In a move that went a bit under the radar, Fitbit under Google has stopped selling its products in nearly 30 countries around the globe.
Over the past couple of months, Fitbit has ended sales of its fitness trackers, smartwatches, and other products in portions of Asia and Europe, and most recently South Africa. On a support page highlighted by Android Authority, Google lists out the affected regions.
In Europe, those include:
Croatia
Czech Republic
Estonia
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Google shut down the renewal of Fitbit Premium in these countries on October 24, 2023 though, as a 9to5Google reader has pointed out, the Fitbit Charge 6 is currently being sold in Portugal via the Google Store.
Prior to that, in August, Google had pulled Fitbit Premium and products from a few regions in Asia including:
Hong Kong
Korea
Malaysia
Thailand
Philippines
Further noticed that Google has also removed Fitbit products from Mexico and all Latin American countries as mentioned on another support page. There’s no date attached to these removals, though. Fitbit products were previously sold in the following Latin American countries:
Argentina
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Guatemala
Mexico
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Puerto Rico
Venezuela
This all adds up to 29 countries that Fitbit has halted sales in, and leaves only 23 countries that Fitbit is selling products in.
Well, I guess someone internally needed data to prove that Pixel Watch is the best selling product of the Google wearable portfolio.
How to better achieve that than reducing availability of all other wearables?
This really gives vibes of “Google is killing the Fitbit brand” in 2-3 years.
Yes, despite their current “Health by Fitbit” marketing campaign for it.
Why the removal? Speaking to South African publication Tech Central, Google confirmed that the change was made to better “align our hardware portfolio to map closer to Pixel’s regional availability.” The change also applies to Nest products in South Africa.
Update: Google expanded on this in a statement to Android Authority.
We communicated that we will stop selling Fitbit products in select countries in order to align our hardware portfolio to map closer to Pixel’s regional availability. We remain committed to our customers and have not made any changes that impact the existing Fitbit devices they already own. Existing Fitbit customers will continue to have access to the same customer support, warranties will still be honored, and products will continue to receive software and security updates.
Google has long been criticized for the limited availability of its Pixel lineup on the global market, as Pixel phones, watches, and many other Google products are generally only sold in a limited number of countries. With Fitbit cutting its active markets by more than half, it seems like a drastic move.
Google notes that, while products are no longer for sale in these regions, Fitbit customers will still receive support and updates, and extended a free month of Fitbit Premium to any subscribers set to lose their plans.
We are no longer selling Fitbit products in select countries—but don’t worry! We will continue to support you and the devices you currently own with software releases, security updates, warranty fulfillment, and access to customer service.
Redesigned Fitbit app brings back battery percentage
Last month, Fitbit detailed a handful of upcoming changes for its redesigned app in response to user feedback, including the return of battery percentage for trackers and smartwatches.
With Fitbit 4.04, which is currently live on the iOS App Store, there’s a new device pill that includes the battery. When the battery is low, it will turn red as a prominent reminder for you to recharge.
Previously, with the redesign, you had to open the Devices page, which only provided an approximation — like “Battery Full” — of the remaining charge rather than an exact percentage.
On the old app, you could quickly check the battery level by swiping down in the Today tab to initiate a sync. It was somewhat more hidden, but a clever way to declutter the UI until you needed that information.
Something amusing that we’ve noticed today is how battery life for the Pixel Watch 2 appears in the iOS app. On Android, there is no such reading or even the approximation on Fitbit 4.03, and we’ll soon see whether that’s intentional.
Version 4.04 for Android is not yet live on the Google Play Store but will presumably start rolling out in the coming days.
Fitbit shared that its transition to using Google Accounts for logging in and new device registration will start this summer.
Fitbit is moving away from its own login system to just use Google Accounts. Google touts benefits like having one username/password for Gmail/YouTube/Photos/etc., and Fitbit, as well as “industry-leading privacy and security.”
Users will have added, unified privacy controls – including the ability to manage all Fitbit data in the Google Privacy Center – to keep their health and wellness data safe and secure. They will also be able to see and manage where they are logged in across their Google Account.
For example, Fitbit two-factor authentication (2FA) only takes place over SMS today.
Google reiterates that “Fitbit health and wellness data won’t be used for Google Ads, and it will continue to be kept separate from Google Ads data.”
Besides the login experience, Fitbit says users should not expect any changes to accessing historical health and wellness stats. This upcoming move is being positioned as laying the groundwork for future Fitbit capabilities, with similar phrasing used to describe the recent removal of Challenges and open groups.
This will start rolling in a few months, and users will see a prompt in the Fitbit app (or an option in app settings) to migrate to logging in with a Google Account. You will have the ability to “review your existing setup before you move.”
Existing users will not have to switch until 2025, but new Fitbit users will need to go the Google Account route to set up devices when this rolls out.
Fitbit removing Google sign-in support ahead of account transition
As of 2023, Fitbit will require a Google Account to use new devices and features. As part of transitioning to a single account system, Fitbit.com is losing support for Google sign-in.
At the moment, Fitbit.com lets you sign in with a username and password (aka Fitbit account) or by using “Continue with Google” (Google Account). In 2021, the website also supported signing in with Facebook, but that was eventually and unsurprisingly deprecated.
The Fitbit website’s sign-in page has been updated with the following message: “We are removing the option to log in to your account on fitbit.com with your Google credentials to support an improved experience coming soon.” No hard date for when this will occur is provided.
To prepare for this removal, be sure you know the email address and password you use for Fitbit. If you don’t know your password, click Forgot Password
For more information about your Fitbit account, including how to find and change your email address, see our help article.
Fitbit wants all users to be aware of their email addresses and password, which is already required by the Android and iOS apps. You’re advised to reset your password and enter a new one if not.
This change is in service of Fitbit accounts being replaced by standard Google Accounts, so there will no longer be two different systems. A Google Account will be needed to access new features and set up devices, though users will be able to stick with existing Fitbit accounts until 2025.
