Fitbit's Apple Watch competitor will offer third-party apps & 'app gallery' at launch - CE...
Fitbit's first true smartwatch will launch with select third-party apps and an "app gallery," the company's CEO promised on Friday, trying to dispel earlier rumors.
A software development kit will be available to all developers shortly after launch, Park told The Verge. The SDK is said to be based on software picked up through Fitbit's Pebble acquisition, enabling apps that are also compatible with iOS and Android devices.
The company is expected to use a light touch in reviewing apps, and will let developers build special software shared only with friends and family.
To install apps, the public will have to browse an "app gallery" in the company's existing mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.
Park declined to say when the watch will launch, or name companies it's partnering with for initial apps.
"All we can say at this point is that music is a really important part of the fitness experience, and you'll see functionality related to that," he commented. "When it comes to the music industry, it's not just technical. There are business issues as well when it comes to offline playback."
It's been rumored that Spotify could be missing from Fitbit's initial app slate. Instead Park may be referring to Pandora integration, including offline caching for listening without a smartphone.
Other alleged features include GPS, a heart rate sensor, a unibody aluminum shell, and a bright 1,000-nit display -- all features on par with the Apple Watch Series 2. It may also offer some form of wireless payments, and four-day battery life, which would top the one-day life on current Apple Watches.
Pricing could slot in around $300. Optional BeatsX-like Bluetooth earbuds might cost about $150.
While still a leading wearables maker, Fitbit has lost significant ground in the past year, faced with pressure from Apple and Garmin on the high end and brands like Xiaomi on the opposite side.
A Fitbit smartwatch will likely have to compete against the Apple Watch Series 3, which could ship as soon as this fall. Some rumored technologies include sleep tracking, a glucose monitor, "smart" bands, and/or built-in LTE.
A software development kit will be available to all developers shortly after launch, Park told The Verge. The SDK is said to be based on software picked up through Fitbit's Pebble acquisition, enabling apps that are also compatible with iOS and Android devices.
The company is expected to use a light touch in reviewing apps, and will let developers build special software shared only with friends and family.
To install apps, the public will have to browse an "app gallery" in the company's existing mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.
Park declined to say when the watch will launch, or name companies it's partnering with for initial apps.
"All we can say at this point is that music is a really important part of the fitness experience, and you'll see functionality related to that," he commented. "When it comes to the music industry, it's not just technical. There are business issues as well when it comes to offline playback."
It's been rumored that Spotify could be missing from Fitbit's initial app slate. Instead Park may be referring to Pandora integration, including offline caching for listening without a smartphone.
Other alleged features include GPS, a heart rate sensor, a unibody aluminum shell, and a bright 1,000-nit display -- all features on par with the Apple Watch Series 2. It may also offer some form of wireless payments, and four-day battery life, which would top the one-day life on current Apple Watches.
Pricing could slot in around $300. Optional BeatsX-like Bluetooth earbuds might cost about $150.
While still a leading wearables maker, Fitbit has lost significant ground in the past year, faced with pressure from Apple and Garmin on the high end and brands like Xiaomi on the opposite side.
A Fitbit smartwatch will likely have to compete against the Apple Watch Series 3, which could ship as soon as this fall. Some rumored technologies include sleep tracking, a glucose monitor, "smart" bands, and/or built-in LTE.
Comments
"We look at it from a consumer point of view,” Park said, noting that the Apple Watch, “is a computing platform [instead, and] that’s really the wrong way to approach this category from the very beginning.”
"but the point seems to be that Fitbit tries to make its wearables simple, one-purpose devices. The Apple Watch, meanwhile, tries to be all things to all people — providing notifications, fitness stats, and phone calls — but without excelling in any of them."
Ah, the circle of life continues....pretty funny
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cultofmac.com/426280/fitbit-ceo-apple-watch-is-the-wrong-way-to-approach-wearables/amp/
The next Apple competitor willl offer a cheaper knockoff that looks and functions as close to Apple as posible. This manufacturer will NOT be a past competitor as every new category brings in a new rival.
I like my Apple Watch because it "just works" and it looks stylish. I don't use all the fancy features, but I might some day when I upgrade.
That design looks like the work of a first-year college student (who earned a B in design).
Why is the body of the watch so much bigger than the screen? Why is "Fitbit" taking up so much space? Why do the buttons feature a heavy non-slip texture? What's with that ugly sun (?) icon if that's what it is? Why is temperature (presumably what you want to know) no larger than the name of the city (which you presumably know)?
Just made my Friday, thank you.
So allegedly Fitbit will develop a smart watch that does everything Apple Watch does, down to screen brightness. This watch will have GPS and run apps, with a four day battery.
Right....
More than one day battery? I bet the Apple engineers are really kicking themselves now. How did FitBit find some miracle battery engineers that Apple couldn't.
Wait, how big is this watch?
Maybe it has a little MoonBat engine inside...
This reminds me of the old Microsoft vapor ware promises.
Watch out Samsung! See what I did there?
Well, the secret sauce is of course the size, you can get to 10 days if you carry a rock on your wrist.
All Android phones are proportionally bigger than the Iphone for the battery life they have, but hey Iphone's "fails" because they're not big enough to kill Yaks...
Apple is going about phones all wrong...I like to keep things simple in a phone...calling and customizable ring tones...
im sure that article is out there somewhere
I have read whole bunch of comments from Fitbit users stating that they were buying second-third device, because the previous one stopped working.
Come on. I don't want to spend 80-140 bucks on that crap (x2-x3). I would rather go and spend those money on AW that would cost the same, yet work longer and offer so much more functionality-wise, as well as experience-wise.
I guess when you are a public company you have to stay relevant which often times leads to failure...this has Polaroid written all over it
There is a market for the non-iPhone base, but there are many competitors and that market is likely slower to develop (outside of the cheap buyitoutofcuriousity types) compared with Apple Watch.
Like this Fitbit?
I'd been attracted to the Apple Watch since launch, but was unable to justify the price to myself, but after tallying up the cost of my FitBit habit, and knowing the build quality that Apple seems to maintain, I decided to treat myself to the Nike AW2 in June and (so far) am as happy as Larry!
FitBit... kiss my arse!
You know Apple is in trouble when they continually hide their Watch sales... Finding someone wearing a Apple watch is extremely rare event & Fitbit's are everywhere... I am excited about the new Fitbit watch that is coming, there is no hope that Apple is going to match Fitbit...
I own numerous Apple products, but its current management does not contain any visionary people and all of their products are falling behind and continually playing catch up to their competitors & it is painful to witness... I know the Apple fanboys will go nuts but I am sorry, I am not drinking Apple's Koolaide...
I'm a long-time FitBit user. I bought two FitBit Ones, not because the first one broke, but because I lost the first one. Then I had a Flex which I wore out at least three bands on, including one that caused contact dermatitis on my wrist. I currently have a ChargeHR, which is working OK, but I have no interest in buying a new one. Partly because I think I'm at a point where I can justify an Apple Watch, and partly because FitBit's prices have reached a point where they're way too high for the functionality they offer.
FitBit's build quality is also a bit dodgy. Straps, bands, etc fail a bit too easily. The core electronic component seems fine, mostly, but battery life is a problem. They start at up to a week, but they fall very rapidly to every other day.
So, regardless of comparative price, I personally will look to replace this with an Apple Watch, and not a FitBit watch. I'm just waiting to see if/when Series 3 comes out, then I'll either get one of them, or a Series 2 at a reduced price. Unless this thing fails in the meantime, in which case I guess I'll just get a Series 2.