|fitbit charge 3

The New Fitbit Charge 3 Tracker: Leaked

Fans of the Fitbit will be thrilled to hear the new leaks on the upcoming evolution of their tracker. The Fitbit Charge 3 isn't slated until later this year, but we have some juicy info on what we can expect it to perform. Fitbit's best seller, the Charge 2, has seen some big sales lately. You can't help but get excited knowing that stores are making way for the Charge 3. If you're someone who is partial to fitness trackers over smartwatches, this Fitbit news is for you. As with all tech leaks, nothing is set in stone. Sometimes specs are higher or lower than originally rumored. You can put some faith into these leaks, as major establishments like Bloomberg have reported on them.

Previous Fitbit Leaks

To put a little backstory on this recent leak of the Fitbit Charge 3, let's revisit what went down last year. The first leaks for Fitbit mentioned the launch of a new smartwatch and the successor to Fitbit Blaze 2. The smartwatch leaks were accurate, save for the name of the device, Fitbit's Ionic. The Blaze 2 was simply rebranded to the Versa, so that rumor was also technically true. Fast-forward to today and we are approaching the two year anniversary of the Charge 2. It came out in September, so does that mean we'll see the third iteration next month? Well, no official word has been released on exactly when the Charge 3 will hit stores. That's pretty standard for most tech companies, of course.

Fitbit Charge 3 Design

The leaked photos of the new Charge 3 immediately display a wow-factor. You'll first notice the wider selection of colors and straps. Need to change the band on your Fitbit Charge 3? Along with the standard straps, you'll find new breathable fabric straps and perforated silicone straps. The device itself has the same low-profile look to it. The screen looks to be slightly thinner with smaller bezels. The logo still takes up a bit of real estate at the bottom of the screen. We like the hints of a customizable screen, too. Overall, the new Charge 3 looks to be a more comfortable Fitbit. The device looks lighter, lower profile, and more modern. It makes the Charge 2 look like a kids device, in comparison.

Swipe Left for Heartrate?

What might be missed at first glance is the missing button on the left of the Charge 3. It's replaced with a weird divot in its place. This might mean that Fitbit has decided to transition into all touchscreen functionality. Most of us felt cheated that the Charge 2 had a screen that wasn't properly touch-sensitive. It moves through menus via a tap, but it doesn't work as smoothly as the touchscreen on most modern mobile devices. We want simple, but responsive touchscreens, please. Some fans of the tracker might see this as a con, as we all know sweaty fingers don't play well with screens. We'll hold our reservations, for now, until we actually get our hands on the device. Although, it wouldn't be too shocking to see them move in this direction. The Versa and Ionic have been successes.

Features and Capabilities

We expect to see more out of the new Fitbit, going off of what the market is trending. Look forward to having your fitness tracker doing more and being more responsive. The Charge 2 is an absolute must-have device for anyone who hasn't used one before. With that said, the growth of fitness tracker capabilities has increased steadily over the past two years. We don't know any of the hard specs as of right now, but you can expect the Fitbit Charge 3 to have more power. It will likely incorporate some of the smart features from Fitbit Ionic. Things we would like to see include: a proper GPS tracker, waterproof capabilities, and Fitbit Pay. The contactless payment service would be such a big help for those who prefer to run unencumbered. Even a simple card/money clip can feel like a hindrance. Other Fitbit fans have been calling for a smarter alarm system. An alarm that will wake you out of a light sleep or let you sleep for a bit longer, to be precise. The idea is to set an alarm clock range. The heart rate monitor can then detect whether your quality of sleep will benefit from more or less shuteye time.

What Will it Cost?

To answer this question, we need to look at what Fitbit could charge based on competition. Yes, the Charge 2 came out for $150, but the fitness band/smartwatch industry has changed a bit. They could certainly release their new Fitbit tracker at the same price. There are a few reasons why it might cost a bit more, though. If Fitbit is leaning towards more smartphone hybrid features, then it needs to be priced as such. Competitors like Polar price their fitness trackers at about $190. It is also worth noting that the Fitbit Charge 2 is still going for $120 new. A $30 price difference for the new model isn't wide enough to keep interest in the previous generation. If they decide to drop the price to $100, then toss that consideration out.

High Expectations, Higher Goals

With the decline in popularity of pure fitness tracker bands in favor of smartwatches, Fitbit must pounce. They still lead the market, but if their next iteration isn't enough of an improvement, we could see abandonment. Fitness trackers will still have their place, just not as high-end fitness devices as they once were. As smartwatches become, uh, smarter, smaller, and more affordable, only loyalists will keep wearing trackers. We have faith in the Fitbit Charge 3, though. Everything looks great on paper. Keep checking back on our blog for more Fitbit news updates. As soon as we learn more solid information or an official release date, we'll let you know. Check out the Mobile Mob store for any mobile accessories and items at a discount. There's a wide selection of cases, adapters, cords, and mobile devices for any occasion. We offer deals for commercial wholesalers, too.
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