Besides access to new features, Google touts feature like “industry-leading account security, centralized privacy controls for Fitbit user data, and more features from Google on Fitbit.”
When this consolidation launches, you will have to “consent to transfer your Fitbit user data from Fitbit to Google.” This is no timeline yet for when this will occur.
Fitbit Challenges and open groups are no longer available as Google pulls the plug
Following an announcement earlier this year, Fitbit has today pulled the plug on challenges and open groups, two longtime features of its app.
As of today, March 27, Fitbit has discontinued support for four different “legacy” features within its app. Available since 2017, those most notably include “Challenges & Adventures,” which were social activities that allowed Fitbit owners to compete with one another with real-life movement and activity goals. The challenges included:
Challenges: Find the extra encouragement to move more by competing with friends and family.
Virtual Premium Challenges: It’s even easier to play! For a limited time, earn bonus active minutes and Active Zone Minutes during challenges.
Adventure Races: Virtually race against your friends along real-life locations.
Solo Adventures: Virtually explore real-life locations.
Further, Fitbit has also today removed open groups from its app, now limiting the feature to only private groups with friends. Open groups allowed Fitbit owners to share progress and discuss topics on a public forum accessible through the Fitbit app.
Google and Fitbit said that the reason for removing Challenges and open groups was in an effort to “streamline areas” of the Fitbit app as the two companies move toward further Google integration.
We’re working hard behind the scenes to enhance the Fitbit app with Google technology this year. As a result, we’re streamlining areas of the Fitbit app and will remove all challenges, including adventures, and trophies on March 27, 2023.
However, both of these removals have not been well-received by the community. Longtime Fitbit owners have expressed their outrage at the decision and called on Google repeatedly to reverse the decision. At this point, though, the features have already shut down, and it seems they’re unlikely to make a return unless Google opts to reinvent them in the future.
The “Discover” tab in the Fitbit app is now lacking these longtime features, instead only showing workout guides, mindfulness and nutrition content, and similar programs and content.
What separates a smartwatch from a fitness tracker? To me, it’s the ability to see notifications from your phone, replying to messages, taking calls, music controls or even on-wrist playback, and third-party apps.
For the longest time, Fitbit smartwatches in the Versa and Sense lines easily met that criteria. With the Sense 2 and Versa 4 introduced in October of 2022, that began to change. The ability to take calls came after launch, while there are no media controls and certainly no offline storage of songs or podcasts.
Lastly, there’s no support for third-party applications, just watch faces. On Friday, Fitbit reiterated that as it streamlined its developer tools. The web-based Fitbit Studio will be deprecated in April for just a command-line SDK. The company is committed to supporting and allowing third-party watch face development, but was very explicit about how it does “not have plans to offer third party apps on these health and wellness focused devices.”
That’s our clearest view yet into how Fitbit perceives the Sense 2, Versa 4, and any future devices in those lines. Looking at past Fitbit statements, iPhone support is the other reason for the Sense 2 and Versa 4 existing, while multi-day battery life with an always-on display remains appealing.
Where Fitbit is taking these devices makes sense in the context of focusing on the Pixel Watch. However, it might be time to stop considering them to be smartwatches.
Rather, Fitbit should draw inspiration from its line of fitness trackers. Personally, I’ve always been more of a fan of Fitbit’s trackers. (The actual cardinal sin of Fitbit smartwatches is that they never adopted an E-Ink screen post-Pebble acquisition. I kid, but not by much.)
Anyways, trackers are meaningfully smaller with great battery life and simple AODs for just the time. Not having a larger square or rectangular display on your wrist is appreciably different. The Fitbit Luxe from 2021 is a gorgeous device that succeeds at being jewelry-like in nature.
With that in mind, what does a premium fitness tracker look like? Is there room for a tier above the popular Charge series? Such a device would have to appeal to people that want a smartwatch, while decidedly lacking the full feature set given Fitbit’s modern priorities/limitations.
the word “smartband” comes to mind with:
A big enough portrait screen to comfortably show notifications
Rich messaging experience with smart and voice replies
Basic apps: Weather, Agenda, Google Home smart controls
Music playback controls, at the very least, which would require Fitbit to backtrack
Fitbit Challenges and open groups are no longer available as Google pulls the plug
Following an announcement earlier this year, Fitbit has today pulled the plug on challenges and open groups, two longtime features of its app.
As of today, March 27, Fitbit has discontinued support for four different “legacy” features within its app. Available since 2017, those most notably include “Challenges & Adventures,” which were social activities that allowed Fitbit owners to compete with one another with real-life movement and activity goals. The challenges included:
Challenges: Find the extra encouragement to move more by competing with friends and family.
Virtual Premium Challenges: It’s even easier to play! For a limited time, earn bonus active minutes and Active Zone Minutes during challenges.
Adventure Races: Virtually race against your friends along real-life locations.
Solo Adventures: Virtually explore real-life locations.
Further, Fitbit has also today removed open groups from its app, now limiting the feature to only private groups with friends. Open groups allowed Fitbit owners to share progress and discuss topics on a public forum accessible through the Fitbit app.
Google and Fitbit said that the reason for removing Challenges and open groups was in an effort to “streamline areas” of the Fitbit app as the two companies move toward further Google integration.
We’re working hard behind the scenes to enhance the Fitbit app with Google technology this year. As a result, we’re streamlining areas of the Fitbit app and will remove all challenges, including adventures, and trophies on March 27, 2023.
However, both of these removals have not been well-received by the community. Longtime Fitbit owners have expressed their outrage at the decision, and called on Google repeatedly to reverse the decision. At this point, though, the features have already shut down, and it seems they’re unlikely to make a return unless Google opts to reinvent them in the future.
The “Discover” tab in the Fitbit app is now lacking these longtime features, instead only showing workout guides, mindfulness and nutrition content, and similar programs and content.
