After some teasing and a fairly considerable amount of leaks, Google’s newest fitness tracker has officially launched. And just as previous reveals have shown, the Fitbit Edge features an oval-shaped display, setting it apart from the screenless Fitbit Air. It’s also being positioned as the middle ground between the simple smartband and the feature-rich Pixel Watch lineup.
The wearable sports an aluminium housing that measures 11.58mm thick and weighs 17.7g. This gets paired with a silicone band with a soft-touch coating. As for the display, it uses a 1.34-inch OLED panel, which the search giant claims is brighter than the ones equipped on previous Fitbit trackers. It also offers 46% more viewing area. Other than that, a physical side button offers quick controls, such as pulling up the workout pause screen. The device also comes with IP68 and 5 ATM ratings.
Under the hood, the Fitbit Edge features a PPG optical heart rate sensor, electrical sensors for ECG functionality, a far field skin temperature sensor, as well as red and infrared sensors for monitoring blood oxygen. These more or less cover your standard health tracking capabilities. Furthermore, the tracker supports the previously announced Health Guardian tools. Users can also access Health Coach, although that requires a Health Premium subscription.
On the fitness side of things, the device is capable of tracking over 50 exercise modes, offering real-time guidance. Meanwhile, a built-in precision GPS promises 40% improved location tracking accuracy for outdoor activities. An altimeter is also on board for measuring elevation changes during activities like hill sprints and outdoor workouts. Furthermore, the wearable can automatically detect and categorise up to 100 workouts, including running and walking.
For day-to-day utility, it comes with features like an alarm and a timer. Users can also access mobile notifications and universal media controls when paired with a phone via Bluetooth. The device also supports quick replies to messages and Find My Device. According to Google, the tracker offers up to seven days of battery life on a single charge. Additionally, charging the device for just ten minutes can offer a day of use. Also worth noting is the fact that this battery is user-replaceable.
The Fitbit Edge comes in four finishes, namely Obsidian, Fog, Olive, and Canyon. At the moment, it is available for pre-order in the US with a US$179.99 (~RM735) price tag. There’s also a Stephen Curry Special Edition that goes for US$219.99 (~RM899), plus a selection of bands. Although it seems that Google will be releasing the fitness tracker outside of the US as well, there has been no word on a Malaysian launch.
(Source: Google [1], [2])
