Since Fitbit absorbed Pebble like an intergalactic space creature would a taco sandwich, all eyes have been trained on the fitness wearable company to see what they’re going to do with their new acquisition. Rumours have hinted at a smartwatch and this latest set of leaks appear to confirm that fact.
This is what the upcoming Fitbit smartwatch will look like.
Right off the bat, the similarities between it and the company’s current Fitbit Blaze are uncanny. Both have a similar shape and button placement and also have their heart-rate monitor protrude out a little more from the rest of the body for what we assume is to get a better read on your heart rate. One nice thing is that it doesn’t appear to sport the Blaze’s super dumb charging method which is something we can all look forward to.
Speaking of heart rate, the Fitbit smartwatch also looks like it’s changing things up with the kind of sensors they use. This time it seems to be relying on red LED sensor instead of a green one that’s usually used in wearable trackers. Although a green LED light is traditionally used because blood absorbs it better, a red light can actually penetrate deeper to open up new biometrics and potentially get a more accurate heart rate.
Besides the red LED Wearable also points out that the new smartwatch could have what looks like an infra-red scanner which can complement the heart rate monitors on the watch.
Considering the Fitbit’s new smartwatch will go up against the wildly popular Apple Watch, it’s no surprise that Fitbit is pulling out all the stops — in fact, they probably can’t afford to do otherwise since the Apple watch is such a complete smartwatch package. And Fitbit is doing just that as reports indicate that this smartwatch from Fitbit will also be waterproof up to 50m and will include GPS built-in.
We’re not sure what kind of operating system Fitbit’s new smartwatch will run but Fitbit did acquire Pebble for their software so it’ll probably be proprietary.
It’s going to be a tough climb for Fitbit if they want to regain their No.1 spot in the wearable market but while 2017 may be a difficult time for the company, there is confidence that they will have everything sorted out by the time 2018 rolls around.
What do you guys think of Fitbit’s new smartwatch? Let me know in the comments below.