The Fitbit app is set to lose Challenges & Adventures and support for Open Groups on March 27 as the integration with Google continues. Those “legacy” features are said to have limited use and no updates in quite some time.
“Challenges & Adventures” are found in Fitbit’s Discover tab and encompass four sets of social activities that users can participate in:
Challenges: Find the extra encouragement to move more by competing with friends and family.
Virtual Premium Challenges: It’s even easier to play! For a limited time, earn bonus active minutes and Active Zone Minutes during challenges.
Adventure Races: Virtually race against your friends along real life locations.
Solo Adventures: Virtually explore real life locations.
When Fitbit Adventures were announced in 2017, they were pitched as a way to “get more daily activity by virtually exploring scenic and iconic destinations” in California’s Yosemite National Park. Fitbit mapped your daily steps to landmarks along the Pohono Trail, Valley Loop, and Vernal Falls.
Once you virtually arrive by meeting a certain step count, you’d see “exquisite photos.” You can “dynamically adjust when you rotate your phone—allowing you to enjoy the moment as if you were really there!”
Along each route, you will uncover more photos and collect fun facts, as well as health and fitness tips, and mini challenges.
In removing Adventures, which never added new locations, earned trophies will no longer be available. You can download data from fitbit.com/settings/data/export before March 27. As an alternative, Fitbit points to the Friends leaderboard and Community Feed.
The Fitbit app is also losing support for Open Groups, but you can still create private closed groups with friends.
These removals comes as Fitbit is getting ready to add Google Account support this year to support new features.
Fitbit will require a Google Account to use new devices and features from 2023 onward
With the launch of Fitbit’s latest devices, “Fitbit by Google” branding was introduced. The Sense 2 and Versa 4 already have a UI modeled after Wear OS 3, but the integration is getting deeper from 2023 onward when Google Accounts will be required to use Fitbit.
At the moment, “Fitbit continues to provide its products and services separately from Google” and a Fitbit account is required to use the app and devices (smartwatches, fitness trackers, and scale).
However, Fitbit will “enable use of Fitbit with a Google account sometime in 2023.”
Google accounts on Fitbit will support a number of benefits for Fitbit users, including a single login for Fitbit and other Google services, industry-leading account security, centralized privacy controls for Fitbit user data, and more features from Google on Fitbit.
Several benefits are being touted, with security being notable for something as sensitive as health and fitness data. Fitbit currently maintains its own login system with two-factor authentication (2FA) done over SMS. There is already a sign in with Google option, and Fitbit removed the Facebook equivalent last year.
This change encompasses more than sign-in process and consolidation to one set of credentials, though.
After the change occurs next year, “some uses of Fitbit will require a Google account, including to sign up for Fitbit or activate newly released Fitbit devices and features.” The latter is notable in the context of Fitbit working on a premium Wear OS 3 watch. New customers will have to use a Google Account from next year on, while gating features to the new backend is similar to the Nest app/account to Google Home transition.
Once the change is live, there will be an “option to move Fitbit to your Google account,” while existing users can continue using their non-Google Fitbit account “until at least early 2025.” However, again, these users won’t be able to use new devices or health features until they migrate over.
Sometime in 2025, a “Google account will be required to use Fitbit.” More details are coming next year:
We’ll be transparent with our customers about the timeline for ending Fitbit accounts through notices within the Fitbit app, by email, and in help articles.
In switching account systems/backends, Google will abide by “binding commitments” that it made with global regulators in order to get the acquisition through. This includes ensuring “Fitbit users’ health and wellness data won’t be used for Google Ads.”
Following the Charge 5 and Luxe trackers last month, Fitbit is rolling out an update to the Sense and Versa 3 smartwatch.
The Fitbit Sense is going from 44.128.6.12 to 44.128.6.17, while the Versa 3 jumps 36.128.6.12 to 36.128.6.17. This versioning suggests an incremental patch and the Fitbit OS update list says as much.
What’s changed in the latest Fitbit OS update?
Updates to Fitbit OS provide new features, improvements, and bug fixes for your Fitbit watch.
Fitbit OS 5.3.1 (Sense and Versa 3 only)
This release includes bug fixes, improvements, and an important security update. For more information about security updates, see How do I update my Fitbit device?
Fitbit OS 4.2.3 (Versa, Versa 2, and Versa Lite Edition only)
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 5.3 (Sense and Versa 3 only)
Status indicators on your smartwatch let you know when your device’s battery is critically low, the do not disturb or sleep mode setting is on, or your device isn’t connected to your phone. For more information, see How do I navigate my Fitbit device?
An additional 6 languages are now available on your watch: Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, Indonesian, Polish, Romanian, and Russian.
To access the control center on your watch, swipe down from the top of your screen. After your notifications appear, swipe down again to open the control center. For more information, see How do I navigate my Fitbit device?
WHAT’S FIXED
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 4.1.3
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 4.1.2 (Ionic, Versa, and Versa Lite Edition only)
(Versa Lite Edition only) This release fixes an issue where some customers may have been unable to update Versa Lite Edition after completing a factory reset. If you factory reset your device and your watch is on version 38.6.1.1, see Why can’t I update my Fitbit device?
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 4.1.1 (Versa 2 only)
We optimized the algorithm used to track your heart rate on Versa 2 to complement our latest hardware.
Avoid being awoken while in deep sleep. Set an alarm with our new Smart Wake feature to wake up feeling refreshed. For more information, see What should I know about Fitbit sleep stages?
Access additional options when you press the shortcut button on the left side of your Fitbit device. For more information, see How do I navigate my Fitbit device?
On Fitbit Versa 2, you can now use the Fitbit skill to ask Alexa to open the Exercise app and start a workout for you. These commands are currently available in English and German.
You now access Alexa through the Alexa app on Versa 2.
