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 US$ 10 a month or US$ 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 US$ 199 while the special editions which feature an extra
woven strap will go for US$ 229.
