Tag: Fitbit

Google denies updates are killing the Fitbit Charge 5

Stephanie Beck
Fitbit Charge 5 - Image of a person wearing a Fitbit with an emoji

Owners of the popular fitness tracker say their devices have stopped working after updating. The Fitbit Charge 5 is a highly popular fitness tracker, but owners have been complaining that their gadgets have stopped working properly – or stopped working entirely – after software updates. Google has been providing the updates but says those are not the cause of the problem. Owners of the Fitbit Charge 5 started complaining about the dying fitness trackers following software updates last summer. At that time, the most common complaint was that battery life…

Read More

Fitbit introduces new Sleep Animals feature to wearer profiles

Julie Campbell
Sleep Animals - People Sleeping wearing trackers

The fitness tracker wearers will be assigned a designation based on their typical sleeping patterns. Fitbit has announced that it is adding a new feature to its user profiles, which will include Sleep Animals that will be assigned to users based on their typical sleep cycles. The designation is meant to help people to better understand the type of sleeper they are. The Google-owned fitness tracking company is rolling out an overall profile for sleepers that is aimed at making it easier for people to understand their overnight rest data…

Read More

Fitbit health data won’t be used for Google marketing purposes

Sam Lambert
Fitbit health data - person wearing fitbit pointing at laptop screen

The tech giant made the promise as it seeks to gain European Union approval to acquire the fitness tracker. In an effort to earn the European Union’s approval to purchase the fitness tracker company, Google has promised Fitbit health data will not be used to target advertising. The EU has voiced a range of antitrust concerns about Google’s acquisition of the wearables firm. “This deal is about devices, not data,” said a spokesperson from Google in a recent CNET report. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with the European Commission…

Read More

Google’s Fitbit acquisition draws criticism from advocacy groups worldwide

John Montgallo
Fitbit acquisition - Google - Fitbit

Twenty organizations from the US, Europe, Latin America and more have signed a warning statement. Google’s Fitbit acquisition was the topic of a signed statement from 20 advocacy groups from the United States, Europe, Latin America and other parts of the world. The statement called for regulators to take care in the tech giant’s $2.1 billion bid to purchase the popular fitness tracker company. The main concerns voiced by the advocacy groups have to do with privacy and competition. The 20 advocacy groups include Public Citizen from the United States,…

Read More

Withings ScanWatch combines two heart health monitoring technologies

John Montgallo
Withings ScanWatch at CES 2020 - Engadget YouTube

The new smartwatch won’t be available to consumers until it receives its FDA approval. The new Withings ScanWatch has been unveiled, revealing a wearable device that brings together two important types of health monitoring tech. The first is a form that detects atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm condition. The second measures oxygen levels in the blood while the wearer is asleep, which can help in sleep apnea detection. These two types of health monitor can help wearers to spot the presence of difficult to detect conditions. The Withings ScanWatch uses…

Read More