This release includes other bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 4.0.2
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 4.0.1
To update Versa Lite Edition, let the Fitbit app run in the background on your phone. When the update is ready, you’ll see a notification in the Fitbit app. For more information, see How do I update my Fitbit device?
Your alarms and timers now alert you even when your Fitbit device is locked.
WHAT’S FIXED
This release includes other bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 2.1.1
This release includes bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 2.1
WHAT’S NEW
Introducing quick replies. Send customized responses to text messages and messages from select messaging apps with your Fitbit watch. Note that this feature is currently only available on watches paired to an Android phone. For more information, see How do I respond to messages with my Fitbit device?
WHAT’S FIXED
This release includes other bug fixes and improvements.
Fitbit OS 2.0
WHAT’S NEW
Fitbit Today
Introducing Fitbit Today, an updated on-device dashboard that keeps you informed about all of your health and fitness data. Receive action-oriented and personalized content with daily and weekly health and fitness stats, historical activity, exercise summaries, and tips and tricks for using the Fitbit platform. Swipe up from the clock face to open the Fitbit Today dashboard.
Ionic users, your daily stats have moved from the Today app to Fitbit Today.
We improved the way we track your distance when you’re tracking a run with GPS.
WHAT’S FIXED
We fixed an issue where some customers’ clocks didn’t update after switching time zones.
We fixed an issue where some customers experienced syncing issues after interrupting clock face installation.
We fixed an issue where some customers noticed the Exercise app crashed after double tapping an exercise.
This release also includes bug fixes and stability improvements.
Fitbit OS 1.1
NEW FEATURES
This release delivers a more personalized experience for Fitbit Ionic customers. Read on for details.
New apps and clock faces
This Fitbit OS update provides access to new apps and clock faces from Fitbit, Fitbit Labs, popular brands, and developers. The apps span a range of categories such as Flipboard, The New York Times, and Yelp. New apps and clock faces will be added frequently. Browse the available apps in the Fitbit Gallery.
We’re introducing Fitbit Labs, which develops experimental apps and clock faces for Ionic. Install an app or clock face to motivate you to stay active, help track and interpret your behavior, and provide intelligent feedback. Choose to adopt a virtual pet and use your steps to keep them fed and happy with one of the FitPet interactive clock faces, or install the Think Fast app and test your ability to rapidly and accurately switch between tasks. Check back often for new apps.
Fitbit Pay
Now you can add up to 6 credit and debit cards to Fitbit Pay on Ionic and choose which card you want to use for each transaction. When you’re ready to pay, swipe right on your watch’s screen to scroll through your cards.
Note this feature is coming soon to the Fitbit app for Windows 10.
This release includes other bug fixes and improvements.
However, the new changelog entry for an update that’s “Sense and Versa 3 only” is misidentified as Fitbit OS 4.2.3. That was a previous update from March for the Versa, Versa 2, and Versa Lite Edition, with the Sense and Versa 3 notably running Fitbit OS 5.x. That said, the contents are clearly new and should be accurate:
That error has been addressed and the update is now referred to as Fitbit OS 5.3.1:
This release includes bug fixes, improvements, and an important security update. For more information about security updates see How do I update my Fitbit device?
The emphasis is on an “important security update,” with Fitbitrecommending that “you apply an important update immediately”:
The security update patches a vulnerability that, if exploited, could compromise data security, potentially allowing access to confidential or sensitive data but stopping short of full code execution.
Past releases only noted bug fixes and improvements. This update is rolled out to a Fitbit Sense we checked this morning. In our brief usage, we’ve yet to spot any other user-facing changes.
Update: Meanwhile, there’s also new firmware for the Charge 4 (1.100.76), Inspire 2 (1.124.76), and Ace 3 (1.134.76) this afternoon that addresses “bug fixes, improvements, and a critical security update.”
The security update patches a vulnerability that, if exploited, could allow attacker-supplied code to gain unrestricted access and potentially go undetected by the customer.
We recommend that you apply a critical update immediately.
The Fitbit Versa 3 is Fitbit‘s best smartwatch for most people. With an always-on display, built-in GPS, blood oxygen and temperature tracking during sleep, and a battery that lasts six days, the Versa 3 holds its own against some of its pricier competitors like the Apple Watch SE and even the Fitbit Sense. While you don’t get the stress tracker and FDA-cleared electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) like the Sense, the rest of the Versa 3’s smartwatch and fitness features are similar. As an added bonus, the Versa 3 costs $100 less than the Sense.
Better design all-around
The Versa 3 still has the same square-ish watch body and metal frame as its predecessor the Versa 2, but it now has a larger 1.58-inch AMOLED screen with slimmer bezels. It’s bright, crisp and easy to see in direct sunlight. It can stay always-on (as a toned-down version with fewer metrics displayed) to give you a quick glance at the time without moving your wrist. And since Fitbit supports third-party watch faces, you have hundreds of different options to choose from.
Despite its aesthetic improvements, the touchscreen and Fitbit interface still aren’t as responsive as what you’d get on an Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch, which also have AMOLED screens. The Versa 3 lags a bit between swipes and takes a while to load apps and display information.
Instead of a physical button on the side of the watch like its predecessors, the Versa 3 now has an indented haptic side button. In theory, this works exactly like a real button, but the haptic feedback is nowhere near as satisfying as pressing a real button and it takes some getting used to.
Fortunately, not all the design changes have a learning curve. Fitbit has also overhauled the strap mechanism on the Versa 3 and now all you have to do to swap out bands is press a button. It’s so much easier than previous models, which had a tiny, fiddly clasp.
Better training tools for fitness tracking
At this point it’s safe to assume most Fitbit devices can handle your basic fitness-tracking needs, measuring steps, distance, calories burned and heart rate. The Versa 3 covers the basics well and has the same fitness features as the more expensive Sense. It tracks 20 different activities including indoor and outdoor swimming and has automatic workout detection for some exercise types like running if you forget to start a session.
