Hello,
I assume that if I buy an additional device, the accuracy will be better, right?
I’m especially interested in the “Awake detection” functionality. Which device would you recommend me? I searched through the FAQ and the forum, but couldn’t find a recent post.
Greetings
I’m also looking for a recommended watch with all the sensors and full compatibility. The documentation page seems vague and outdated. I would love to not be locked into a brand with a bad/nonexistent api. I would also love to be able to find a compatible device for Sleep As Android without doing days of research beforehand, but I guess we can’t have everything.
Hi Nathaniel, the documentation has a full list of all compatible wearables, including the ones added recently (PineTime, Galaxy Watch 5, MiBand 7). The supported sensors column explains which wearables are providing which type of data.
Do you think there is something missing in the table? Could you please give me some more details? You can reply here, or contact support@urbandroid.org too.
https://docs.sleep.urbandroid.org/devices/wearables.html#supported-wearables
I’ll break down my experience then.
I check the chart. I see that Wear OS supports all the sensors. Perfect! Lets see which devices will work…
“All Android Wear 1.0, Wear OS 2.0, and Wear OS 3.0 devices are supported if they have Play Services e.g.: Moto 360, Fossil, LG Watch, Sony SWR50, Asus ZenWatch, Huawei, Samsung, Polar but only Wear OS-based, TicWatch (only versions with Play Services), … and many more …”
Well that’s vague and confusing, but ok. I noticed a subpage for Wear OS, lets check that out:
" All Wear OS devices can monitor sleep tracking movement and collect HR. Some wearables can also collect SpO2 data - for more details, please see the chapter on oximeters and SpO data."
Of course that page doesn’t actually mention any specific models with SpO2 support, so my best bet is to go shopping for Wear OS compatible watches with SpO2 support. 30 minutes of googling later, none of the candidates I find specifically mention running Wear OS. There’s like 5 watches on amazon that are listed under Android Wear, and they are either too cheap or expensive and without reviews.
Ok, so Wear is a no-go. Lets check out Garmin instead.
This is a lot better. There’s an actual list of supported models (an official list by Garmin, no less) so I can go through my search results and pick ones that are compatible. That’s great. Every Garmin model I find under 200 USD has glaring hardware and software issues. Not so great, but I guess you pay for quality.
Well, I can’t afford a 250 dollar watch. Maybe I’m being too picky with the O2 sensor anyways. My old fitbit (now returned) was only 70 and it seemed to have decent sleep tracking. I bet I can find SOMETHING on the list that’s in my budget and actually functions well.
Well, if I want heart rate variability, my options are now Fitbit, the watch brand I disavowed due to their awful business practices, and Polar, which isn’t even a watch.
Is heart rate variability even that important? Are my sleep cycles estimated accurately if I use a product with minimal sensors? Which of these models are gonna be supported by their manufacturer 2-3 years down the line? Is there even a good watch worth buying for less than 200 USD?
I cannot possibly recommend Sleep as Android to anyone who isn’t young, tech savvy, and has time to look at forums, specifications, and product reviews all day. The fact that their isn’t a pinned thread for watch recommendations or at least a list of commonly recommended models just makes me feel like everyone on here is a developer or a techie. What if someone doesn’t have the money for a top-of-the-line, fully featured flagship fitness model OR the brains to discover a cheaper alternative?
Maybe I’m being entitled, but that’s my experience. Take it how you will.
From Wear OS, there are currently only a few models with SpO2 sensor - Ticwatch Pro 3, Ticwatch E 3, Fossil Gen 6 (all tested already).
I also found Moto Watch 100 has the sensor, but this one we would have to adjust from the report.
Each model has to be implemented individually either from the testing, or with the data from the sleep report - there are no information available for developers about the sensor or the parameters.
If they add the SpO2 sensor to more Wear OS models, we can integrate this data on other models too.
Or if the vendors of cheaper bands will open the API, we can integrate much more wearables. But we are limited here. Without the API, it is not possible to read the data from the sensor. This is the case of MiBands, Amazfits, and FitBits.
Samsung has the sensor on some wearables, but limits the access for non-Samsung apps.
The SpO2 sensor is pretty new, so it is only on high-end Wear OS smart watches. I am not sure what is the price in your region, but here it is around 250-300$.
Maybe if you wait after they introduce new generation of those models, the older one will be sold for more reasonable price.
The sleep phases are not estimated from the HRV, or SpO2 data.
The HR data are used for correcting the awake detection.
You do not need any additional sensor like HRV or SpO2 for pure sleep tracking with a wearable, only accelerometer.
Thank you for the valuable info. Can you tell I was a little irritated? 
The feature I want the most is smart wakeup. Does HRV play a role in that? If I really have to save up for it then I’ll try.
Looking for a watch for this app still feels like pulling teeth, but I appreciate the quick responses. I know that using any kind of electronics with 3rd party software is an uphill battle, so I really do appreciate the community as a whole.
Hi, sorry it took me so long, I got flu (luckily not Covid) and had to take a few days off.
If your main aim is smart alarm, you can get the cheaper bands too.
All other sensors are just nice to have.
You can get any older Wear OS device, or the bands (Amazfits, MiBands, FitBit) - the compatible ones are named in the table.
I have my ancient MiBand 2 (which I got in sale for approximately 10 dollars), and once you get it connected, it works nicely. Since it is not a direct integration (missing API story again), we rely on the companion app here - and first time connecting might be a little bit cumbersome. But it works nicely and you can set a delay for the sound of the alarm, so you first get the vibrations on the band - this is very gentle way to be woken up.
Hi, sorry to bump an older thread, but I’m also looking for recommendations.
I think what would be really helpful is just a short list of some devices that work really well with SleepAsAndroid. So the ones which make their APIs available, have decent sensors and where the integration is good and robust. Then we can easily look down that list and find a device which fits our other needs well. Is that possible?
Thanks 
Hello, I have an update on the recommended device in this article https://sleep.urbandroid.org/we-finally-have-a-new-king-of-smart-watch/
What about Garmin? Does sleep work well with Garmin watches?
I’m having thoughts on spending 400€++ on a smartwatch. Does a smartwatch offer better sleep tracking compared to running the app solely on the phone?
If yes, what is the most important reading on a watch? Is it HR?