Image source: Polar

Polar adds Fitness Test to smartphone app, possible Grit X Pro launch

Polar has added the ability to do its Fitness test from the smartphone app and modify sleep time. In other news, a retailer listing was spotted for Grit X Pro indicating a possible soonish launch.

The updates to the app came via a firmware refresh. To benefit from them you’ll need to download version 5.6.0 of Polar Flow for Android or iOS. The sleep editing functionality was something many users had wished for. So if you find something is amiss with the information that is automatically captured, you now have the option to manually change it.


Fitness Test

Fitness Test is something that Polar has had for a while. But up to now you could only use it directly from a watch such as the Polar Unite, Ignite, Grit X or Vantage V2.

The metric attempts to assess how fit you are by capturing your heart rate for a couple of minutes while you are resting. So no need to exercise or anything like that. The Vo2Max information is estimated by combining your resting heart rate with heart rate variability and other information. This includes your age, weight, height, training background, sex and more. So make sure that all of this info is accurate.

We did try it out a while back when reviewing the Ignite smartwatch and found it wasn’t that accurate. In our testing the Vo2 Max figure it dished out was well below the number we got with other devices. It is possible the company has improved their algorithms since then.

Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets

In fairness, Polar does say on its website non-exercise tests are not as accurate as submaximal tests done in field conditions. But that they have the “benefit of being easy, safe and convenient for setting a baseline and tracking relative progress”. Which is true.

So you could use them to track progress as you will be measuring like with like. Just make sure you are performing the measurement in similar conditions, for example in the morning after you wake up, not after drinking alcohol, etc.

The latest Polar Flow update allows you to do the Fitness test by pairing it directly with a Polar HR sensor. A new page has been added to the app called Testing and Exercise. You’ll get voice guidance when conducting the test and the whole thing might take up to 5 minutes before it finishes.


Possible Grit X Pro launch

In other Polar news, some information was spotted on a French retailer website that mentions a product called Grit X Pro. There’s also a Titanium version of the same that is mentioned. The page contained little in terms of description and was soon removed. The only info that was there was a price – €499.99.

This could indicate a launch of Grit X Pro in the coming weeks. Any new products are likely to see the light of day before the all-important holiday shopping period which starts in mid-November.We checked the FCC and other regulatory websites, no info on any upcoming Polar products has been added so far.

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Ivan Jovin

Ivan has been a tech journalist for over 7 years now, covering all kinds of technology issues. He is the guy who gets to dive deep into the latest wearable tech news.

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