Josh Hendrickson
Today, Fitbit announced the new Charge 4, and while it may look like a Charge 3 on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. In the past, if you wanted built-in GPS or NFC, you had to spend more (at least $20 for NFC). But now, the Charge 4 includes that, and Spotify-controls, among other new features. Not bad for $149.
Not everyone needs or wants a full-blown smartwatch, so the Charge series of fitness trackers continues to be an essential line of devices for the Fitbit company. But, the Charge 3 was starting to feel a little limited.
With the Charge 3, Ii you want to track your location on a run, you need your phone. If you want to buy something while you were out, you need a wallet, your NFC-enabled phone, or to spend extra on the Charge 3 Special Edition. Want to listen to music? You guessed it; you need to pull out and use another device.
The Charge 3 makes leaving as much home as possible during a workout a tricky proposition. The Charge 4 solves most (if not all) of those issues. Thanks to built-in GPS tracker, NFC tracker, and SpO2 sensor, you can mostly give up your phone.
The one slightly missing feature is music. The Charge 4 is a sleek fitness band so you won’t be loading your playlists on it. But thanks to new Spotify Controls, you can at least keep the phone packed away while you workout. You’ll just need it close enough for the devices to communicate. And if you don’t listen to music, then you won’t need your phone.
Fitbit is also introducing a new Activity Zone Minutes alongside the Charge 4. The company says this tracking compares your resting heart rate, along with your age, to understand better how your exercise is working for you. The idea is everyone is at a different place in their health goals, so tailoring exercise tracking should be more useful.
You can pre-order the Charge 4 from Fitbit today for $149 in three select colors. It comes with a 90-day trial for Fitbit Premium. The company says orders will ship out on April 13th, 2020. For an extra $20, you can pick up the Special Edition, which is the same device but with a reflective band.
