Check SpO2 at anytime on supported Fitbit devices

[mbarylski]

The new Sp02 clock face is nice, but can you also add the ability to check Sp02/pulse ox at anytime during the day rather than just during sleep?

Moderator edit: Updated label and subject for clarity

[FireGeth]

There seems no reason not to have this feature activated. 

The only reason I can think of, is if they are using other sensors to perform other jobs and this is why it takes so long to collect data.

For example, using the cpu's internal temperature, overtime one could see variations in skin temperature by comparing the CPU's temperature. Perhaps this is taken at night when the watch is less active, and therefore the results will be more controlled. This could explain why the watch doesn't give an actual reading, but rather a baseline and variations.

The Sp02 reading could be running off the heart sensor. Sp02 sensors work by sensing the amount of light absorbed by the blood. Again, there is no actual reading, just the baseline and the variation.

Hopefully I'm wrong, and there are dedicated sensors for sp02 & heart rate, but I'm willing to bet money that they are doubling up other sensors for different jobs. 

[Mint79]

Agree..i have honor band 6 which cost me small fractions from versa 2 and it has spo2 measurement all day..heck even huawei band 6 have an automatic spo2 measurement and you can set the threshold by urself..it means that the band will detect your spo2 level all day around automatically..

[oeagleo]

FireGeth, I believe you are correct in the assumption, as if I remember the SpO2 function requires a "green" light, rather than the red one.  The LED's must be capable of transmitting the Green light, in addition to the red.  The body temperature doesn't matter to me, as a 73 year old man, I sincerely doubt pregnancy is anywhere in my future, but the SpO2, is extremely important, due to my age, prior smoking habit, and altitude that I live at.  I think you may have hit it, they're color blind, and can't tell the difference between green and red lights? LOL

[pbug56]

Green for pulse, red plus infrared for O2.

[VinMin]

That would be interesting to see. I posted the same suggestion in Italian, one year ago. Still waiting...

[AnotherKiwi]

I bought the watch because I thought it had this feature. Definitely want it to be made available 🙂

[bellacrystals]

I agree that the on demand spo2 should be a feature. I am considering switching to the apple watch since it does have on demand readings. Only thing holding me back is having to buy a new phone too since I currently have an Android. Really hoping that Fitbit is working on this option and release it soon . 

[oeagleo]

After about 2 years, and 10 pages of posts, I think it's time that people realize that Fitbit is simply not going to give in to customer wishes, and implement the on demand SpO2 readings.  Nor are they going to allow them to see the data that every other fitness watch provides for free without charging $100 a year.  People, it's simply NOT gonna happen.  So, rather than complaining, why not just go to one that actually does what you want, Apple Watch if you have an iPhone, Garmin, TicWatch, Samsung Galaxy, and I'm sure there are others.

It's simply not going to happen with Fitbit...

[BWillmott]

I would very much like this feature as many other customers do.  I'm not sure what is taking so long to enable the feature?

[Rhonport]

I also chose the Fitbit Sense on the premise that SpO2 readings would be on call. I'm 70 year old who has always been very active and would like to ensure I'm not overdoing it.  By having these measures on hand I gain some comfort and sense of security while I exercise.

[pbug56]

And so far at least, for Sense and any other Fitbits with the hardware,
Fitbit will not even tell you why they won't let you see SPO2 other than
when you are sleeping, and even then tell you next to nothing.

[pbug56]

I think that most people who've bought Fitbit's for their SPO2 sensors did
not understand that it is an extremely limited function for sleep only.
Their Variance chart doesn't actually tell you what your sleep O2 level
was, though sometimes a number will pop up on certain watch faces that
might be your average SPO2 level while you slept. If, indeed, the watch
and software actually think you slept. For instance, last night I was in
bed for about 8 hours, waking up to a phone call. But Sense claims that I
was only asleep for a bit over 3 hours. This is not unusual, though not
typically every night. So what it says is nearly useless.

What bothers me the most, besides this unexplained behavior and the mystery
chart, is that not only won't Fitbit use the sensor when you are awake,
they won't tell you why they won't. Whether we post here, talk to customer
service, etc., they just won't say. They do push their bloody awful
Premium service, which buries you in massive amounts of text that tells
you, IMHO, nothing, and makes it much harder to see what's going on - one
of the worst GUI's I've ever encountered (and I designed GUI's for years).

