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Fitbit reinvents its original wearables

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 31 Aug 2016
The Fitbit Charge 2 features improved heart rate monitoring.
The Fitbit Charge 2 features improved heart rate monitoring.

Fitness tracker manufacturer Fitbit this week unveiled two new products: the Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Flex 2.

The Charge 2's predecessor, the Charge HR, was one of the first fitness wristbands to include heart rate monitoring as part of its offering. Heart rate data is helpful when monitoring health levels, as a decreased resting heart rate over time is a sign the body is getting fitter.

The Charge 2 uses that data in two new ways.

Firstly, it is able to give users a "snapshot" of their cardio fitness level by providing an estimated VO2 Max (a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen that an athlete can use). This uses data from users' profiles, heart rate and exercise data. Professional athletes would normally only be able to access this reading in sports labs.

The device will also give users guidance on what action to take to improve their scores.

Secondly, the Charge 2 uses heart rate data to offer personalised guided breathing sessions to relieve stress. The new feature, called "Relax", establishes the user's personal breathing rate and then uses that to help initiate two- to five-minute breathing sessions. Users will watch their device and breathe in and exhale on visual or vibrating prompts.

The Charge 2 also tracks exercise across different sports, has GPS, displays notifications, and reminds sedentary users to move throughout the day.

The company's first tracker was the Flex with interchangeable straps, launched three years ago. All Fitbits since have not been customisable.

The redesigned Flex 2 brings back interchangeable straps and is waterproof up to 50m.

This is the first Fitbit suitable for swimmers. The Flex 2 automatically picks up when users are swimming and tracks laps or duration.

Both devices will come with replaceable bands available in a range of colours. There will also be leather or metal band options later this year.

The Charge 2 will be available in SA from tomorrow for R2 999 and the Flex 2 will be in stores in October for R1 899. The purchase will only include one colour band, as more colour options will be sold separately.

The company has also updated the software on its larger, more watch-like fitness tracker, the Fitbit Blaze. The new features include reminders to move, and new clock faces which will include real-time personal health data to motivate wearers.

The device will also now show notifications from social media and messaging apps. The update will be available free from September.

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