Fittin' Awesome - Fitbit Versa 2

Fitbit rolls out a new smartwatch with extended battery life, Alexa support

- Kunal Gangar

Fitbit’s smartwatch ambitions started with the launch of Ionic and while the device was a good first smartwatch attempt, the design was not for many. However, things changed with the Versa last year and now with Versa 2, Fitbit is doubling down on the features and design.

The Versa 2 looks similar to its predecessor with a square dial and curved edges but is more refined. The brushed anodized aluminum case is soft and so is the included band, which can be changed very easily. The smartwatch has also shed the Fitbit logo at the bottom of the screen to accommodate a slightly larger screen with glass protection from Corning. But display size is not the only thing that has been improved here as the Versa 2 now sports an OLED panel versus the Versa’s LCD. Having an OLED panel works well for a wearable as it translates to better legibility and power-efficiency.

Fitbit has also tidied up the physical buttons, which has gone from three in the Versa to just one in the Versa 2. It acts as a wakeup or back button and even an Alexa or Fitbit Pay trigger if you long-press it.

Since Fitbit Pay doesn’t work in India and Alexa does, we designated it to handle Alexa commands. There’s a built-in microphone that will pick your Alexa orders and while it works, the overall Alexa experience on the wearable has been a mixed bag. The watch picked our commands for the most part and when it did, the Versa 2 works like any other Alexa-enabled device. The only difference is that you have to view the result on the display as the Versa 2 does not have a loudspeaker. With Alexa, you can control other Alexa-enabled devices in your home, including smart bulbs, speakers and even the Fire TV.