Fitbit's new Charge fitness tracker now includes ECG and stress-level monitoring sensors

Sep, 2021 - By WMR

The tracker includes both ECG and EDA sensors, which were first mentioned in the higher-end Sense, to assist users to monitor their heart health and stress.

The latest version of Fitbit's Charge line, announced on August 25 via the Google Keyword blog, looks to more blur the line between the segments. The most recent version of the premium fitness band includes a color touchscreen as well as ECG (heart) and EDA (stress) sensors.

The Charge 5 continues the trickle-down of specifications from Fitbit's relatively high devices to its everyday fitness trackers. This new version of the wearable includes EDA and ECG sensors, which were both newly found in the deeper Sense, to help in monitoring stress and heart health. Charge 5 receives a few performance enhancements over its previous version, along with a new body that is 10% thinner and a fresh color AMOLED screen with an always-on feature.

The contribution of ECG monitoring adds a feature to the tracker band that has initially been reserved for more costly smartwatches. This is in addition to heart rate monitoring, which is used across the clock thanks to a battery that lasts a week. The ECG sensor would then assist in monitoring your electrical activity of the heart and looking for clues of atrial fibrillation. The EDA sensor is meant to evaluate hand perspiration, which may be a sign of stress. If their stats become too aggressive, users, like the Sense, can be guided through a stress-reduction session.

Fitbit is seeking to expand its US$ 10 monthly Premium offering in an attempt to attract many of its hardware customers to sign up for a monthly premium membership. This features a new Daily Readiness Rating, which sounds very similar to Garmin's Body Battery calculation and will assess how prepared you are to work out. It will do so by analyzing your heart rate variability, current sleep schedule, and activity to determine whether you should run or sit on the sofa that day.