Google-owned Fitbit appears to be readying an update to its Charge fitness tracker lineup, based on a leaked video and renders of the wearable shared online.
pic.twitter.com/tsJbpTwgLx — Evan (@evleaks) August 14, 2021
With a price tag said to be $179, the Fitbit Charge 5 will be $50 more expensive than the current Charge 4, but there are some obvious hardware changes on the way that have more in common with the Fitbit luxe, not least being a full-color rounded display that traces the curve of the ergonomic wrist strap.
The images suggest the device will have capacitive touch areas on the sides, and according to the leaked video, the Charge 5 will additionally have built-in GPS and ECG sensors, as well as an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor that claims to track your stress levels.
The EDA sensor plays into the company's Daily Readiness Score, which is a subscriber-only Fitbit Premium feature ($10 per month or $80 per year). The score is based on your exercise history, sleep, and heart rate, and is used to recommend what exercise routine you should undertake each day.
Fitbit Charge 5
179 USDhttps://t.co/6bhJFPBI6x — Snoopy (@_snoopytech_) August 22, 2021
Every device purchased comes with a six-month trial of Fitbit Premium, which is clearly competing with Apple Watch and its Apple Fitness+ integration, with guided workouts and programs on offer on top of sleep tools and other health insights.
The Fitbit Charge will be available in at least three colors, and there's no word on the specific release date for the fitness tracker-cum-smartwatch, but Google is likely to place it strategically around the launch of the Apple Watch Series 7 that's expected to be announced in the next month or so.
