggestions or provide encouragement. Once-every-minute (or faster) would allow apps to provide real time notifications.

Absent this feature, app developers are forced to write their own clock apps to provide app notification services, even when a novelty clock isn't the point of the app. Alternatively, app devs could write mobile phone apps that issue app notices to the FitBit watch, but this clutters up the phone's notification queue. At present, this latter approach also requires round-tripping between the phone app and an Internet server in order to communicate with the companion.

 

Also, it's ideal that the app be able to do this without the phone (companion) present, so that people can rely on the FitBit without having to always have the phone around.

 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

26 Comments
SunsetRunner
Not applicable

We still really need this (unless it's in the latest release)? It's now 2020. Did it get onto the development list?

 

Chris

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