SpO2 readings only when SpO2 watch face is selected?

[jsolanasl]

Hi,

Many reviews were published today. All of them complain that SpO2 must be installed AND SELECTED to get SpO2 readings. It doesn't measure SpO2 if another watch face is selected?

It's a bit strange to offer so many watch faces if certain features only work in a specific watch face...

Some of the reviews that mention this:

The verge: https://www.theverge.com/21450123/fitbit-sense-review

MacWorld: https://www.macworld.com/article/3575859/fitbit-sense-hands-on-first-impressions.html

Mashable: https://mashable.com/review/fitbit-sense-smartwatch-review/

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/22/cnn-underscored/fitbit-sense-review/index.html

Android Central: https://www.androidcentral.com/fitbit-sense-review

Thanks for your help!

[SunsetRunner]

That does seem to be the case, though Sense can store 5 watch faces and you can always switch between them before bed in order to record the SpO2 reading

[Julia_G]

Hi, @jsolanasl , your SpO2 readings will be recorded whether or not you have the watch face.  If you wear your Fitbit over night, each morning you will be able ri see a graph of your relative SpO2 readings - a high variation could indicate sleep apnea or some other issue.

As you have noted, you will not get an absolute number unless you have selected the clock face, and even with the clock face you will only get the latest reading during your sleep time, not your waking current reading.

Think of it as some extra information about your general health, rather than a diagnostic device, although your doctor may be interesting in your sleeping graphs or readings over time,

[bobby2478]

Julia, while that may be how it SHOULD work, that isn't how it's currently working. Read the reviews the OP posted, they ALL say there are no readings unless you have the SPo2 watchface selected before bed. It's a terrible experience to force you to select a specific watchface before bed to even capture the data for reporting in the App, and then you have to switch watchfaces again in the AM when you wake up if you want a different one. The fact all reviewers mentioned this means it's more then just a misunderstanding for 1 person, this is how it currently works on the Sense, unless it has been addressed by a subsequent firmware update that the reviewers haven't applied yet.

[Heather-S]

@bobby2478 I have only skimmed some of the reviews, but this is the graph @Julia_G is talking about and I have it on my app with the Sense as my device right now. This is my graph from last night.

 

If you want the actual SpO2 number, you need to have the watch face installed prior to going to bed with the device.

I don’t know why the reviewers couldn’t find this graph, but it’s there and has been for a long time. 

[jsolanasl]

Hi @Heather-S,

Thanks for the screenshot! So I can know variations without having the SpO2 watch face selected, but the watch face is required to know the specific % (i.e. 96%). And I guess that this variation chart is only available with Premium? So No Premium + No SpO2 face selected = No SpO2 info?

Thanks!

[bobby2478]

That is what they are referring to, the Actual SPo2 number, not the graph which is present on my Charge 3 and not new to the Sense. I understand having a new watchface that allows you to see the actual SPo2 number on your wrist, but what's dumb is the fact it won't capture this data in the app at all unless you select this new SPo2 watchface before bed.

The watchface should only determine whether the actual SPo2 number displays on your wrist or not, capturing of this data for the app shouldn't also depend on you selecting this specific watchface before bed.

[Heather-S]

@bobby2478 @jsolanasl I'd bet money that the actual % will be available in the app in a later update, but it will likely be locked behind Premium (via the Health Metrics dashboard).  So yes, you'd still need the SpO2 clock face to see your number if you don't have Premium.

[Heather-S]

The variation chart is free, you can find it under the Sleep tile > Restoration on your Fitbit app.  @jsolanasl 

[Julia_G]

Hi, @bobby2478 , It is definitely available as I mentioned, without Premium, and wihtout the clock face, but it does rely on getting a consistent heartrate.  this is not how it should work, but how it really does currently work!

If you are having trouble seeing this graph, please post with as much info as possible so that someone can look into this for you.

[bobby2478]

@Julia_Gas mentioned above the OP and I weren't referring to the SPo2 variation, which is a chart that is available for all members free if you have a capable device.  I see this now on my Charge 3 which doesn't require an SPo2 watchface (one isn't even available for the Charge 3).

OP and I are referring to the specific SPo2 number (95%), which is new. This reading is NOT captured unless you select the new specific SPo2 watchface as @Heather-S mentions above. This is the grip the reviewers, OP and I have. It isn't a friendly user experience to force someone to manually select a special watchface to even have the app able to capture this data, vs the watchface just being a display on the Sense itself. Right now if you don't select this watchface before bed you won't get a specific SPo2 reading (95%), you will however get the estimated oxygen variation chart which isn't particularly useful.

[Heather-S]

Basically, the clock face for the SpO2 readings is a stop gap until a later update to the app.  We just have to be a little bit patient while Fitbit works on this for us.  In my opinion, the reviewers should've been more informed that this is what is happening -- it hasn't been a secret. 

