Google says the new features have been “developed to work for more people in real-world conditions.”
What you need to know
- Google’s Pixel phones can now use their cameras to measure your heart rate and respiratory rate.
- The features are expected to expand to more Android phones in the future.
- Google says the video streams used for measuring users’ heart rate and respiratory rate will neither be uploaded to its servers nor stored on the device.
Google announced new features for its Google Fit app last month, enabling users to measure their heart rate and respiratory rate using their phone’s cameras. Just as promised, the feature is now rolling out to Google’s Pixel phones.
To measure your heart rate, you’ll just have to hold your finger over the camera lens on the back of the phone with light pressure. Your phone will then detect the pulse in your fingertip to measure your heart rate.
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To use Google Fit to measure your respiratory rate, you will first have to prop up your phone on a stable surface. Once you are seated, position your head and chest in the frame of your phone’s selfie camera. Google Fit can now measure small movements in your chest to calculate your respiratory rate. Google recommends that you wait a few minutes after you’ve been active to get more accurate readings. You should also remove any items that may cover your face, such as masks and hats.
You can save each measurement to the Google Fit app, which will allow you to monitor your trends over time. Google also notes that the video streams from your phone’s camera used for measuring heart rate and respiratory rate aren’t uploaded to its servers or stored on the device. Instead, they are fully processed in real-time on your phone.
While the feature is limited to Pixel phones currently, it is expected to expand to the best Android phones from other OEMs sometime later this year.
