Using sensor data without any timeout

[ShakilAhmed]

I'm building a motion detection app that requires a continuous stream from the accelerometer and possibly from gyroscope. That app should also work when it's in background. Is it doable in Fitbit?

[Gondwana]

No, because there is no 'background' for Fitbit apps.

[ShakilAhmed]

As I can see the watchface apps can be made to run always. Do they have access to the sensors?

[Gondwana]

Yes, they have access to all sensors (but I suspect recent Fitbits may not have gyro).

A watchface will stop if the user starts an app, so they can't be guaranteed to run continuously.

It may pay to clarify what you mean by 'background': apps and clockfaces keen running if the display goes off, but not if some other app or clockface is started.

[ShakilAhmed]

Thank you for your help!

By running on "background", I mean when the user opens another app, my motion detection app does not get terminated. As for the clock-face approach, it's feasible that as long as the user keeps using our clock face, they will enjoy the benefits of our motion detection logic.

So for both app and clock-face approaches, it's possible to keep the logic running continuously? 

[Gondwana]

By that definition of background (and that's the one I'd use), clockfaces or apps can't run in the background.

So long as the user doesn't start an app, a clockface can run continuously.

The real challenge will be getting the data off the watch (assuming that's what you want to do).

[ShakilAhmed]

I would like to run the motion detection logic on the watch itself. and then probably upload a summary to the fitbit cloud during syncs. Users can connect their Fitbit account to our online service to the see summaries.