Fitbit’s entry-level fitness bands, the Charge and Flex were in a long overdue need of an upgrade as both of the products are nearly two years old. Today, the company has finally announced second iterations for its Fitbit Charge and Flex series sporting substantial improvements including better designs, tracking, display, all at the exact same price tag they were originally introduced with.
First off, the Charge HR features a larger 1.5-inch display replacing the old narrow and low-res panel. It now shows a series of statistics and periods with a touch-to-scroll interface. The Charge 2 now also comes with a dedicated heart-rate scanner and can connect to your phone’s GPS via Bluetooth for mapping routes and calculate distances. Software for the Fitbit Charge has been largely revamped with appealing additions including reminders to move, calling and texting alerts, activity profiles that let you track your most conducted activities, all of which are displayed on the display.
Furthermore, the inclusion of a heart-rate monitor allows the band to compute VO2max and Relax sessions. The latter, essentially, is the highest rate at which oxygen can be used by your body while intense exercise and the latter alike Apple Watch, guides you through a series of breathing sessions for stabling stress levels. Fitbit mentions that the VO2max calculated on the band is merely a rough estimation as the device isn’t really aware of how much air are you intaking. The bands are interchangeable too and Fitbit provides a vast range of sporty and fashionable options. Fitbit’s Charge 2 will be retailing at a price of $149.
Next up is the budget-oriented, Flex 2 band. This time around, Fitbit has keenly focused on styling and has devised a slimmer (30% thinner to be precise), more attractive body when compared to the previous generation. There’s an array of notifying lights which are configured to show various alerts like notifications, battery and more. For anything more advanced, though, you’ll need the Fitbit app installed on your phone. Although, the biggest change is the fact that you can jump up to 150 feet of water into the pool wearing the waterproof band. Fitbit is also selling bracelets that can be worn over the Flex 2 itself. The Fitbit Flex 2 will go on sale for $99.
Fitbit Charge 2 and Flex 2 Indian Pricing and Availability
The Fitbit Charge 2 with classic fitness band in black, blue, plum or teal is priced at Rs 14,999 and the Flex 2 with bands in either black, lavender, magenta or navy colors will cost you a sum of Rs 9,499. Both of the bands will be available for preorder in India starting from today on Fitbit’s website and Amazon exclusively. Sales will commence from late September for the Charge 2 and October for Flex 2 at major India retailers including Reliance Digital, Croma, Helios, Jumbo and Vijay Sales retail stores.
Additionally, Fitbit will be also selling bands separately prices for which are as follows for Charge 2,
- Classic fitness accessory bands in four colors sold separately (INR2,999)
- Luxe premium leather accessory bands in blush pink, brown, and indigo (INR6,999)
- Special edition series in gunmetal and rose gold coming soon (INR16,999)
For Flex 2, bands’ costs are,
- Classic 3-pack fitness accessory band hues in Pink (blush pink, lavender, and magenta) and Sport (gray, navy and yellow) (INR2,999)
- Bangle accessory in gold, rose gold (INR9,999), and silver stainless steel (INR8,999)
- Pendant accessory in gold (INR9,999) and silver stainless steel (INR7,999)