Fitbit's new smartwatch, Ionic, up close: Is it an Apple Watch killer?
Smartwatches
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Fitbits newest fitness tracker is also a smart watch, and the ionic could maybe give the Apple watch a run for it's future set.
It's a clear attempt to compete at the top end with a lot of features.
It looks like last year Blaze but it's sleeker.
And it also adds a lot of good function.
Like 50 meter swim water resistance, contactless payments, which work about like Apple Pay or Android Pay.
And onboard music.
Your own music library needs to be transferred via computer, but there's also support for Pandora's premium service, On Watch, for offline playlists when you run.
Music playback happens over Bluetooth, Fitbit even has its own set of fitness headphones, The Flyer, that promise faster auto-pairing between the ionic watch and a phone.
The design looks sharp, it's got a brighter 1000 nit display and the all metal body and swappable bands, ranging from perforated sport ones to leather designs, feel similar to what Fitbit's other charge and Ulta accessories look like.
Fitbit promises 4D battery life for every day use including a daily run.
The Ionic also has apps much like Pebble, the company that fitbit acquired, there's going to be future watch face and app store promising all sorts of ideas including games down the road.
Right now there are only four baked in apps.
Starbucks, Strava, Pandora, and AcuWeather.
The Ionic also has timers, a stopwatch Baked in workouts which happen via Fitstar and support for more on board coaching down the road, including audio coaching that's going to be available in 2018.
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Fitbit also claims the heart rate tracking technology on the Ionic can track other conditions including sleep apnea, although that won't be available right now.
Now.
The Ionic promises the most complete fitness watch Fitbit's ever made.
But it also costs 300 dollars when it day-views in October.
Will it be worth it?
We won't be able to answer that until a full review.
But this looks like the complete package.
It feels a lot better to wear than the Blaze, and it does a lot more too.
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