It’s also the first Versa smartwatch to have built-in GPS, although not the first Fitbit, as the Charge 4 and Sense also have built-in GPS. As a runner, not having GPS on earlier Versa models was a big pain point for me as I would have to take my phone to get a map of my run (or bike ride). With the Versa 3, I can leave my phone behind and still get the distance and route information of my outdoor workouts. The one downside is that the watch can take a few minutes to lock on to a GPS signal. You’re supposed to stand still while it does this, but I would forget and take off immediately after pressing start, then it would take about four minutes before receiving the confirmation.
The Versa 3 can also give you heart rate zone notifications during workouts. These use your heart rate to determine your effort level, so the watch buzzes to notify you as you enter different zones such as fat burn, cardio or peak for example. This can help you have a sense of when to push yourself a bit harder, or ease up a bit during training. Instead of using steps taken as the sole measure of success during your day, the Versa 3 has a metric called Active Zone Minutes which uses heart rate data to determine how long you’ve engaged in some sort of physical activity, even the ones that don’t require walking around much. So rather than aiming for 10,000 steps, you can aim for something like 20 or more Active Zone Minutes, depending on your goals. According to Fitbit, Active Zone Minutes are a more accurate representation of your fitness level than steps alone.
I like that the Versa 3, as well as other Fitbit devices, sets weekly activity goals rather than judging you on a daily basis. As a parent of two small kids, working from home and trying to squeeze in workouts during a pandemic is tough. I definitely have my off days, so weekly goals were much more realistic and encouraging. I’d look at my daily stats on the watch as a work in progress rather than as a complete failure. The Versa 3 notifies you (and celebrates with an on-screen animation) when you reach your goal before the end of the week. You’ll continue to accumulate points until the end of the week and can see a detailed breakdown of your activity in the Fitbit mobile app.
You can even find out how fit you are if you’re willing to dig deep enough into the settings. The Versa 3 uses your heart rate to estimate your Vo2 max (maximum oxygen consumption during exercise) and plots it on a graph to tell you how you compare to your demographic. On the Fitbit mobile app it’s called Cardio Fitness levels and you can find it by pressing the heart rate tile on the Today summary and swiping left on the graph.
Fitbit Premium subscribers also have access to guided workout programs and videos. A premium subscription costs $10 a month, but you get three months free with the Versa 3. You follow along on your phone with classes from brands such as Popsugar and Daily Burn, or you can download an entire workout to your watch using the Fitbit Coach app. Downloading a workout was more practical for me, as I could usually squeeze in a 10-minute ab workout right after a run without having to look at my phone for instructions.
Plenty of health data if you want it
But the Versa 3 is much more than a fitness tracker. It also monitors other aspects about your health, including SpO2 (blood oxygen levels), breathing rate and variations in skin temperature while you sleep, which can collectively help paint a broader picture of your overall health.
It’s important to note, however, that this is not a medical device, and should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Always consult with a physician or other qualified health provider about any health-related issues you may have about a medical condition or health objectives. Only the ECG on the Fitbit Sense has received FDA clearance.
Fitbit shines when it comes to sleep tracking and the Versa 3 provides one of the most comprehensive looks at your sleep compared to any other smartwatch. Whether that’s actually helpful to you is another thing.
It takes into account duration as well as the different stages of sleep (deep, light and REM), which is standard when it comes to sleep tracking. But then it also breaks out your breathing rate, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and variations in skin temperature while you sleep, and you can review all these stats in the Fitbit app in the morning.
Fitbit also offers advanced sleep analytics for Premium subscribers which put some of this information into context by telling you how you compare to the average person, which was helpful for an amateur sleep tracker like myself. It also gives you tips on how to improve your sleep. For me, that includes getting to bed earlier, which I was already well aware of. Sadly it can’t force me into bed at 10 p.m. — yet.
But one of the biggest pain points for me was that you can’t get this information at a glance on your watch face when you wake up. There’s a summary of your sleep and your SpO2 range (as long as you use a specific watch face), but you’ll have to switch to the Fitbit app for more insights. To me, that kind of defeats the purpose of having a smartwatch. I’d often go days or sometimes even weeks without checking the app. When I did go in and check, though, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the data I found. For skin temperature variability for example, I noticed the dips in the chart coincided with some of the changes in my menstrual cycle (note that the Fitbit Sense also monitors skin temperature too) and I can see how you could start to make correlations between some of these data points over time. Temperature tracking is not something you’ll probably use on a daily basis, but it’s nice to have so much data about yourself to look back on if you ever need it.
The Versa 3 will soon get a new Readiness Score for Fitbit Premium users that takes into account heart rate variability, sleep data and activity level so you can determine if you should push yourself on a workout, or take a rest day. You’ll also receive recommended workouts, meditations and a personalized active zone minutes goal depending on your score.
The Versa 3 gets smarter, but still can’t catch the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch
Fitbit‘s previous smartwatches lagged behind competitors such as the more expensive Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch as they lacked a wide selection of third-party apps and LTE connectivity. The Versa 3 has the same drawbacks and relies heavily on the phone, but it’s at least starting to catch up to the pack, especially when paired with an Android phone.
The Versa 3 now has a built-in microphone and speaker so you can take quick calls on your wrist if you have an Android phone or iPhone. You can also pair the Versa 3 with Bluetooth earbuds. Incoming call notifications will be displayed on the watch regardless of which phone you have, but only Android users will be able to respond to messages from their wrist with quick replies, or by dictating a response.
You can also bark orders at your wrist with two choices of voice assistant on the Versa 3: Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant. And while I haven’t had a chance to fully compare them yet (Google Assistant launched while I was already well into my review) for now Alexa is the only one that can read your responses out loud rather than just displaying them on the screen.
