Fitbit leaving the smartwatch market with new watches

[Guy_]

It would seem that Fitbit are leaving the smartwatch market with the introduction of health only Versa 3 Lite [Versa 4] and Sense Lite [Sense 2] watches.

Gone is Google Assistant
Gone is any form of music
Gone is the standard smartwatch navigation

More details found here

[JohnnyRow]

@Guy_  It is certainly fine to have your interpretation, but you make it sound like the official names are Versa 3 Lite and Sense Lite, with the real names in parentheses.  To me, that is an intentionally misleading way of showing their names.

[Franzfume]

So why don't drop Alexa also? I think is to push pixel phone ....but are different stuff for different market.

I rely on GA so I'll keep my versa 3. 

[Guy_]

@JohnnyRow  - isn't Lite the term they use when something is left out, to make them cheaper, except in this case you have to pay more!?

[t.parker]

@Guy_ on-wrist calls seem to be missing, too. (I stand corrected: feature is marked as "coming soon")

@Franzfume I've been thinking about it but there is really no competition. If Pixel Watch has any serious competitors it's going to be Apple Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch 5. The only thing I can think of is delaying Google services on Sense 4/Versa 3 so Pixel can arrive on the market first with maps and Google Pay, and Google Assistant. Then, why would Google shoot its own foot when Galaxy Watch 5 already comes with all those features? There is a lot more we don't know and we won't know. We may be guessing but the reality is that for a consumer it doesn't matter why things happen. It just matters what happens.

[Franzfume]

Yea and in this case I'll keep versa 3 with GA so new fitbit aren't sold for me. 

[Blake12]

If they drop any way to listen to music without a phone (even with a paid subscription), that would really be difficult to comprehend. I'll have to go back to using my ipod Nano Gen 6 while running. Yes, Fitbit seems unable to offer 2010 technology to store a few songs on their 2022 new devices.

[abdul2961]

I don't really use the smart features in the versa 3 anyway but wanted a bigger screen then the charge 5 which I should have bought. I just hate the fact that they took away local storage music. It has 4yb storage with nothing to put in. Maybe they could have passed a cost saving to the consumer and even out 1gb.... Also I like that the ads now make it clear that some of the features are in the premium subscription.i for one and happy with the versa 3.i had absolutely no issues but the competition has caught up and are offering the paywall blocked features for free and locally stored music.

[dtsoaker]

I really don't get it! Versa 3 Lite is very appropriate for what it is, though. Crazyness that they would drop Google Assistant and keep Alexa... WHEN THEY'RE OWNED BY GOOGLE!

My versa 2 broke on me and I wanted to get the 4, but for $230 and it's missing google assistant? Guess I should just wear my broken versa 2 for a bit more and wait for the pixel, but I don't even know what the price on that thing will be!

[bkushner]

Pixel and Google watch not for Apple phones though.

[bkushner]

Get the Versa 3. It's actually far better then the Versa 4.

[dtsoaker]

I actually just bought a used versa 3. I'm not going to give Fitbit more of my money buying new products that don't last two years.

[Rich_Laue]

Yes @Guy_ Lite is used when features are left out, but then you go on to tell us what has been left out of the Versa 4. To me this sounds like the Versa 4 and Sense 2 are the Lite versions. 

Both the Sense and Versa 3 had more features than their previous models. 

BTW Fitbit said the needed infrastructure for Google Assistant will not be ready during the release.. 

What the difference, with the previous watches are, I don't understand. Maybe the issue is with the newest OS 

[Dopovo]

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@Rich_Laue wrote:

BTW Fitbit said the needed infrastructure for Google Assistant will not be ready during the release.. 

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Can you please provide link about this statement? Thanks