Some of the best Android smartwatches and fitness trackers today are on a level playing field as far as fitness tracking features are concerned. One forerunner in this aspect, Fitbit, just made a stronger case for its products. The company says its Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications aren't limited to customers in the US anymore.
For the uninitiated, Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications is a Fitbit feature designed to alert you of potential cardiac problems such as Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), stroke, cardiac arrest, and clots in the heart. Fitbit's smartwatches use the photoplethysmography (PPG) heart rhythm sensor to monitor irregularities in your heart rhythm while you sleep. If you see a notification about an irregular heartbeat, we suggest you seek medical help but avoid relying solely on the watch's data for diagnosis.
The feature has US Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, but when Fitbit announced the Versa 4, Sense 2, and Inspire 3 last month, it said it secured the CE mark, allowing the feature to expand to the European Union. As a result, the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications are available in 20 new countries. Here's the complete list of regions where the feature is available:
The new Fitbit Versa 4, Inspire 3, and Sense 2 are available for pre-order but haven't started shipping to customers yet. The company says all three models will pack support for Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications right out of the box in all the countries above.
Besides the new models, the Fitbit Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Versa Lite, Charge 5, Charge 4, Charge 3, Luxe, and Inspire 2 can help detect signs of AFib. You just need to set up notifications for it in the Assessment section of the Fitbit companion app.