Fact check: Does pedometer application provide accurate blood oxygen levels?

Origin

ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a number of people to take utmost care of ir health. Thus, people can be seen taking extensive measures to take care of mselves and keep mselves same from catching virus. During se times, some torious internet users have also come forward and shared malicious news and applications which promote things which are eir fake, misattributed or misrepresented. One such viral mess has been doing rounds on internet which claims that a pedometer application can provide accurate blood oxygen level in a human being. Check out mess below - 

Also read: Fact check: Is kia giving free smartphones to students & workers amid pandemic?

Fake Pedometer application viral mess - 

link given in mess above has leads to Google Play Store p of an application named 'Pedometer 2018: Step Counter & Heart Rate Monitor'. application is actually fake and does t deliver for what it claims as a number of users have pointed out same in review section of application. Check it out below - 

Also read: Fact check: Does toothpaste colour code reveal its ingredients?

In wake of COVID-19 pandemic, a number of applications claiming to track accurate oxygen levels in blood have been doing rounds on internet. discussion around such applications has also gone mainstream as users wish to kw wher se applications can effectively help m. But, a recent study endorsed by Trisha Greenhalgh, who is  Professor of Primary Care at University of Oxford has cleared air by stating that re is evidence as of w that any smartphone techlogy is accurate for clinical measurement of oxygen saturation.

study states that furrmore in conclusion that oxygen saturation levels obtained through such applications should t be trusted for clinical purposes. Thus, application in question can be easily deemed fake. Read detailed study by Trisha Greenhalgh below - 

Also read: Fact Check: Is NGO called Prerana supported by Infosys Foundation?

Google Trends analysis

As mess about blood oxygen tracking applications started going viral on internet, a number of users took to Google and searched wher it was true. This resulted in a surge of search results for topics like 'Is Pedometer app safe', 'pulse oximeter app', and many more. Check out Google Trends analysis below - 

Also read: Fact Check: Three eyed baby born in Germany? Video goes viral but here's truth