The Versa-tile Tracker

The apple watch is clearly on top of the smartwatch pile, but there is a hefty price of admission, not to mention the fact that you must own an iPhone to use one in the first place! Fitbit has aimed for these two chinks in Apple’s armor with its new smartwatches, but its first attempt, the Ionic, was too bulky and boxy to appeal to a wide audience.

The Versa, Fitbit’s all-new and cheaper alternative, looks nothing like the Ionic, and that’s probably a good thing. It has a much more approachable, accessible design that doesn’t alienate anyone who is not a fan of the Ionic’s retro-tech look. Come to think of it, the square face with rounded edges looks a bit Apple Watch-esque, and the design will likely appeal to a lot more folks, including a largely underserved audience of women. It will also find takers in men who prefer smaller watch cases, and is classy enough to go from the workout to the workplace and not look out of place at either. Crucially, the Versa passes muster with women as well – where they would probably find the Ionic too bulky, they probably would not have issues with the petite Versa. It’s light to boot, and super comfortable to wear all day (and night), though its lightweight design comes at the cost of the heft that characterises premium products.

On the front of the Versa is a bright 1.34-inch touchscreen LCD display, which is adequately sharp and plenty bright for outdoor use or for the time you go swimming with it. Fitbit’s street cred in the fitness space is strong, and the Versa is no different – you are covered for all major workout types as well as swim tracking via the watch and its best-of-breed app. Fitbit’s most popular feature, one that Apple Watch users sorely miss, is sleep tracking – it automatically tracks as you drift off to sleep and gives you a summary of your sleep pattern once you wake up.

One thing you would want to note is that the Versa lacks in-built GPS, which means it depends heavily on your phone for accurate tracking and the accuracy of the distances covered (while running or swimming) can vary a bit from actuals unless the phone is connected.

How does it measure up as a smartwatch, though? The Versa runs on the company’s new Fitbit OS 2.0, which takes the fluid response and ease of use of the Ionic up a notch, while adding a bunch of new features, most notably female health tracking tools such as tracking menstrual cycles over time, among other health parameters. It checks off basic smartwatch capabilities, such as notifications from your phone and quick replies (Android only), but the apps are limited, in terms of capabilities and selection. One can only hope the app catalog for India improves over time – the current bunch like Pandora and Deezer (among others) just don’t work in India. The good bit is that battery life is still a stellar four days, even with constant heart rate monitoring, so there is none of that daily charging cycle for yet another gadget.

Should you buy the Versa? Yes, if you want the stellar battery life and fitness features and are willing to carry your phone along for the added accuracy… and no,  if you are looking for the best smartwatch around. The Versa undeniably makes big strides past the Ionic, but it is some way off from challenging the market leader.