You can also make contactless payments with the Versa 3 with Fitbit Pay and listen to music from Pandora or Deezer. There is no onboard music storage for songs you own, like MP3 files. Instead, you’ll need a Pandora or Deezer subscription to save and store songs for offline listening. While the Versa 3 does have a Spotify app, you can only use it as a remote to control playback on your phone.
Battery life is second to none
The Versa 3 may not be the smartest watch, but it destroys the competition on battery life. Even firing on all cylinders with the always-on display active, a couple GPS workouts and sleep tracking, I was still able to get almost three days of battery out of the watch. You can extend this up to six days with more moderate use and by disabling the always-on display. The Versa 3 also charges faster than previous Versa watches: Fitbit says 12 minutes on the charger will get you a full 24 hours of battery, and 30 minutes on the charger gets you to 100%. But if you’re updating from a previous model, note that the Versa 3 uses a new, proprietary charger so it’s not compatible with your previous one. It’s magnetic and must be positioned at just the right angle to charge, which takes some getting used to.
A happy medium of health features and fitness tracking
The Versa 3 has enough health metrics for people looking to learn more about their bodies without having to spend extra on the Fitbit Sense. It offers practical fitness tools for training and can finally be regarded as a viable option for outdoor running and cycling thanks to its built-in GPS. And it does sleep tracking better than any smartwatch I’ve tested so far.
While the Versa 3 is a solid smartwatch option for Android owners, the Charge 4 may be a better bet for iPhone users wanting a a Fitbit device. For about $100 less, you get a lot of the same great health and fitness features. You lose the some of the added smart features like voice to text replies, but many of them aren’t iPhone-compatible anyway.
When you stop comparing the Fitbit Versa 3 to the Fitbit Sense and compare it to the competition, its value becomes very clear. The Versa 3 has a list price of $229.99. For iPhone users, that makes it cheaper than the Apple Watch SE ($279). While we would ultimately suggest that iPhone users get the Watch SE anyway, people on strict budgets will be happy to save a little cash and get a solid experience with the Versa 3, even though the app library will be comparatively tiny.
At the end of August 2020, Fitbit launched a trio of new wearables. Two were remarkably similar: the flagship Fitbit Sense and the significantly less expensive Fitbit Versa 3. Both smartwatches look pretty much identical, have many of the same features, and even run the same software.
From a features perspective, the Sense is the better device and should be at the top of the heap for any Fitbit fan. However, if you look at the value proposition of both the Sense and the Versa 3
Building up on the success of last year’s Versa smartwatch, Fitbit just announced a worthy successor called the Versa 2. The new version brings several improvements including an OLED display, Amazon Alexa and Spotify integration as well as a faster processor and longer-lasting battery.
Alongside the Versa 2, Fitbit announced a new coaching service called Fitbit Premium. It’s $10 a month or $80 per year and gives you specific guided plans for workouts, calorie intake and weight control.
All Versa 2 variants feature an aluminum casing and now come with NFC which alongside Fitbit Pay allows you to use the watch for contactless payments. There’s also 24/7 heart rate tracking and 50M water resistance which means you’re good to track your swimming workouts.
In addition, it features all the standard fitness tracking modes for running, cycling, yoga as well as new sleep tracking modes. The new Sleep Score function adds a detailed breakdown grade of your sleep patterns based on your heart rate.
The device also features an Always-On Display which comes in handy for a quick glance at the time, workout progress and battery life. As far as battery life, Fitbit is promising 5 days on a single charge which is a full day more than its predecessor. The Versa 2 only has a single button on the left side which is programmable. There’s still no built-in GPS so you’ll need to pair your phone to track your runs.
FOR
Improved lightweight design
Always-on display option
Good battery life
AGAINST
Lacks GPS
No offline Spotify playback
No integration with Apple Health or Google Fit
Fitbit Versa 2 Special Editions
After the launch of Fitbit’s first smartwatch, the Ionic, the company struggled to compete with the likes of the Apple Watch and dedicated running watches from Garmin.
Then, along came the Fitbit Versa and it turned the company’s fortunes around. So it’s no wonder Fitbit quickly followed that up with a cheaper, more pared back Versa Lite smartwatch while also refining the original Versa into a much-improved Versa 2.
With its newest wearable, Fitbit has again proved that you don’t necessarily need topnotch features to make a terrific fitness watch, and it doesn’t need to burn a hole in your wallet. Unlike most other smartwatches on the market, the Versa 2 isn’t looking to replace your phone – in fact, you could call it a dumbed-down version of a smartwatch. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
FITBIT VERSA 2: KEY SPECS
Display: 300 x 300 pixel touchscreen AMOLED Materials: Aluminum watch case Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Water resistance: Up to 50m Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer, optical heart rate monitor, altimeter, ambient light sensor, vibration motor, NFC, microphone, and relative SpO2 sensor Battery life: 5 days of standard usage
The Versa 2 is squarely aimed at users keen on fitness rather than those seeking productivity from a wearable, making it an extension of Fitbit’s excellent fitness tracker range, but one that comes with some extra perks.
While health and activity tracking takes center stage, the Versa 2 bridges the gap between phone and wrist by offering message and calendar notifications, ways to control your smart home setup and play music from your phone while on a run or workout session.
At launch, the price of the Versa 2 matched that of its predecessor in the US and UK, but it’s a tad higher in Australia and, is roughly on par with the price of the Apple Watch Series 3 in most regions.
Purchasing a Versa 2 will also get you a seven-day free trial of Fitbit Premium, the company’s new subscription fitness service. Those treating themselves to the Special Edition Versa 2 will, however, get a 90-day free trial of Fitbit Premium (more on this feature later).
Design and display
Retains ‘squircle’ design
New always-on AMOLED display
Single button
When it comes to the design, Fibit’s mantra seems to be one of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. The ‘squircle’ design of the Apple Watch and the original Versa seems to have been embraced by users and Fitbit has carried that on to the Versa 2. At first glance, the new fitness watch does look strikingly similar to its predecessor, but closer inspection reveals a few small tweaks giving the Versa 2 a very stylish look indeed.
