Afib detection coming to Fitbit devices, company says

Oct 18, 2019 08:43 GMT  ·  By

Fitbit is one of Apple’s biggest competitors in the smartwatch market, and devices like the Versa 2 are great alternatives to the Apple Watch.

And while Fitbit’s wearables come with features that the Apple Watch does yet have, the same thing happens the other way around, as Fitbit is yet to add some health features that many buyers consider to be must-haves on a new-generation smartwatch.

One of them is atrial fibrillation detection, a capability that Apple has added on the Apple Watch Series 4 and which has until now helped quite a lot of people discover possible heart problems before it was too late.

First Fitbit models with Afib detection coming next year

The ECG feature on the Apple Watch debuted in the United States, but it’s now available in the majority of markets where the device can be purchased.

And now Fitbit is aiming for a similar approach thanks to a partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance, which would eventually bring AFib detection to devices manufactured by Fitbit.

“At Fitbit, we’re focused on making health more accessible and, through our efforts with the BMS-Pfizer Alliance, we have the potential to support earlier detection of atrial fibrillation, a potentially asymptomatic condition that affects millions of Americans,” said James Park, Co-founder and CEO of Fitbit.

“With our continuous, 24/7 on-wrist health tracking capabilities, and our experience delivering personalized, engaging software and services, we believe we can develop content to help bridge the gaps that exist in atrial fibrillation detection, encouraging people to visit their doctor for a prompt diagnosis and potentially reduce their risk of stroke.”

No specifics are available for now, but the first Fitbit models with such capabilities are expected sometime next year. Needless to say, AFib detection won’t be enabled on older models, as this feature requires dedicated hardware not available on the devices currently on the market.

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