That being said, if you don't have Premium, the only way to see your SpO2 score will be via the clock face, period.  Seeing the data in the app and trends over time is being locked to Premium members via the Health Metrics Dashboard.

I know many won't like that, but that's the choice Fitbit has made at this time.  I'd suggest if people don't like this decision, that they create a Feature Suggestion to unlock the SpO2 data and trends to non-Premium members.  Perhaps look at this Feature Suggestion that wants all features of the Sense open to all users?

[Heather-S]

Here is just a quick video of the Health Metrics Dashboard.  It's pretty empty right now, but this will give you some insight as to what you can find in there.

[Julia_G]

Hi, @bobby2478 , okay, I partly misunderstood your question.  Yes, you are absolutely right.  Without the clock face you will only get the graph (free, not behind any pay wall)

If you choose the watch face you will get the absolute number, but it will still only give you your latest overnight reading.

I personally don’t think that this is a lot extra.  I would like to see your SPO2 rating available all day, as an absolute number.  If you are only going to get a relative graph, I don’t see a lot if benefit from changing the clock face.  Who wants to see at 4 pm the reading you got at 4 am?

[bobby2478]

@Julia_G agreed, there is a feature request to enable on-demand reading of specific SPo2 values. I can see the overnight average being helpful, specifically in the case of Sleep Apnea. If your O2 saturation % is always low (75%), the graph wouldn't show this as there wouldn't be any variation, but the overnight % of 75% would jump out at you that it's too low.

But having ability to see this on-demand would be great, I voted for the feature request.

Also, Fitbit has said that some of these new reports currently behind the paywall for the Health Metrics Dashboard will be available for free to all members at some point but they don't get specific about what specifically would remain behind the paywall vs what info would be available for all.  For now I'll assume it's all behind the paywall until we actually see what they do.

[Julia_G]

@bobby2478 even behind the paywall what you are suggesting / requesting isn’t available.  So I think at this stage it is much more a matter of Fitbit very cautiously dipping its foot into more significant medical areas, and being very careful to fulfill their regulatory and legal requirements - which do not change whether they are paid for at not.

Currently, with a paid subscription, when it comes to SPO2 readings. A paying customer does not have any more raw information than you do.  

Fitibit is absolutely not hiding the data.  For some of the stats - and I expect this to become increasingly true, fitbit is helping you to interpret the data.

The value added is in the analysis, not in the actual readings.  Where they don’t provide the raw numbers it is because the regulators won’t allow them to provide it.I expect that to continue to be Fitbit’s policy.  

[bobby2478]

@Julia_G I'll disagree in the sense that first step is making the raw data available (the actual readings), then the next step (and arguably the more complicated piece that requires a lot of research) is providing guidance you can act on to make a difference. For example, your sleep score or resting heart rate. It's great to see you got no Deep/Rem sleep and your score suffered, or that your sleeping heart rate was high which also dinged your score. The part that's missing is to go the next step and provide some information around what could be causes for those metrics and if you want to improve them what can you do.  That is the part I see coming over time. They can't solve it all at once, and without the raw data the actionable recommendations are worthless so they have to start somewhere.

So while I agree the real value is in the analysis and recommendations, I'll disagree in that there is still value in the actual readings. Like I mentioned for SPo2 %, even if just overnight, this DEFINITELY adds value by itself in the case of Sleep Apnea. If you suspect you may have sleep apnea (you snore) and now you see your overnight SPo2% drops down very low (below 80%), this would be a pretty strong indicator that something is awry and that you should go see a doctor and have a sleep study to definitively diagnose whether you had sleep apnea or not. This is available now, via the watchface or behind the paywall like @Heather-S mentions. Fitbit won't diagnose any medical condition, that's left to a licensed medical dr. The Fitbit is an early warning system to alert you that something may be off and you should go see a doctor.

It wouldn't be that hard to add the ability to determine SPo2% on demand (point in time) instead of only doing it overnight. Either way it's calculating a specific %. So I doubt regulatory red tape is holding this back. More likely scenario is it's brand new and they have to gradually roll out functionality. If the feature request gets enough attention then perhaps they'll roll this out (I believe Samsung and Apple already support this)

I understand they don't support on-demand SPo2 reading, hence the feature request. My comment about free/paywall had nothing to do with that.

[Julia_G]

Hi, @bobby2478 , unfortunately it is not a matter of agreeing with me - or anyone! - or disagreeing,  Fitbit are constrained by regulatory requirements and can only offer allowed data.

[wookietim]

Agreed. I give Fitbit about a month before they issue an update to fix that one... Unsure why Fitbit does this but they always release a product when it is still about 2 months away from completion. Every time. I've learned to simply not even consider buying their stuff day one - wait until update number 2 is released for it and then 90% of the promised features will be there.

Note to Fitbit : Minimum Viable Product is not the point to release it to the market.

[wookietim]

In theory you can switch between them before bedtime. In practice, considering Fitbit has never seemed to really "get" that phone syncing thing... Not so easy.