Fitbit Unveils Smart, Swim-friendly Charge 3 Tracker

Freshly introduced Charge 3 is a fitness tracker by popular fitness company Fitbit boasting unique swim tracking and smartwatch-style features.

Fitbit’s Charge 3 is water resistant up to a considerable depth of 50 meters and tracks the user’s swimming. In addition, it checks step count, calories burned, active minutes exercised, among others; these statistics are accessed from the clock face with a swipe to the dashboard. It also offers an auto run detect feature, an enhanced heart rate sensor, and SpO2 (or oxygen saturation) sensor also found in Fitbit’s smartwatch products.

Apart from that, the wearable has a goal-oriented exercise mode that allows the user to set specific time, distance, or calorie objectives before a workout; the device then tracks these goals over the course of an exercise routine.

There are also smartphone notifications on Charge 3 which lets the user view app notifications, take calls, check the calendar, and reply to text messages with quick, canned responses. Several new apps include alarms, timer, weather, and Fitbit’s leaderboard. With these features, Fitbit blurs the fine line between smartwatches and fitness trackers.

Charge 3 is not just functional, it is an aesthetic redesign as well. The new device is fronted by a vertical, monochromatic, Gorilla Glass 3 touchscreen and an all-new aluminum frame. At present, it comes with two color options: a graphite device with a black band and a rose gold tracker with a light gray band.

Fitbit’s Charge 3 is the latest addition to a line of Charge trackers and offers up to 7 days of battery life after one charge.

The wearable has two models: a core version worth 149.95 USD, and a special edition featuring NFC, Fitbit Pay for payments, and an additional band costing a total of 169.95 USD.

Fitbit is offering pre-orders from its website but the device itself will debut in October. (Adapted by Lara Eviota)

Source: The Verge