(almost) real time data sync

[ncornelissen]

Hi all,

New to the forum  🙂

I've skimmed through the forum and found some related threads from which I conclude that Fitbit can passively sync approximately every 15 minutes. For a research project we are working on, that would suffice, but I would like to know how reliable that is? Does our app need to be opened regularly to maintain this interval of synchronization? 

I've found that Garmin offers a Health Companion SDK that can do real-time readings, and Withings offers a new research API that should also expose real-time measurements of the device. This makes me wonder, if our app is running in the background, would real-time reading of data also bepossible on the Fitbit?

Thanks in advance,

Niels

[Gondwana · Accepted solution]

Access to synced data uses the Web API. You don't need any app to be running on the watch. The watch needs to be in the vicinity of the phone, and the Fitbit app needs to be running on the phone (but it can be in the background).

For real-time readings from Fitbit, you'll need a custom clockface or app to be running on the watch. It would be up to you to transfer and save the data.

[Guy_]

Hi @ncornelissen - @Gondwana is correct, the watch syncs with the Fitbit App about once every 15 minutes on a good day!

There can be issues however with the watch and phone losing connection and re-establishing it can also be problematic since the release of the new V4 Fitbit App. During any such issues the data will not be updated in the Web API so you should cater for this.