Fitbit Labs trials ‘unusual trend detection’ and hypertension study for Pixel Watch 3

Pixel Watch

Fitbit Labs is expanding its experimental lineup with two new initiatives, Unusual Trend Detection and a Hypertension Study Lab, as the personal health coach preview continues to roll out.

The Hypertension Study Lab is designed to explore whether the Pixel Watch 3 can help detect early signs of high blood pressure using health and activity data. The study is currently limited to users in the United States, with Fitbit seeking up to 10,000 eligible participants who will wear their Pixel Watch 3 as usual for 180 days. Selected participants will also receive an Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) cuff to wear for 24 hours, and will receive a $25 gift card upon returning it.

Google notes that participants may notice a minor impact on battery performance during the trial, but the watch should still comfortably last a full day per charge. Data collected in this study will be used strictly for research — to identify correlations and train machine learning models — and not for personal health assessments or medical advice. Survey responses and user profile data will be used to confirm eligibility and assist in the research process.

The end goal of this project appears to be the eventual introduction of hypertension-related notifications for future Pixel Watch models.

Meanwhile, Fitbit’s Unusual Trend Detection Lab focuses on identifying deviations in users’ health metrics. The feature aims to alert participants when their vitals or activity trends differ from typical patterns. Users can:

• Log possible causes or symptoms
• Receive suggestions for rest and recovery
• Get updates when their stats return to normal ranges