Timezone: Reported alongside activity/sleep data through API pull?

[cwebster_nymbly]

I know you can get a static timezone from the user profile, but is it possible to have the timezone reported alongside the activity data (aka, this activity data was collected at this timezone)? It doesn't look like it but that would be better. 

Alternatively, does the user's profile update if the device's timezone updates? So, in other words, if I pull the user data daily, would I be able to tell if the user changed timezones while collecting activity data?

[GordonFitbit]

Hi @cwebster_nymbly 

All sleep data appears to be returned in the user's current timezone.   For activity data, the summary values are returned in the user's current timezone.   However, with recorded activities or exercises, the start time does provide a timezone offset.

When the user syncs their device, the timezone value in their profile should change too, and the new activity and sleep data will reference the new timezone.   We do not provide a notification when the user changes timezones.

Gordon

[GordonFitbit]

Hi @cwebster_nymbly 

Are you able to provide me with a business case about how providing a notification when a user changes timezones would be helpful to you?

[cwebster_nymbly]

Hi @GordonFitbit - not asking for a notification! More that it would be useful to include the timezone as a data element directly within the data pull. Right now, it seems like we only get the timestamps as reported in the user's timezone but otherwise have no visibility into whether/how timezone might be changing during that time. Does that help?

[GordonFitbit]

Hi @cwebster_nymbly 

For recorded activities that are returned by the Get Activity Log List endpoint, we do return an offset on the activity start time based on the user's timezone.   Otherwise, you can get the user's timezone from the Get Profile endpoint.   It should reflect the user's current timezone after their sync their device.  To determine when the user's timezone changed, I think you would have to look for large gaps in the intraday data.

Gordon

[dbroox]

Why wouldn't these times just be in UTC? or offer the ability to specify a timezone with a querystring parameter?