Fitbit Sense , the special health smart health connected watch capable of detecting Covid 19, Alexa, Google Assistant and GPS.
Fitbit Sense : the most advanced smart health connected watch in the world?
Launched at the same time as the Fitbit Versa 3 (which adds GPS to the Versa 2) and the improvement of its Fitbit Inspire 2 smart health connected bracelet, here is, the most interesting of the three, but also the most expensive: the new Fitbit Sense.
This new smart health connected watch offers to monitoring your daily health and motivate you in your sports activities.
Fitbit Sense design
We stay on a very Apple Watch style with a square touch screen. The bracelet is quite basic with a silicone realization, particularly pleasant and suitable for sport, but not very elegant.
- AMOLED color touchscreen on LCD with 2.5D curved glass
- Case dimensions of 4.08 x 4.08 cm, with a thickness of 12.35 mm.
- Weight 30 grams
- Possibility of permanent display, also the selection of 2 time zones
- One button
- 2 bracelets in two sizes (S for wrists 140 to 180 mm and L from 180 to 220 mm).
The Sense is available in 2 customizable finishes
- Bracelet black carbon with case stainless steel graphite
- Bracelet White lunar and stainless steel case gold blade
From these two models, you can change the bracelets which are standard with many models. But also, you can change the faces (or wallpaper and dial), and again the choice at Fitbit is quite wide.
Fitbit Sense features for monitoring your health
A plethora of sensors and detectors built into the Fitbit Sense
- Heart rate sensor PurePulse 2.0 multi-point optics.
- Versatile electrical sensors compatible with the Scan AED app (stress management)
- Skin thermometer (Covid 19 risk monitoring)
- Integrated GPS + GLONASS
- 3-axis gyroscope, altimeter and accelerometer
- Ambient light detector
- Wireless 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 5.0
- Near Field Communication (NFC)
- Vibrating motor
- Loud speaker (75 dB SPL at 10 cm) with microphone.
Innovation with Scan AED to manage stress
A first in smart health connected watches, with the integration of EDA sensors. These versatile electrical sensors on Fitbit Sens detect your Electrodermal Activity (EDA) which can be an indication of how your body is responding to stress. It offers you a graph in the Fitbit app for better understanding. You can then do guided breathing exercises to relax yourself.
Note that this measurement is taken by placing your hand on the screen for a few seconds.
Temperature sensor
Fitbit Sense tracks your skin temperature daily overnight. This allows you to show you any variations from your personal baseline and allows you to track your trends over time. Temperature is often one of the first symptoms of illness or infection. An alert will be able to warn you to consult your doctor and particularly in this period of global pandemic.
smart health connected Covid 19 detector
Just like Withings, Fitbit tries to use your health data to be able to identify a risk of Covid 19 even before major symptoms appear.
By combining its different sensors that track your heart rate, breathing, temperature and heartbeat, it would therefore be possible to detect someone who has Covid-19.
To substantiate this claim, Fitbit conducted studies launched in May 2020 and released a chart that shows key analysis factors. In just over two months, more than 100,000 Fitbit product users in the United States and Canada have participated, with more than 1,000 identified positive cases.
Thus, an upcoming update could embed this functionality, even if it will in no way replace a clinical Review.
Heart rate and ECG
Like most current watches, the Sense has an excellent heart rate sensor. But, in the United States, following FDA clearance, Fitbit may also perform electrocardiograms or ECG. This offers the possibility of detecting risks of joint fibrillation.
The use of ECG in France (Europe) is in the process of certification, but it may take several months to benefit from it. A disadvantage compared to American watches from Apple, Korean Samsung or French Withings.
Menstruation tracking
Get to know your body better by using the Versa 3 and the Fitbit app to record your period, note your symptoms, predict your ovulation times, and discover your cycle trends.
The Fibtit app for mobiles and computers
The Fitbit Sense innovates, even if like the whole range it works under the health home OS. A system compatible with recent smartphones running Android 7+, iOS 12.2+ to take advantage of all the synchronization and notification features.
To monitoring your physical condition, Fitbit also provides access to your account on any computer or tablet smart health connected to the internet.
Your smartphone (without smartphone) on your wrist with the Fitbit Sense
Notifications, reminders and alerts
From your watch, you can answer phone calls if your mobile is within Bluetooth range (less than 9 meters). But also, display your SMS and receive notifications from your favorite applications on its screen.
Voice commands with Google Assistant and Alexa
Thanks to the built-in microphone, you can control your music, your health home automation devices or search the internet. But also, check the weather forecast or set an alarm.
As with the Versa 3 and Charge 4, GPS is integrated
Fitbit innovated by adding GPS to Charge 4 as well as on the Versa 3. Good news, it’s also present in the Sense, which allows you to do all activities even without your smartphone nearby.