So sooner or later, when the time comes to replace my Sense, I'll probably
go for Garmin, maybe Samsung (but for Samsung you'd better have a Samsung
phone). I'm sick and tired of the lies and BS. I need the SPO2 info and a
finger clip reader is frequently not practical. That I have a watch with
the needed hardware built in and can't take advantage of it makes me beyond
PO'd with Fitbit. I sure as h-ll don't trust them at all anymore.

[pbug56]

Many of us have been asking Fitbit this question for years - when will we
get real time SPO2? Though the question is also whether we will get it.
And for years Fitbit has ignored us.

[pbug56]

Only problem; as I understand it, you need an iphone for a number of
features to work. And I wouldn't even take an iphone for free.

[Jeanniemih]

For fun, a while ago, I bought a $40 LetsFit watch off Amazon. Even that has on demand spo2 and it seemed accurate when compared to my finger oximeter. Only reason I went back to my Fitbit, until I bought the Apple Watch, was because the LetsFit didn’t connect to the health based apps I use.

I know a friend was talking about getting a watch and I talked her out of Fitbit for this reason. She got a S21 phone for Christmas so she went with a Galaxy watch 4. I’ll tell anyone I can not to buy a Fitbit. 

[SunsetRunner]

I've got the apple watch 7...finally give up on fitbit. 😤

[Bolty2]

What Fitbit don't seem to realise or care about is that their actions (or lack of !!!!!!) will cause droves of loyal users to move to other brands. The real question is why do they not care about their brand!!!Sent from my Galaxy

[pbug56]

It is a mystery to me. I know that unless they clean up their act my Sense
will be my last Fitbit. The Premium idiocy - 1. it's plumb full of boiler
plate and other garbage, 2. things that used to be part of just buying your
fitbit - or should be, now you pay a small fortune for. Most Fitbit's are
expensive enough already, and they want you to pay a lot extra to get
fairly basic functions. The SPO2 1. the mystery variance chart, and
equally mysterious O2 number that sometimes shows up at some point on some
watch faces that has something to do with sleep, 2. that you can't get
realtime SPO2 even though the watches have the hardware.

And, of course, they won't tell you why they don't release SPO2 realtime.
Since other firms have, the usual excuses don't apply.

Then on Sense, you practically need heavy duty pliers to get the watch to
light up so you can tell the time, plus the lack of SECONDS on most faces,
the fact that moving one's wrist no longer lights things up. Having only
one 'button' makes it much harder to use. I suggested to them that they
publish a page one could print with a flowchart of all the functions. I'm
guessing that went straight to recycling. The bloody awful customer and
tech support don't help.

Another fav. With sleep measurement, large gaps in the 'coverage'. Say I
sleep from 11 to 7 - 8 hours in bed, asleep, but it will show 3 hours in
the middle where I supposedly was wide awake. And sometimes, if I do get
less sleep and take a nap later, you can tell the watch saw that I was
asleep, but when you go to details there's no record. You have to force
close the app, clear the cache, resynch, and MAYBE it figures things out.

It's become obvious that the firm puts far more money into marketing than
into getting its products working well, IMHO. I was a software developer
for many years and I'd fire the clowns who wrote the Android app. Each new
version is worse than the previous.

So for now I'm stuck with what I have, but next time, anything but. Even
cheap watches from some firms have realtime SPO2. I don't need my watch to
do payments or carry my music. I do need my BASIC fitness info, time with
seconds, date, basic notifications.

[SunsetRunner]

I'd love a feature like this! Just got my Versa 3 and already kinda miss the on demand SpO2.

[trips_31]

Can we allow Fitbit sense to make call ? SPO2 check should be done anytime rather just night

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @trips_31, we wanted to let you know that the ideas you recently posted already exist on the Feature Suggestions Board.  I've moved one into a similar request. You can see the second one here, where you can add your vote to this existing suggestion:

• Make phone calls on the Sense

Please try to make sure you only post one idea per suggestion, so we can keep the board organized, easily searchable and see which idea other members are voting for.

Thanks for participating in Feature Suggestions.

[L0ckz0r]

How is this not a feature already?

[L0ckz0r]

This will be my last fitbit I think. I will go to another brand who doesn't withhold basic features.

[pbug56]

I agree. I'm tired of dealing with a firm that won't even explain why they
don't provide such a basic feature regardless of price of watch.

[Suntanleo]

My last Fitbit for sure. I'm done waiting for something they never intend on doing. It's been 2 years now. Please.... I started this post. I spoke with them on the phone. They said " Sense is technologically capable of supporting Spo2 anytime. "

Sent from my iPhone