Fitbit’s middle finger to iPhone users could drive Apple Watch sales even higher

Fitbit may soon only support Android devices. This could restrict it to Android devices only, leaving Apple's iPhone and Huawei behind.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, Powerbeats Pro and more devices are on sale

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We have been getting several headphone deals over the past few days, but we believe that there’s nothing wrong with more options to choose from. First, we find the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro getting a $20 discount, leaving them available for $180, and the best part is that you can choose any color you want, as savings go across the board. These wireless earbuds feature noise-canceling, water resistance, and a battery that will go for up to 28 hours with ANC off.

If you want a pair of new Powerbeats, you can get one for just $160 over at Best Buy, which translates into $90 savings. However, you will have to settle for the Lava Red or the Spring Yellow color option, as other color variants are a bit more expensive. And if you want to get them on Amazon.com, you can also grab a pair for $176, but Cloud Pink will have to be your pick if you want to score $73.97 in savings.

The Fitbit Versa 3 Health & Fitness Smartwatch is also on sale, and you can get one for $179 after a $51 discount. This price is applied to the Black, the Midnight Blue, and the Pink color variants, while the Thistle option is still selling for full retail price. Get the Fitbit Charge 4 Fitness and Activity Tracker for just $99 with $51 savings, and if you’re looking for a more affordable fitness tracker, you can get a new Fitbit Inspire 2 Health & Fitness Tracker for $69 with $31 savings.

 

Other deals feature the Instant Pot Omni Plus 11-in-1 Toaster Oven that’s now available for $170 with $30 savings, which will also work as an air frier and more. The COSORI 12-in-1 Air Fryer is also a great option for those looking for a great present for Mother’s Day, and you can get one for $100 after the same $20 savings. Finally, the Chefman Toast-Air Air Fryer + Oven is getting a $40 discount, meaning you can get yours for $140.

 

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Fitbit’s new Luxe fitness band also wants to be your next fashion accessory

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Days after being leaked in all its glory, Fitbit has today launched its latest fitness band – the Luxe. As the name and design make it abundantly clear, the latest  Fitbit fitness wearable is targeted at health-conscious folks with a delicate taste in fashion. Priced at $49.95 (€149.95 / £129.99), it is now up for pre-orders and will be up for grabs in multiple markets in the spring season. As for color options, you can choose between graphite, platinum, and soft gold.

Fitbit Luxe can last up top 5 days on a single charge and is swim-proof up to 50m

There are a ton of first-party as well as third-party straps to choose from, with material options also varying between silicone and metal. There is also a gotjana for Fitbit Luxe Special Edition that costs $299.95 and takes things a notch higher with a Parker Link Bracelet in soft gold stainless steel trim. The company claims that the Luxe can last for up to 5 days on a single charge, while its comfortable design allows you to fall asleep while wearing it with little to no discomfort at all – or so says the company.

fitbit luxe fitness band

Over at the front, the Fitbit Luxe offers an AMOLED display which is said to the best in the company’s portfolio, especially when it comes to raw brightness output. Coming to its fitness-centric capabilities, you get 24×7 heart-rate tracking, SpO2 monitoring (yet to be enabled), support for automatically recognizing and tracking over 20 exercises, and menstrual health tracking. Fitbit says that you can also take its new fitness band for swimming as it is claimed to be water-resistant up to a depth of 50m.

fitbitl luxe dark

The Fitbit Luxe also comes with its own set of sleep and stress monitoring capabilities such as stress measurement, guided breathing, sleep stage assessment and analysis, and heart rate variability to name a few. Notably, the company is also throwing in a free 6-month trial of Fitbit Premium with its latest fitness band, which offers access to perks such as personalized insights, deeper analyses of health data, exclusive in-app content as well as 100 mindfulness sessions from partners such as Aaptiv, Aura, Breethe and Ten Percent Happier.

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Fitbit is releasing some paid features for free with the new update

Fitbit is rolling out a new update for several of its devices. A number of paid features are making their way to the non-paying users. Moreover, it adds a new SpO2 watch face and skin temperature tracking to the Fitbit Charge 4. There are improvements in Health Metrics data presentation as well. Moreover, Fitbit Sense is getting access to ECG features in three countries.

