Fitbit unveiled on Monday its new Charge 2 and Flex 2 fitness monitors, which adapt to all kinds of workouts and sports.
Initial comments provide a good outlook of the wearables that will substitute the best-selling Charge HR and Flex trackers. However, creativity is not among the highlights of the bands’ reviews. The new Charge 2 comes with an improved non-touch screen that is four times larger than the previous model. The new design works by pressing a circle button at the side of the device to travel trough the different options within the system.
Charge 2: Specs, price, design
The Charge 2 comes with PurePulse Heart Rate monitoring, and GPS step tracking, which is no surprise in the industry. It also features alerts for calls, texts, and calendars.
The wearable monitors the cardio levels on users, as well as all-day activity. The software includes auto-sleep tracking, smart track, reminders to move and a newly added characteristic that guide users trough breathing sessions.
Cherlynn Low from the tech site Engadget reviewed the Charge 2 and its new functions finding that the “updated bands look better than before, but they’re not very exciting.”
Low said that she had to keep her arm up for two-five minutes while using the Charge’s breathing sessions feature. Other reviewers, including Lauren Goode’s from The Verge, also praised the bigger screen.
The Charge 2 comes in six different colors, including two special edition colors, all with the possibility of exchanging bands. The starting price for the device is $149.95 just like the older model.
Flex 2: Specs, price, design
The Flex2 is swim proof and tracks the user’s performance in the water. It also features reminders to move, smart track, auto-sleep tracking, and a led display, with a battery that lasts up to five days. The device starts in the market at $99.95 and is adaptable to the users’ fashion taste.
Fitbit is one of the top-selling companies when it comes to tracking and fitness devices. Since it first started in 2007, it has achieved a substantial market increment, but the ongoing competition in the industry has lowered its business value.
In the first quarter of 2015 the company experienced a 48 percent increment on its value but the competition equaled the company. Its shares lowered 25 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to International Data Corp.
Source: Fitbit