Cameron Summerson
Fitbit announced several new things this morning: the recently-rumored Versa 2, a cheaper smart scale in the Aria Air, and the most interesting, a new Fitbit Premium service. Let’s talk about it.
The Versa 2 Appears to Be Better in Every Possible Way
I’m a massive fan of the original Versa—it’s my favorite “smartwatch,” and I basically live off of it. The only time I take it off is when I shower (so it can charge). But it’s not perfect. The Versa 2 looks to improve on an already-excellent package with a slew of a minor, but meaningful upgrades.
The biggest thing on the list is probably Amazon Alexa integration. The Versa 2 has an onboard microphone so you can shout to Alexa and tell her to do all the things you’d tell an Echo speaker—turn on your lights, check the weather, play some music, and all that other jazz. And for the first time, you’ll also be able to use voice dictation (again, courtesy of Alexa) to reply to text messages directly from your Versa 2. That’s a considerable upgrade in itself.
Fitbit also chose to switch from an LCD panel to OLED for the Versa 2’s marginally larger display. The reason for this is two-fold: for one, it means increased brightness for better outdoor viewing; the more significant reason, however, is because the Versa 2 has an always-on display. This is probably the feature I wanted the most from an update, and the more efficient OLED display makes this possible since it can toggle individual pixels for efficiency.
Speaking of efficiency, the Versa 2 also has a faster processor, better battery life, improved watch faces, and a more efficient layout. It’s a big upgrade in a small package—and it does all this for the same $200 price of the current Versa (or $230 for the Special Edition). You can pre-order the Versa 2 today.
Fitbit Premium Is a Way to Get More From Your Data
Fitbit collects a lot of data on you and your wellness, but it also provides a lot of great info with this data—still, it could do more. And that’s exactly what the Fitbit Premium service is all about. Getting more useful info from your data.
The Premium service will set you back $10 a month (or $80 a year) and offer a slew of in-depth details about your fitness level, heart rate, sleep data, and a lot more. It will also allow you to set custom goals for yourself (and remind you to hit those goals), as well as set customizable challenges against your Fitbit friends.
What’s more interesting, however, is that Premium can generate a “wellness report” with detailed information about your heart rate, fitness level, sleep quality, and more. You can then take this information to your yearly wellness visit with your doctor (you do get an annual wellness checkup, right?) which can provide them more meaningful information than what you can share in a quick chat. That’s very cool.
Fitbit Coach will also be included with the Premium subscription, which is normally $8 a month (or $40 a year) on its own. There’s also an additional coaching service coming soon that will offer access to a certified wellness coach for one-on-one coaching and workouts, guidance, and additional motivation. I also hope this means custom nutrition plans, which would be a huge benefit for almost all Fitbit users.
Fitbit Premium will be available in English-speaking regions starting in September. For more information, check out the press release.
The Aria Air Is the Smart Scale for Everyone
The Fitbit Aria 2 is the most popular smart scale you can buy. It’s also $130, which is pretty steep for a lot of users. The Aria Air looks to change that with its $50 price tag—the cheapest smart scale Fitbit has ever released. It will track your weight and BMI, keeping that data synced with your Fitbit account.
It’s unclear what else the Aria Air will be able to track, but this is in addition to the Aria 2, not a replacement for it. The odds are the Air will stop at weight and BMI, leaving more advanced metrics to the more robust Aria 2.
It will go on sale starting in September.
