Making an open water swim app

[SunsetRunner]

With the addition of GPS to the Versa 3 and Sense, I was wondering how practical would it be to make a simple app to utilize the GPS to track open water swims? The hardware is already there, so I can't imagine it to be too complicated. I also wonder if somebody from the hardware team can comment the differences between a Garmin GPS vs the Fitbit's GPS sensors? Specifically how well does it take to reconnect if it looses signal. 

[MarioDings]

No can do. “Only a subset of exercises support GPS: run, hiking, walk, cycling and golf“.

Otherwise it could have been made for the Ionic, and for other exercises like kayak, skiing, Inline skating and so on.

look and wheep: at https://dev.fitbit.com/build/reference/device-api/exercise/#interface-exercise 
“ exerciseType can be one of the following pre-defined exercise types: “

-  - list of many exercises - -

- “  or a custom exercise name. “

[SunsetRunner]

Yes, that's true, but it's also assuming that you have to define an exercise. What if the app simply records the HR and GPS data and only after it finished recording, it will export the data as an exercise? So for example, once the user clicks on the start button the app will begin recording HR and GPS data (without officially it being an exercise). Than once the user clicks on the "finish" button, the app will stop recording the data and will exported later as an exercise. 

[MarioDings]

Yes, the exercise will be exported, but not the tracking. 

Itcomes back to fitbit as an " Aerobic Workout ", with steps and heartrate and calories(derived from heartrate) and begin en endtimeand active (zone)minutes.

I use the tracking to plot the (last or current) route on the fitbit, like Strava.

[SunsetRunner]

Ah I see. Hmm I wish Fitbit would add support to let developers choose which metrics they want to show in a custom workout. This way the app can export a custom workout called "Open Water Swim" and simply include GPS and HR metrics in the data. 

[pst_mul]

For anyone still interested: we have just released an update to our Swim Trainer app for Versa 3 and Sense which now has an open water option. It includes open water tracking based on GPS:

https://swim-trainer.online/

[ShonKall]

Ensure that you have access to the Fitbit SDK (Software Development Kit), which provides tools, libraries, and resources for creating apps for Fitbit devices. Utilize the Fitbit OS SDK to access and integrate GPS functionality into your app. Develop a feature that displays the swim route on a map within the Fitbit app, possibly using map libraries available in the SDK. The app would need to collect GPS data during the swim, including location coordinates and timestamps. Fitbit provides APIs for data collection. If you need help, we can consider cooperation in development or help with app testing.