Fitbit Versa offers an alternative to the Apple Watch
The market for wearables was dominated by Apple in 2017. According to IDC, Fitbit had been the market share leader in 2016, but the San Francisco-based company was overtaken by the rivals in Cupertino last year. Fitbit’s market share decreased from 18.5% to 14.2%, while Apple’s market share grew from 14.4% to 21.0%. It is likely that Fitbit will want its latest smartwatch release, the Versa, to challenge Apple’s current lofty position in the global wearables market.
The device, which is available for pre-order at a price of US$199.95 and ships in “2-3 weeks,” has been receiving generally positive reviews. Plus points for the wearable include its price point, battery life, good looks and its fitness-related features. However, to attain the sub-US$200 figure, Fitbit has had to do away with features such as NFC and GPS for the basic version of the device. If you are willing to shell out US$229.95 then you can have the special edition of the Versa that incorporates Fitbit Pay and NFC functionality.
The current consensus in regard to the Versa is that it is unlikely it will lure Apple devotees away from the Apple Watch series, but it could appeal to users who prefer a different OS, like Android. The Versa offers more than 15 exercise modes, customizable clockfaces, Fitbit OS 2.0, smartphone notifications and it comes in black, rose gold or silver-colored bezels for the basic version. The special editions offer either a graphite-colored bezel with a charcoal woven strap or a rose-gold bezel with a lavender-colored strap.
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