Fitness corporation Fitbit announced that it will be releasing its latest charge tracker known as the Fitbit Charge 3 this October.
The Charge 3, which is an upgraded version of the Charge 2, is empowered with improved band swapping mechanics, longer battery life, and enriched OLED touchscreen display not to mention its water resistant capability. The Charge 3 will come in two versions namely the $149.95 core model and the $169.95 special edition which is bolstered with NFC features and Fitbit Pay.
Same Price But Heightened Features
For the same $150 starting price as the Charge 2, the Charge 3 also sports a full-Android phone notifications feature that lets its users to directly respond to messages and access timers, weathers, and alarms. In addition, the Charge 3 is likewise strengthened by a SmartTrack component that enables users to automatically record exercises such as swims, runs, and elliptical.
"This advanced fitness tracker is packed with smart features that are compatible with iPhone, Android & Windows Phones. Windows compatibility coming soon," Fitbit posted on its website.
Fitbit likewise asserts that the SpO2 heart rate sensor on the Charge 3 provides a more precise heart rate and sleep tracking. According to the company, the Charge 3, which works in water or with gloves, also exhibits a haptic virtual button which can be used by users in controlling the fitness tracker.
Regardless of its attractive features, the Charge 3 is not girded with a GPS feature after a deliberate decision on the company's part. Fitbit revealed that it decided to take away the GPS component in favor of improved design, battery life, and price.
Fitbit Faces Stiff Competition
Meanwhile, industry experts believe that the Charge 3 is expected to face a tough competition with Samsung Galaxy Smartwatch, Google's Wear OS Smartwatches, and Apple Watch Series 4. Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC believes that Fitbit is in the position to gain a significant share since many players have exited the competition.
"Many players have already exited or aren't as prominent, so the company is in a good position to gain a larger share," Ubrani explained.
IDC added that Fitbit and Garmin will likely sell 47 million devices a year by 2021. Fitness trackers became a hot toast in the market last year when it sold 45 million devices, which is 15 times more than the number of trackers sold in 2013.
At present, Apple is at the top of the food chain with a 22 percent market share thanks to the continuous interest in smartwatches and cutting-edge features such as cellular connectivity. Fitbit comes in second at 14 percent with Xiaomi trailing behind.
