VIDEO: FITBIT GOES FULL-ON WATCH AND IT IS WATERPROOF!
Introducing the Fitbit Ionic!
The Fitbit Ionic features a rectangular LCD touch screen that stands out from many of the circular smartwatches on the market. Fitbit vice president of design Jonah Beckett explained the curved glass was a deliberate choice to break away from the flat-screen feel you often encounter on other watches.
The screen is firmly embedded in the watch case, so you cannot pop it out to change the straps. On the right side, you'll find two buttons with tactile geometric faceting—a fancy way of saying a textured finish to make identifying them by touch practical—and a single button on the left. The Ionic has a fairly slim profile, and even though the back protrudes a bit, it shouldn't snag on shirt or jacket sleeves.
In terms of hardware, the Ionic has one notable difference from previous Fitbits. If you flip it over, you'll see an array of three LEDs—two red, one blue—in addition to the customary green optical sensor. That's a noteworthy change that opens the Ionic up to more medical use cases. Currently, most trackers use green light to measure heart rate, but red light can give you a more accurate read, as well as measure a host of other biometrics. Meaning the red light is used to measure blood oxygen saturation.
The Fitbit Ionic is compatible across all mobile platforms, which is great news for Android users and iOS users who do not want to use an Apple Watch.
The Fitbit Ionic isn't meant to be a standalone smartwatch. While you can get all your customary call, text, and app notifications, there's no LTE connectivity for making calls or replying to texts without your phone nearby. You also need your phone for the initial setup, syncing data, customizing clock faces, and tweaking your preferences.
A single charge is estimated to last four days or up to 10 hours while using GPS. The Ionic's $300 price tag places it firmly in Apple Watch territory, and is set to release in October! In the meanwhile have a look at the gallery to see the Fitbit Ionic in a full 360-degree view, and indulge in the video to see why Fitbit's focus is mainly on fitness...