Technology
Where is Fitbit’s Wear OS watch?
2022 goes to be a giant 12 months for Put on OS. Google’s rumored to be making its personal Pixel Watch (once more). Older Put on OS 2 watches are anticipated to lastly make the transition to Put on OS 3. Samsung’s promised that Google Assistant will be coming to its Galaxy Watch 4 within the “coming months.” However there’s one thing notably lacking from this Put on OS lineup: Fitbit.
Since Google and Samsung first introduced their partnership finally 12 months’s Google I/O, Fitbit CEO James Park hasn’t been coy. He’s stated a number of occasions {that a} premium Fitbit smartwatch operating Put on OS was within the works. This 12 months would be the one the place Put on OS 3 debuts on a wider scale. It could’ve been stellar timing to unveil a Put on OS Fitbit. Nonetheless, a 9to5Google report notes that though code uncovered within the Fitbit app hints at a number of new merchandise, not a single one will run Put on OS.
As an alternative, it appears like Fitbit could also be planning a Sense 2, a Versa 4, and a Fitbit Luxe 2. The code reportedly makes reference to a “software program bridge” that shares information between the machine and cellphone utilizing Bluetooth. In keeping with the report, Put on OS makes use of a unique technique of sharing information between your cellphone and watch — that means Put on OS watch seemingly wouldn’t want that so-called bridge. Two of the rumored units share the identical sq. display decision because the Versa 3 and Sense. The opposite matches the Luxe. That hints at updates to current product traces somewhat than creating one thing new. If true, all this strongly suggests it’s not going we’ll see a Put on OS 3 Fitbit anytime quickly.
After all, none of that is official. Issues can dramatically change between when a product is in testing and when it truly lands on cabinets. It’s simply disappointing to see — and for Fitbit, rehashing the identical method isn’t in its finest curiosity.
In 2014, Fitbit was a number one wearables maker, with almost 40 p.c of the market. In keeping with Statista, Fitbit’s market share in 2020 had dwindled to a measly 2.9 p.c. Yearly has seen Fitbit’s piece of the pie get smaller, and smaller, and smaller. There’s nobody issue that led Fitbit right here, but when I needed to decide one, it’d be that Fitbit merchandise have gotten a bit stale.
In my evaluations, I usually joke that Fitbit doesn’t like to repair what isn’t damaged. You’ll be able to take a look at the evolution of its widespread Cost health trackers to see that in motion. For those who lined up the Cost 2, 3, and 4, I assure you most individuals wouldn’t have the ability to inform the distinction. Equally, as soon as it grew to become clear that its authentic Versa smartwatch was widespread, Fitbit started pumping out Versas left and proper. Once more, in case you lined up the Versa, Versa 2, Versa Lite Version, and Versa 3, you’d be hard-pressed to say what was distinctive about every. I reviewed all 4 of them, and even I’d need to take a re-assessment.
That’s why it was a breath of recent air in 2020 when Fitbit lobbed a hail mary of a fall product launch. The Fitbit Sense launched FDA-cleared EKGs and added an electrodermal exercise sensor — one thing that no different wearable firm had finished but. Google Assistant was added to the Sense and Versa 3. The corporate additionally upgraded its Pure Pulse 2.0 coronary heart price monitoring tech, and throughout, significant updates have been available. That power continued into 2021, when Fitbit made the primary important updates to the Cost lineup in years and launched the modern Luxe.
However until Fitbit has some new sensor it’s been hiding or lastly figures out tips on how to add LTE to its trackers, it’s arduous to get jazzed over a Sense 2, Versa 4, and Luxe 2. There are such a lot of extra inexpensive Fitbit alternate options lately — and plenty of of them are fairly good.
A Fitbit Put on OS smartwatch, nevertheless, would give a much-needed increase to the Put on OS ecosystem.
Proper now, Put on OS watches are predominantly Fossil Group watches. They’re positive. Samsung’s there now, too, with the Galaxy Watch 4, and there’s a smattering of luxurious manufacturers for absurd costs. Fossil and luxurious smartwatches prioritize the aesthetic. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 is definitely nice but additionally doesn’t serve non-Samsung cellphone house owners properly.
Now would’ve been a good time for Fitbit to bust in just like the Kool-Support man to supply a very platform-agnostic Put on OS 3 watch. Proper now, the one choice for that’s Mobvoi’s TicWatch 3 lineup — and let’s be actual. You’ve most likely by no means heard of Mobvoi, whereas Fitbit is a family title.
Plus, you possibly can’t low cost Fitbit’s huge expertise with well being information. It’s additionally bought a number of superior well being options that would ostensibly tackle the Apple Watch. Earlier this week, the corporate introduced it had requested the FDA to clear passive atrial fibrillation monitoring. It was the primary to implement SpO2 sensors in 2017, and it’s been arduous at work researching sleep apnea. Rolling all of these items right into a Put on OS 3 watch would’ve been one thing to truly be enthusiastic about.
A Fitbit Put on OS watch will arrive in the future. Hopefully. And as long as it doesn’t crap the mattress as arduous because the OnePlus Watch, it’ll be nice for all the explanations listed. The rumored Pixel Watch will supposedly have some type of Fitbit integration, however everyone knows that’s not the identical factor.