Building and publishing clocks faces/apps for Versa 4 and Sense 2

[r.b]

In the Fitbit Gallery I noticed there are a few 3rd party clock faces/apps for Versa 4 and Sense 2. Does someone here know how to do it?
-What SDK and CLI versions to use
-What target names to use
-Should I need real devices to test? The current Fitbit OS simulator does not seem to support these devices.

[Guy_]

Hi @r.b - there is no SDK and Versa 4 and Sense 2 clocks can't be published, apps are not supported on these watches.

[r.b]

Thank you, @Guy_ . But there are many 3rd party Versa 4 and Sense 2 clock faces published in Fitbit Gallery. I just checked its Best of 2022  section, and the first page had at least 5 3rd party clocks for Versa 4 and Sense 2. So, there must be some way to do it, because a number of developers seem to be already doing it.

[Guy_ · Accepted solution]

@r.b-you are correct, but it hasn't been done by developers - it was a porting exercise done by Fitbit solely to try and make some non Fitbit clocks available and the process has now stopped. A marketing ploy, otherwise things would have been even bleaker for the new watches, with no user apps OR clocks.

These ported clocks are shown as "not optimized", they haven't been verified by the developers and cannot be corrected by developers if they do not work, they can only be removed from the Gallery. Some ported clocks cause the watches to crash.

Fitface clocks can still be made available because the shell has been tested but it's not free.

Furthermore the simple Fitbit Studio interface used to help anyone make clocks or apps has been removed. So it looks like the whole development process is being wound down for general users.

[r.b]

Thanks, @Guy_  for the elaborate reply. I didn't know that it was porting by Fitbit, not developers.

Some more details from me also. After posting qustion here I checked @fitbit/sdk packages, and noticed that the Version "7.2.0-pre.0" has build targets of Sense 2 ("rhea") and Versa 4 ("hera"). I then modified package.json of my existing clock project (for Versa3 and sense) to use the above sdk version and build targets, did npm install and npx fitbit-builld, and the project was built without any errors. But I don't know whether the resulting .fba build file works on Versa 4 or Sense 2, because I currentlly have no way to test it. I will test after my current Versa 3 breaks (still working despite having cracks) and I buy a new one 😀😀😀.

[Guy_]

@r.b - without the necessity source code changes it may not work right or even crash due to incompatibilities unless it is a very basic clock and without a simulator you can't test it.

Without the SDK documentation, if it ever comes, you won't know what those changes are either.

A better solution (from comments in the forums) might be to get another Versa 3 from the shops while still available and you can then use the features you have now which isn't the case on the newer watches.

You'll also still be able to continue to develop, test and publish stuff, if it's for non personal use.

[r.b]

Thank you, @Guy_ . Yes you are right. The SDK version I was mentioning might be an alpha or even pre-alpha one, and without any available documentation there is no point in trying to use it. I will take your suggestion and may buy a spare Versa 3 or Sense before it runs out of stock.

[MarkMM]

@Guy_ someone on r/fitbit is claiming they are making Sense 2 clock faces with fitface. Is that possible?

[Guy_]

@MarkMM - it may be possible but what features are available or supported remains to be seen and may not be free.

[r.b]

My clock face originally made for Versa 3 functioned perfectly well on Sense 2 (through GAM private link)!

The old Versa 3 (with my own clock face) finally broke last week, and so I purchased a new Sense 2, hoping that I could still use my own clock face. I rebuilt the same clock face code with the SDK 7.2.0-pre.0 (and a new appUUID), uploaded to GAM, installed to my Sense 2 through the private link, and it worked perfectly.

[r.b]

And I'm glad to share that this clock face (for Sense 2 and Versa 4) got approved for publication, and is now in the Gallery!