Fitbit unveiled its Charge 5 fitness tracker over the summer, and touted its electrocardiogram (ECG) app and a Daily Readiness Score for Premium members, but at launch, neither feature was available. That changes today.
The ECG app checks for signs of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to serious health problems. Access it via the stainless steel panels on the sides of the tracker; your reading will show up in the Fitbit app, The Verge reports. The ECG app rolled out on the pricier Fitbit Sense last fall.
The launch of the ECG feature on the Fitbit Charge 5 coincides with the release of Fitbit’s Daily Readiness Score. This new tool will be available for the Charge 5, Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Luxe, and Inspire trackers and smartwatches, though it requires a Fitbit Premium membership, which costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.
Daily Readiness Scores analyze data from your device, including your activity, heart rate variability, and sleep, to provide a suggestion on how much you should push yourself that day. A low score may suggest you take more time to let your body rest while a higher score would be a sign that you can go for a more rigorous workout that day.
At the time of writing, the Fitbit Charge 5 is $179, well below the usual $299 price of the other ECG-enabled Fitbit Sense (which is presently on sale for $199). Early on, some Fitbit Sense units had hardware problems that impacted ECG readings, but that was resolved.