The complete data will then synchronize with the application to have your dashboards updated.
Fitbit Pay: contactless payment limited to a few banks
The Sense is equipped with an NFC chip to make contactless payments without having to take out your bank card. However, the service remains limited, because your bank and your credit card must be compatible:
- Crédit Mutuel Arkea, Brittany, Massif Central and South-West. (MasterCard)
- TransferWise (MasterCard)
- Boursorama (Visa)
- Fortuneo (MasterCard)
- Revolut
- bunq, Max and PCS (MasterCard)
To activate this service, you must first register your payment cards in the Fitbit app Wallet.
Activity and sport tracking
Here again the Sense takes advantage of Fitbit’s eco system. So you can follow more than 20 sports activities, even if the basic app is restricted. Indeed, to fully benefit from all the possibilities of your watch, you will need to take out an additional monthly (or annual) subscription. “Fitbit Premium”. This is for me the main flaw of this watch.
The information available on your watch:
- Continuous monitoring of your heart rate. The Sense alerts you when it passes above or below your usual zone.
- Personalized and guided breathing of 2 and 5 minutes which are based on your heart rate.
- Traditional followed by calories, number of steps, distance traveled, plus the active minutes (a wrist vibration alerts you when you enter a custom target cardio zone).
- Advanced analysis of 20 sports activities.
Fitbit Sense also activates at night: tracking your sleep
We find sleep tracking with Fitbit’s Sleep Score, a score out of 100. The new standard on smart watches. A system that allows you to quickly and easily understand the quality of your nights.
Smart alarm clock
There is also an alarm function which will wake you up at the optimum time. It will monitoring your deep sleep and only wake you up at the appropriate time. But, don’t worry, you can set a time to wake up so you don’t miss the departure for the office.
Note that Fitbit has announced that it has completed its clinical trials for the detection of Sleep Apnea. But, without specifying the date of the integration of this function in its devices.
Good autonomy of 6 days
With all its sensors, the lithium-polymer battery can last 6 days before needing to recharge it. In normal use, with the help of the GPS, thereal autonomy is rather around 2 to 3 days.
- Quick recharge in 12 minutes for a day of battery life.
- Full charge time of one hour
Fitbit Sense price and date
The addition of the ECG sensor and the authorization procedures of the health organizations (FDA and EU) significantly increase the price. While the Fitbit Versa 3 is launched at $ 229, the new Fitbit Sense is marketed at $ 329.95.
For this price, Fitbit gives you 6 months of free access to Fitbit Premium. But, for me, this type of service should not be charged. Here it still costs $ 9.99 per month to take advantage of all the services of the sports application and sleep monitoring. You can even subscribe in the USA to a personalized coaching service at $ 45 / month (health coaching).
- The official release date is September 25, 2020, it is already available for pre-order.
The direct competitor for me is the Frenchwoman Withings Scanwatch which also comes out in September 2020. It has for it a very large autonomy and a softer price in 38 mm case at $ 249, but goes to $349 in 42 mm.
The best current smartwatches
Fitbit Sense Advanced Smartwatch with Tools for Heart Health, Stress Management & Skin Temperature Trends, Alexa Built-in, Carbon/Graphite, One Size (S & L Bands Included)
$217.00 in stock
Features
- EDA Scan app detects electrodermal activity which may indicate your body's response to stress and a built-in skin temperature sensor logs yours each night so you can see when it varies
- Assess your heart for atrial fibrillation –a heart rhythm irregularity- and easily share results with your doctor (The Fitbit ECG app is only available in select countries. Not intended for use by people under 22 years old.Operating temperature: 14° to 113°F
- An on-wrist skin temperature sensor tracks yours each night so you can see how it varies. You can also see your nightly blood oxygen levels at a glance with our collection of clock faces.Maximum operating altitude: 28,000ft
- High & low heart rate notifications alert you if yours seems above or below your average
- Battery lasts 6 plus days plus, fast charging gives you a full day’s charge in just 12 minutes (Varies with use and other factors; up to 12 hours with continuous GPS)
Fitbit sense review
This is the most complete and also the most expensive watch from Fitbit. It ensures complete health monitoring of your physical activities and your sleep. In addition, it monitors your heart and temperature as well as your stress level.
A sleek face if you like the Apple Watch one. However, it deserves to be personalized with a slightly more qualitative bracelet for everyday use.
It remains to wait for the authorization to use the ECG to enter Europe as a real competitor of the Withings ScanWatch. As well as the possible arrival of the Covid 19 detection function.
With all of its features activated, the Fitbit Sense would become the most advanced smart health connected watch in the world… before the release of the Apple Watch 6 (but not at the same price).
Read also
Withings Scanwatch review : a connected watch ever more focused on health anti-stroke
