Tech Next: Fitbit’s all-new fitness tracker

It adds a key missing feature — in-built GPS, making it only the second Fitbit product after the Fitbit Ionic to sport this feature. Online fitness coaching and apps are a thing in the post-COVID era, as more and more fitness enthusiasts need to look for solutions beyond conventional gyms.

A key update that should interest these users is Fitbit’s move to add 40 new pieces of Premium content free in the Fitbit App. Then there’s Fitbit Premium, the brand’s coaching service that debuted in India in 2019 at Rs 6,999 for an annual subscription (or Rs 819/month). Fitbit offers a 90-day free trial of this subscription with the new Charge 4. Fitbit Premium includes personalised health insights, customised programs and over 200 workouts from a host of fitness brands. In terms of design, the Charge 4 is almost identical to its predecessor. You can use the same bands of the Charge 3 in case you’d like to swap your strap to accessorise in style. Aside from Fitbit’s range of custom bands, you can also find numerous third party accessories across online platforms.

The big change is under the hood. s the first Fitbit tracker with built-in GPS, you can leave your phone at home and get optimal performance for activities like running, walking and other outdoor excursions. Now with the ability to track your pace and distance in real-time, in addition to the 20+ goal-based exercise modes, you can access seven GPS-enabled exercise modes, including a new outdoor workout mode for any outdoor activity like hiking, running or a brisk walk. After completing a GPS-enabled workout, sync your device for a GPS-powered heat map in the Fitbit app where you can check your workout intensity, based on your different heart rate zones along your route. The Charge 4 features a relative SpO2 sensor and a new ‘Active Zone minutes’ feature that measures the time you spend in target heart rate zones. Aside from these add-ons, the Charge 4 features other Fitbit regulars like Sleep tracking, text and call alerts.

(Rs 14,999 onwards)

Huawei’s flagship wearable offers two-week battery life and is among the better wearables we’ve reviewed for this column. SpO2 tracking has become a key fitness feature for wearables. This feature helps users detect oxygen saturation levels in the blood. Huawei’s firmware update version 1.0.6.26 has been released for Huawei Watch GT2. This update allows you to measure SpO2 levels through the health app. SpO2 represents an estimate of the oxygen levels in a person’s bloodstream. A healthy person should have an SpO2 level between 90 and 100. Low levels of oxygen in the blood can cause hypoxemia, which can have severe impact on health. (Rs 14,990 onwards)