The successors to the Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatches are due out this year, and now we have a better idea of what the new devices will look like, thanks to a large set of leaked images.
Images courtesy of 9to5Google (Opens in a new tab), and while the new models aren't too different from the old ones, there are a few design improvements worth noting. We expect the wearables to be officially unveiled any day now.
Perhaps the most notable change is the introduction of physical buttons to replace the capacitive buttons built into the case; the latter can help reduce the size of the device, but they are also more difficult to wear on the wrist.
Not so great designs(*4*)
The original Fitbit Sense had a stainless steel ring that was used to take electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, and it appears that on the Fitbit Sense 2 it has been placed more neatly on the display and case, for a smoother overall aesthetic appearance. polished.
The Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4 appear to stick with the same magnetic chargers as their predecessors, while minor changes under the casing could indicate the introduction of new sensors. It looks like GPS and 50-meter water resistance will be coming to both wearables.
We've known for some time that these new smartwatches are on the way, but there hasn't been a spring launch yet. Now it looks like they're going through the regulatory process, and Fitbit will want to put them on sale before the all-important holiday season.
(*2*)Analysis: no Google signal yet(*4*)Fitbit became part of the Google family in 2019, but we haven't seen any real proof of the deal yet: Fitbit products haven't changed drastically since then, and the Fitbit and Google Fit apps remain entirely separate from one another.
Current Fitbit smartwatches don't run Wear OS, and it doesn't look like the new ones, either. Right now, you need a third-party app to sync your Fitbit stats with Google Fit; that's strange considering the companies are now working together.
We'll have to wait and see what software tweaks may come with the arrival of the Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4. There may be additional support for Google Fit, or something else in terms of integration and compatibility apps. Time will tell.
What we do know is that the Google Pixel Watch is on the way, which could be the future of smartwatches developed by Google and Fitbit. It's not necessarily certain that we'll get a Fitbit Sense 3 or a Fitbit Versa 5 in the future.