Fitbit (FIT) Stock Plummets, Users Sue Over Heart Trackers’ Accuracy

Fitbit owners from several USA states claim that despite the company’s products purporting to accurately measure heart rates, Fitbits “do not and can not consistently and accurately record wearers’ heart rates during the intense physical activity for which Fitbit expressly markets them”.

Essentially, Fitbit uses LED lights to monitor blood flow through a user’s wrist and, by using algorithms, can determine a user’s heart rate.

Fitbit advertises slogans such as “every beat counts” and “know your heart”.

In one of the three cases described in court documents, the user’s personal trainer recorded a 160 bpm heart rate, but her Charge HR Device read 82 bpm.

The Charge HR wristband and Surge fitness watch both have a “PurePulse” sensor on the underside of the tracker. Its newest gadget, known as Fitbit Blaze, failed to benefit from a warm reception when it was previewed at CES 2016, mostly because it’s seen as an unworthy competitor for the Apple Watch.

Plaintiff David Urban, of Wisconsin, claims his Surge consistently underreported his heart rate by 15 to 25 bpm and never displayed a reading above 125 bpm, according to Ars Technica.

Two other plaintiffs are mentioned in the suit, each citing similar experiences. Algorithms then determine heart rate, which, according to the plaintiffs, tends to be considerably off the mark.

In a statement, Fitbit said that the case had no merit and that the company strongly disagreed with the allegations and would vigorously fight the lawsuit.

“Fitbit is committed to making the best clip and wrist-based activity trackers on the market”. The company evaded the actual problem of accuracy by saying that the devices are not scientific or medical trackers.

“PurePulse provides better overall heart rate tracking than cardio machines at the gym, as it tracks your heart rate continuously – even while you’re not at the gym or working out”. The striking similarity of the fitness band with its more feature-packed smartwatch competitors, disappointed investors resulting in more than 18% plunge in share price. The statement noted that although the Fitbit monitors are “designed to provide meaningful data to [users] to help them reach their health and fitness goals”, the products are not meant to be treated as medical or scientific devices. The new lawsuit isn’t almost as large as the skin rash debacle.