[dropcap]F[/dropcap]itbit have announced the release of their first smartwatch, the Ionic, which focuses on the health and fitness of users.
The Fitbit Ionic comes with multiple new and improved features, such as a heart-rate monitor and integrated antenna for GPS. It can automatically recognise when you run and enter run-mode, as well as monitor resting heart rate and blood oxygen levels.
There are two features of the Ionic that have particularly grabbed consumers’ attention, namely its four-day battery life and the fact that the watch is water resistant up to 50 metres.
“Smartwatches are a platform for us to deliver the most powerful health tools the market has seen,” Fitbit CEO James Park said upon the launch of Fitbit’s newest smartwatch .
The new health functions on the Fitbit Ionic allow for users’ health and fitness to be monitored easily and consistently.
The Fitbit Ionic can now track obstructive sleep patterns, such as sleep apnea. In addition, it has a feature to measure oxygen saturation simply by users wearing the watch as they go about their day to day lives.
Among the many new features in the ‘personal coaching’ function. This generates personal workouts which play on screen and guide users while exercising.
The Fitbit coaching app creates a personal workout regime which is tailored for only you as it uses the information about your body functions that has been collected from your wrist.
The Fitbit personal coaching app also provides a swim mode which calculates how many calories were burned, how many laps were done and plans future exercises in the pool.
“Ionic builds on Fitbit’s health and fitness expertise with a new relative SpO2 sensor, making it possible to track deeper health insights like sleep apnea in the future, industry-leading GPS tracking, on-device dynamic workouts, improved heart rate tracking, and water resistance up to 50 meters,” the company said in their press release for the product.
Fitbit are now planning to release a walking and running audio coach app on the device to allow for further fitness to be carried out through the watch.
As it is a smartwatch, the Ionic allows you to receive smartphone notifications on its scratchproof touchscreen, use contactless payment and store and play up to 300 songs.
The Fitbit Ionic retails at €349 and is available to pre-order now. It will be available in stores by October 2017.
Ellen Fitzpatrick
Image Credit: Fitbit