Fitbit announced a slew of new updates heading to its devices this month, including support for ECG features on the Fitbit Sense.
When the Sense first launched in Canada, the electrocardiogram (ECG) feature, which can assess heart rhythm for things like atrial fibrillation (AFib). Along with Canada, Fitbit says ECG will become available for Sense users in New Zealand, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. Although Fitbit says the ECG feature will start rolling out this month, it was available on my Sense this morning.
To use ECG, you’ll need to make sure your Fitbit Sense and Fitbit app are up to date. In my case, I also needed to check my Fitbit Sense apps (available by tapping your account icon in the top-left corner of the Fitbit app > Sense > Apps). There was an update listed for the ECG app.
With everything up to date, you should be able to swipe left on the Fitbit Sense to view your apps. Scroll to the ECG icon and tap it, then follow the instructions to perform an ECG test. It’s worth noting you may need to do something in the Fitbit app first — when I opened the ECG app on my Sense, it directed me to view the ‘Discover’ panel in the Fitbit app on my phone and learn about the ECG function first.
While ECG is the most exciting news, Fitbit has a few other updates too. First, the company will extend free access to trends in the Health Metrics dashboard in the Fitbit app to all Versa 2, Inspire 2 and Charge 4 users. Like Sense and Versa 3 users, who received access to trends last year, owners of supported Fitbit devices will be able to check the dashboard and see health trends for things like skin temperature, oxygen saturation (SpO2), breathing rate and more.
Further, Fitbit says Premium subscribers can view their personal ranges in the Health Metrics dashboard in the Fitbit app. The company says the feature can help make it easier to spot fluctuations in each metric, possibly alerting users if something’s changed with their health.
Finally, Fitbit announced that all Fitbit Charge 4 users will get an update that provides access to oxygen saturation (SpO2) readings on-wrist for free later this month. That update will also add SpO2 and skin temperature data to the Health Metrics dashboard.