With a depth of 0.47 inches (12mm), it’s only a tiny bit thicker than the Apple Watch 3, but since the chassis tapers inward toward the heart monitor underneath, it actually appears slimmer. And, with a screen size of 40mm, it should fit most wrists.
Thankfully Fitbit has removed its branding from the bottom bezel of the Versa, meaning the bezels on the Versa 2 are slightly thinner, giving you a tad more screen real estate than before. While the display’s black background is usually quite successful at disguising the bezels, they are quite obvious at some angles, albeit easy to ignore.
Where the original Versa had three buttons on the chassis – two on the left and one on the right – the Versa 2 sports just a single button on the left and serves as both the ‘select’ and the ‘back’ button. This means you’re never more than a press or two away from the feature you need to access, while any other navigation you need to perform is done via the touchscreen.
Talking about the screen, that’s the one major hardware improvement worth writing home about. Unlike the LCD display on the Versa, the second-generation Fitbit smartwatch has steps into the age of the bright AMOLED touchscreen, which is protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
It’s capable of hitting upwards of 1,000 nits of brightness although we found this to be actually too bright for general use, setting our Versa 2 to the lowest brightness setting permanently. Even at a ‘dim’ setting, the 300 x 300 resolution screen is crisp and, thanks to its ambient light sensor, is capable of adjusting brightness according to the environment you’re in.
another important feature Fitbit has added to the Versa 2 is an always-on option. By default this option is switched off and you will need to go into the watch’s settings pane to change that selection. At launch, there were no customization options for the always-on watch face and, until now, was limited to a single default analog or digital option. However, a new firmware update has now added plenty of third-party always-on faces, some of which can be customized. They’re available on the companion app, although most of them are paid options, with only a few free watch faces available.
If you prefer using the always-on display – after all, it’s nice to be able to see the watch face without having to move your arm – you’ll find that it cuts the battery life to about half.
Building up on the success of last year’s Versa smartwatch, Fitbit just announced a worthy successor called the Versa 2. The new version brings several improvements including an OLED display, Amazon Alexa and Spotify integration as well as a faster processor and longer-lasting battery.
Alongside the Versa 2, Fitbit announced a new coaching service called Fitbit Premium. It’s $10 a month or $80 per year and gives you specific guided plans for workouts, calorie intake and weight control.
All Versa 2 variants feature an aluminum casing and now come with NFC which alongside Fitbit Pay allows you to use the watch for contactless payments. There’s also 24/7 heart rate tracking and 50M water resistance which means you’re good to track your swimming workouts.
In addition, it features all the standard fitness tracking modes for running, cycling, yoga as well as new sleep tracking modes. The new Sleep Score function adds a detailed breakdown grade of your sleep patterns based on your heart rate.
The device also features an Always-On Display which comes in handy for a quick glance at the time, workout progress and battery life. As far as battery life, Fitbit is promising 5 days on a single charge which is a full day more than its predecessor. The Versa 2 only has a single button on the left side which is programmable. There’s still no built-in GPS so you’ll need to pair your phone to track your runs.
The Fitbit Versa 2 is up for pre-order starting today and will be available in stores starting September 15. Retail for the regular versions is $199 while the special editions which feature an extra woven strap will go for $229.
Yelp, Flipboard, and The New York Times join Fitbit’s burgeoning app catalogue.
Fitbit’s Ionic smartwatch ($299 on Amazon) is getting some new friends for the holidays. A software update available Tuesday will deliver more than 80 new clock faces and a variety of apps so you can control your lights and check stocks while you work out.
The Ionic’s biggest shortcoming as a smartwatch is its paltry selection of third-party apps. While this update won’t necessarily fix that problem, it does bring a few notable additions that enhance what you’re able to do when wearing Ionic:
Flipboard: View health and fitness stories.
Philips Hue: Control your lights.
Surfline: Track swells and weather conditions.
The New York Times: Check the latest headlines.
Yelp: Find nearby restaurants.
Those five apps probably won’t push any fence-sitters over the edge, but it’s good to see developers paying attention to the platform. Along with the above apps, Fitbit is promising five more by the end of the year (Clue, Game Golf, Nest, TripAdvisor, and United Airlines) bringing the total third-party catalogue to 14. Considering the wearable launched with just four third-party apps in September, that’s a veritable bounty. And more are on the way. Fitbit says British Airways, Lyft, and Walgreens apps will arrive in January.
Also new to Ionic are scores of clock faces to provide “at-a-glance information including active minutes, heart rate, games, goal progress, run cadence, sleep, or weather.” The availability of clock faces was one of the disappointments with the original Ionic OS, especially since the Pebble platform it was based on was so robust. Fitbit says more than 1,000 developers have committed developing for Ionic, and it will continue to add clock faces and apps to Ionic throughout 2018.
From lab to wrist
Perhaps most exciting to Ionic users is the launch of Fitbit Labs, a new initiative from Fitbit’s research and development wing that acts as a sort of beta program to showcase new app and clock face technologies the company is working on. The first round of apps and clock faces will be launching later this month and will include:
Fitbit Pet: Clock faces that help you stay active by using your steps to feed and care for dogs and cats.
Mood Log: A clock face that track how you feel and observes your mood patterns over time.
Tennis: An app to track your swing and give insights on your playing style and help improve your game.
Think Fast: A task-switching game to help you understand the effects of sleep and a healthy lifestyle on your mental alertness.
Treasure Trek: An app to help motivate you to stay active through gamification of your steps goal.
Along with the new apps and performance enhancements, the software update will also include include the new banks and multi-card payments to Fitbit Pay, as well as an partnership with Deezer to bring international users the ability to listen to streaming music from the Ionic without a phone. Similar to the service that exists for Pandora users in the U.S., the Deezer app will be available in 2018.
