Google's Fitbit Watches Gets Step Closer to Completion After FDA Approves AFib Monitoring

Google's Fitbit watches are coming closer to completion after the FDA recently approved its AFib monitoring. AFib monitoring is the company's new algorithm that continuously monitors the heart rate rhythms of its users.

Google Gets FDA Approval for Heart Rate Monitoring Algorithms

As per a post by Google, Fitbit is gearing up to compete with the likes of the Apple Watch as the FDA approved its heart rate monitoring algorithms. Similar to the Apple Watch, the Fitbit will have advanced heart rate monitoring to help its users with certain health-related measuring metrics.

According to the story by MacRumors, Fitbit will include an ECG app with heart-rate monitoring capabilities just like the Apple Watch. This technology helps check for irregular rhythms that could indicate atrial fibrillation or AFib.

AFib Affects 33.5 Million People Around the World

As per statistics, 33.5 million people are affected by AFib around the world. Individuals with AFib are reportedly at risk of stroke five times over.

For a number of years, Apple Watch has held the advantage of having irregular rhythm notifications compared to its rivals. This technology continuously checks the users' heart rhythm and identifies irregularities that could be AFib.

Google to Passively Monitor Hearth Rhythms Through PPG

When users receive the notification, they can then go to the ECG app to do a more comprehensive test by placing their finger on the Digital Crown within the app "to generate an ECG waveform."

The new photoplethysmography algorithm (PPG) by Google works by passively monitoring heart rhythms when the user is resting. In turn, this helps make the whole process safer for users and can potentially save their lives should something happen during their sleep.

New Feature to Launch for Fitbit Users in the United States

Google announced that the latest PPG-based algorithm and Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications feature would become available very soon to users in the United States. The features will be made available through different heart-rate enabled FitBit devices.

One of the main contenders when it comes to health-monitoring devices is Apple. The company also plans to bolster further "the health smarts" that are offered by the Apple Watch this year, introducing new features like a body temperature monitoring system that can be found in the Apple Watch Series 8.

Fitbit to Compete with Apple Watch

Apple has been working on new improvements for its watchOS 9, including certain improvisations when it comes to atrial fibrillation detection, as well as a new feature that will allow them to measure the duration of atrial fibrillation experienced by its users.

With Google finally getting a go signal from the FDA, FitBit can now compete with Apple regarding AFib monitoring. This, however, might not be the only feature wherein Google plans to compete with Apple, as approval for other features might be potentially waiting.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.