CES 2016 | Fitbit launches Blaze smart wearable

Fitbit Blaze smart wearable-fitness tracker-smartwatch — Fitbit Blaze

This smartwatch with advanced fitness tracking capabilities works with over 200 smartphones across multiple platforms, but runs Fitbit's proprietary OS.

Codrut Nistor, 01/07/2016

Fitbit is well known for its fitness trackers, and a recent survey of this market niche shows that its products are more popular than Apple's and Xiaomi's. Now, the company brings its first fully featured smartwatch, namely the Fitbit Blaze.

Although it lacks a GPS module, Fitbit Blaze compensates for that with good battery life (up to 5 days), optical heart rate monitoring, altimeter, 3-axis accelerometer, a sweat, rain and splash-proof design, as well as the ability to connect via Bluetooth 4.0 and sync data with over 200 iOS, Android, and Windows devices. This smartwatch is available in two sizes and three colors - black, blue, and plum. Unfortunately, it runs a proprietary OS by Fitbit, so the amount of apps for it will be limited, at least for a while.

Fitbit Blaze can be already pre-ordered and will cost $200 USD at launch while the more basic Charge HR currently retails for $150 USD. Shipments should begin in March if everything goes as planned.