The latest development comes from Wearable. It reports that Fitbit is releasing a new update for Charge 4, which separates blood oxygen data readings from the sleeping analysis. It now shows on a dedicated watch face. As a result, users will be able to see the SpO2 readings right from the device. They will not be required to dig deep into the companion app. Further, the Fitbit Charge 4 can now measure surface skin temperature. The feature was available only on the Fitbit Sense smartwatch up until now.

Fitbit update

Additionally, Fitbit is making various paid features available for free. The Health Metrics dashboard is available on Charge 4, Versa 2, and Inspire 2 for free. For reference, the feature was previously limited to Fitbit Premium subscribers. It will allow the users to access their breathing rate during sleep, heart rate variability, and resting heart rate. However, free users can only see one week’s data. On the other hand, the paid users can access the whole month’s data.

Moreover, the flagship Fitbit Sense is also getting an update. It is now receiving ECG feature for users in Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. As for updates to the companion app, Fitbit is adding a blood glucose tracking feature to the app. While none of the Fitbit devices have the ability to measure blood glucose, the new feature will allow log readings obtained from a dedicated glucose meter. It will give users daily reminders to log their blood glucose levels from the app.

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Best smartwatch for him on Valentine’s Day

What to gift this Valentine’s Day to someone who is a fitness enthusiast? It’s easy: a smartwatch! The device not only keeps track of your fitness but acts as an accessory to your smartphone. If you are on the lookout for the best smartwatch to gift to your partner, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of the best ones available right now, for all tastes and wallets.

Apple Watch Series 6

If your partner is serious about his fitness, there can be no better gift than the Apple Watch Series 6. It measures your blood oxygen with an all-new sensor and app. Plus, it checks your heart rate and takes an ECG on top of it. There is an Always-On Retina display, which is 2.5x brighter outdoors when your wrist is down, and the watch is powered by 20% faster S6 SiP. You can measure workouts like running, walking, cycling, yoga, swimming, dance, and many more. 

    Apple Watch Series 6
      The GPS model lets you take calls and reply to texts from your wrist. The Always-On Retina display is 2.5x brighter outdoors when your wrist is down.

    Samsung Galaxy Watch 3

    If your partner is on the Android side of things, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 would make a great choice. It gives you the freedom to call, text, stream music and get notifications via Bluetooth connectivity. You can share the PDF report of your ECG recording with your health care provider using the Samsung Health Monitor app on your compatible Galaxy phone.

      Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
        Galaxy Watch3 combines style—two sizes, two finishes, three colors and, 50,000 plus watch faces-with military-grade durability and water resistance.

      Apple Watch SE

      If you are on the market for an Apple Watch but don’t have the budget for the latest Series 6, you can go with the Watch SE. It is cheaper than the Watch Series 6 but has features like high and low heart rate and irregular heart rhythm notifications. You can sync your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks as well.

        Apple Watch SE
          The GPS model lets you take calls and reply to texts from your wrist. You can track your daily activity on Apple Watch and see your trends in the Fitness app on iPhone

        Fitbit Versa 3

        If you are looking at a sub-$200 smartwatch to aid you with fitness tracking, the Fitbit Versa 3 should be your choice. Run, bike, hike, and more phone-free — and see your real-time pace and distance — with built-in GPS. Then check out your workout intensity map in the Fitbit app. It can better track heart rate 24/7 with PurePulse 2.0, Fitbit’s enhanced heart rate technology

          Fitbit Versa 3
            Active Zone Minutes uses your resting heart rate to gauge exercise effort and gives you a buzz when you step up the intensity so you can make the most of your workouts

          Garmin Vivoactive 4

          The Garmin Vivoactive 4 can record all the ways to move with more than 20 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, including yoga, running, swimming, and more. You also get easy to follow, animated workouts right on your watch screen, including cardio, strength, yoga, and Pilates

            Garmin Vivoactive 4
              It keeps track of your energy levels, Pulse Ox (this is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition), respiration, menstrual cycle, stress, sleep, estimated heart, hydration and more.

            Amazfit GTR 2

            The Amazfit GTR 2 (review) is an easy recommendation for $179 or INR 12,999 if you are on the market for a fitness wearable that looks like a smartwatch. It sports a gorgeous design and comes with a range of features, packed in a lightweight body. All of this while offering a solid battery life. Some might argue that it is not the perfect smartwatch since there is no third-party support and you can’t reply to notifications. But for the price, it is a solid device. If he’s into a square dial, the Amazfit GTS 2 is everything the GTR 2 is but in a different design.

