Health sensors on Google wearables are breaking down at an awkward moment
Source: Android Authority
TL;DR
- Some Pixel Watch owners say SpO₂ and skin temperature tracking stopped working after a recent Fitbit update.
- Google and Fitbit have acknowledged the permission‑reset issue and say work is underway to restore access.
- Reports come from both Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4 users, but the scope of the bug is unclear.
Issue overview
Google launched the Fitbit Air yesterday, adding a screen‑less tracker to its wearable lineup and expanding its health platform. At the same time, a number of Pixel Watch owners report that a recent update has broken SpO₂ and skin‑temperature tracking on their devices.
Reddit reports
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A Reddit thread on r/PixelWatch highlighted a Pixel Watch 3 owner who said a recent Fitbit update reset permissions for skin temperature and SpO₂ tracking. The permissions page showed no app requesting them, and the user could not re‑enable the sensors.
Reddit thread -
The same thread received a response from Google’s PixelCommunity account, stating:
“We regret the disruption to your health tracking experience caused by these permission resets. Work is underway to restore access to SpO₂ and skin temperature tracking features.”
Google response -
A separate discussion on r/fitbit involved a Pixel Watch 4 owner who reported that the sensors had disappeared from both the Pixel Watch and Fitbit apps for more than a week.
Fitbit thread -
FitbitHelpCommunity replied with a similar message, again attributing the problem to the recent firmware update and confirming that work is in progress to restore sensor access.
Fitbit response
Current status
The issue appears to affect both Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4 devices, though the exact number of impacted users is unknown. One user reported that restarting the device temporarily resolved the problem, but official statements indicate that the root cause is a permissions reset introduced by the latest update. Google and Fitbit have acknowledged the bug and are working on a fix.
Implications
The timing is problematic for Google, which is actively promoting its health‑tracking ecosystem following the Fitbit Air launch. A malfunction in core health sensors could undermine confidence among current and prospective users.