The new software will be rolling out to all Ionic users today. To check the status of your watch, head over to the Fitbit app on your iOS or Android phone.
The impact on your wrist: It’s notable that the first software update to Ionic doesn’t include any fitness features. Fitbit is playing a massive game of catch-up when it comes to the smartwatch side of its flagship wearable, and in all likelihood, the Ionic’s app platform will never be as robust as Apple’s or Google’s. But you can argue that clock faces are more important to smartwatches, and it could be an area where Fitbit carves out a nice niche, especially if the ones introduced here are as well-designed as Fitbit’s fitness ones.
Find the Fitbit best suited to your activity level and habits.
As one of the biggest names in fitness trackers, Fitbit is an easy pick for recording your daily steps or sleep patterns. Selecting a specific Fitbit model, however, isn’t quite as simple.
The different Fitbit trackers have a lot of overlap in features, and so it’s not straightforward which one is the “best.” Moving up the scale in price doesn’t necessarily mean you get all the features of the cheaper trackers plus additional ones.
That’s where we come in. We’ve boiled down the options into three simple picks that should match most people’s activity levels and styles.
Best Fitbit: Fitbit Charge 2
Most people who want a fitness tracker are best matched with a general, all-purpose device that records steps, sleep, and heart rate. The Fitbit Charge 2 does all that well, and offers more on top of it: In addition to basic step tracking, continuous heart-rate monitoring, and sleep tracking, you also get automatic exercise tracking, silent alarms, and reminders to exercise and to practice mindful breathing.
The Charge 2 also offers a sizable OLED display that offers quite a bit of info at a glance. You can tap the display to toggle between step count, mileage, and calories burned. It also shows call, text, and calendar notifications. On average, you can expect 5 days of battery life with normal use.
Two features the Charge 2 lacks are built-in GPS and being swim-proof, so dedicated runners and swimmers may need to choose a different tracker. (The Charge 2 does connect to your phone’s GPS if you bring both devices for a run, though.) It’s also somewhat bulky on smaller wrists, but you can at least dress it up by swapping the default sports band for more stylish options.
Even with those shortcomings, the Charge 2 is great for those who want more data about their daily activities.
Runner-up: Fitbit Alta HR
The Fitbit Alta HR is all but equal to the Fitbit Charge 2, both in feature set and price. Its main distinguishing feature is how slender it is—arguably, it’s more stylish than the Charge 2.
In this compact form, you get basic step tracking; continuous heart rate-monitoring; workout tracking; notifications for calls, texts, and calendar alerts; automatic exercise tracking; sleep analysis; reminders to exercise; and a small boost to battery life over the Charge 2 (7 days instead of 5 days). It does, however, lack the Charge 2’s reminders to practice mindful breathing.
Like the Charge 2, the Alta HR also doesn’t have dedicated GPS and it isn’t swim-proof. Still, its longer battery life gives it something to counter the Charge 2’s larger display, and its heart-rate tracking gives it a boost over the standard Alta.
Best Fitbit if you wear a watch: Fitbit Flex 2
If you’ve already invested in a watch, replacing it with a fitness tracker isn’t an option. The Fitbit Flex 2 is small enough that it can be worn unobtrusively next to a watch or on the opposite arm, as a pendant or a bracelet, or clipped to clothing if you buy a third-party case.
Its feature set covers the basics: step tracking, call and text notifications, automatic exercise tracking, sleep analysis, and reminders to exercise. And while it lacks the more informative display of its Charge 2 and Alta HR siblings, the Flex 2 is water resistant and offers swim tracking.
If you’re looking for a full-featured watch replacement, the Fitbit Ionic will be a better solution (and keep scrolling for more info on the Ionic). For those looking for an unobtrusive and cheaper entry into the Fitbit world, the Flex 2 is it.
Best Fitbit with every feature possible: Fitbit Ionic
The Fitbit Ionic is the fitness tracker for those who want it all. As you’d expect, the Ionic offers step, sleep, heart-rate, swim, and automatic exercise tracking; reminders to exercise; and notifications for calls, texts, and calendar alerts.
But this fitness tracker also has features you’d expect from a smartwatch: a big color display, the ability to store and play 300+ songs on the device, Pandora support, contactless payments, real-time stats for a handful of activities, and push notifications from apps. It even offers personal coaching for workouts directly on the watch.
All of that functionality comes at a cost—the Ionic has a price tag that puts it in the same range as the Apple Watch and Android Wear watches. However, this fitness tracker has an advantage over smartwatches: its battery life. The Ionic will keep chugging along for up to 4 days, while most smartwatches last an average of a day.
To sum up, if your focus is more on having the best fitness tracker that can also support a handful of smartwatch-like functions, then the Ionic is the device for you.
Other options
In case none of these Fitbit options resonate with you, we’ve linked to all of our Fitbit reviews below. We’ll keep the list and this article updated as Fitbit releases new fitness trackers.
If you’re checking out other options in the meanwhile, you can also read our list of best fitness trackers to see our top picks across all brands—including the Apple Watch.
Yes, despite their current “Health by Fitbit” marketing campaign for it.
Why the removal? Speaking to South African publication Tech Central, Google confirmed that the change was made to better “align our hardware portfolio to map closer to Pixel’s regional availability.” The change also applies to Nest products in South Africa.
Update: Google expanded on this in a statement to Android Authority.
Google has long been criticized for the limited availability of its Pixel lineup on the global market, as Pixel phones, watches, and many other Google products are generally only sold in a limited number of countries. With Fitbit cutting its active markets by more than half, it seems like a drastic move.
Google notes that, while products are no longer for sale in these regions, Fitbit customers will still receive support and updates, and extended a free month of Fitbit Premium to any subscribers set to lose their plans.
Redesigned Fitbit app brings back battery percentage