              Amazfit GTR 2
                The Amazfit GTR 2’s curved, bezel-less design features a large 1.39 high-definition AMOLED screen with 326ppi pixel density, covered in 3D glass, which naturally transitions to the stainless steel watch body, resulting in a better visual aesthetic and a wider content display area.
                Amazfit GTS 2
                  The GTS 2 is equipped with a powerful 246mah battery that can last 7 days with typical use, and is always ready to escort you on your journeys and track your progress.

                Amazfit T-Rex

                If he’s into aggressive sports and likes his fitness tracker to be rugged, the Amazfit T-Rex is the one to go for. At $120, it is the best affordable rugged smartwatch you can purchase right now. With 12 military certificates, the Amazfit T-Rex smartwatch is ideal for times when the going gets tough.

                  Amazfit T-Rex
                    Thanks to its rugged exteriors, this smartwatch can withstand tough enviroments like extreme cold (-40 F) to extreme hot weather (+150 F) to 240 hours in damp heat, etc

                  These are some of the best smartwatches for him. We have compiled a list for all the budgets. You can’t go wrong with any of these.

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                  Google’s Fitbit deal gets regulatory nod in Europe with a few checks put in place

                  Google acquired Fitbit back in November last year in a deal valued at $2.1 billion. Following the acquisition, the deal fell under the regulatory scanner over antitrust concerns and data privacy, after which the European Commission launched an investigation to assess the risks of data misuse for targeted ads and how it will affect the competition. Today, the European Commission has given its formal approval to the deal, while putting certain restrictions on Google over how user data should be handled

                  Google will not use health data for targeted ads

                  “We can approve the proposed acquisition of Fitbit by Google because the commitments will ensure that the market for wearables and the nascent digital health space will remain open and competitive. The commitments will determine how Google can use the data collected for ad purposes, how interoperability between competing wearables and Android will be safeguarded and how users can continue to share health and fitness data, if they choose to,” EVP of European Commission Margrethe Vestager was quoted as saying in the official announcement.

                  Regarding the investigation, the agency primarily covered the possibilities of Google using the user data collected by the wearable devices for targeted advertisement, abusive usage of Fitbit Web API to stifle the competition, and cutting down on interoperability with Android phones for rivals in the segment. To address those concerns, the European Commission asked Google to honor a few commitments to ensure that the acquisition ensures a level playing field for other players in the fitness wearable segment. Listed below are some of those commitments: 

                  • Google will not use the health and wellness data collected by the Fitbit wearables for its Google Ads service that covers search advertising, display advertising, and advertising intermediation products. 
                  • Fitbit’s user data will be stored separately from Google’s own data trove collected from other sources.
                  • Users in the European Economic Area can allow or deny access to their health data associated with Google / Fitbit account by other Google services such as Search and Maps. 
                  • Google will maintain access to users’ health and fitness data to software applications through the Fitbit Web API, without charging for access and subject to user consent.

                  You can read more about the commitments made by Google regarding the distribution and access to relevant APIs here.

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                  Apple’s latest M1 MacBooks and more devices are on sale today

                  We start today’s deals with Apple’s latest MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini with the Apple Silicon. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Apple M1 chipset is currently selling for $1,232.65, down from its $1,299 price tag, and it includes 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. The 512GB version would cost you $200 more. Then the MacBook Air starts at $947.96, down from its $999 price tag, and it includes 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. Finally, the Mac mini starts at $663.27. you can configure different storage options and other details, but those will only increase these new devices’ prices.

                  If you’re ok with an Intel processor, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is also on sale, as you can get one for $1,349 with $150 savings at Amazon and B&H, which will get you a 1.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 512GB storage, and 8GB RAM. Apple’s 27-inch iMac is also on sale, getting the same $150 discount at Amazon and B&H, leaving the 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 version with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage for $1,649.

                  If you’re looking for a new iPad Pro, the 12.9-inch WiFi-only version with 256GB storage is getting a $100 discount, leaving it at $999. Get the 128GB version for $949 with $50 savings or the 512GB version for $1,229 with a $70 discount.

                  Garmin is also discounting its Legacy Saga Series, Star Wars Darth Vader Inspired Premium Smartwatch down from its regular $400 price to just $348.09 with $51.90 savings. The Fitbit Charge 4 is getting a $50 discount, leaving it at just under $100. Other deals include Samsung’s HW-T650 3.1ch soundbar for $208 after a $192 discount.

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