Fitbit announces Charge 3

This post was originally published on the Fitbit press site. It has been adapted from its original format.

Fitbit, the leading global wearables brand, today announced the availability of Fitbit Charge 3 at major retailers worldwide, online and at Fitbit.com for $149.95 beginning October 7. Charge 3, the latest evolution of the best-selling Charge family of devices, delivers a premium swimproof design with a large touchscreen display, our most advanced health and fitness features on a tracker, and is our smartest tracker yet – all powered by up to 7 days of battery life.

Charge 3 continues to build upon the success of the best-selling Charge franchise, with initial pre-order sales indicating strong adoption among both new and existing consumers. In fact, 54 percent of Fitbit.com pre-orders are from loyal and engaged customers who have owned two or more devices before ordering Charge 3. This initial consumer demand is supported by IDC estimates from June 2018, which predict shipments of fitness trackers will continue to drive a significant portion of the overall wearables category for the next several years.

“We’ve seen amazing consumer reception and strong pre-orders for Charge 3, which are even better than Versa in its first six weeks, underscoring why the Charge family has been our most popular product line for the past few years,” said James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit. “Charge 3 is our most innovative tracker yet, featuring our most advanced sensor technology, bringing the relative SpO2 sensor to the tracker form factor for the first time. Data from this sensor will feed into the upcoming launch of our Fitbit Labs Sleep Score beta, which will allow users to better understand metrics like their sleep quality and breathing disturbances. In the future, with FDA approval, this data could be used to screen and detect more serious health conditions, such as sleep apnea.”

About Charge 3:

• Advanced health & fitness experience: Take action with Fitbit’s most advanced health and fitness sensors and algorithms (PurePulse heart rate tracking and relative SpO2); plus 15+ goal-based exercise modes, swim tracking, an on-device health dashboard, female health tracking, automatic Sleep Stages & Sleep Insights, and more.
• Premium design, intelligently crafted: Featuring a swimproof, premium and lightweight design for the ideal fit, comfort and durability, Charge 3 is also the first wearable with an inductive button, plus it features a more intuitive, interactive on-device experience for enhanced usability.
• Fitbit’s smartest tracker yet: Stay connected, not distracted, with essential smart features when phone is nearby, including expanded smartphone notifications, quick replies on Android (coming soon), convenient everyday apps and easy and secure on-wrist payments with Charge 3 Special Edition (coming soon) – all with up to 7 days battery life.v

Fitbit also announced that its Fitbit Labs Sleep Score beta program will be open for enrollment to qualifying Fitbit users starting in November. Fitbit users who are accepted into the beta will receive a nightly score that provides a more complete picture of their overall sleep and what factors affect it based on key metrics tracked by any Fitbit device with advanced 24/7 PurePulse heart rate tracking, including Fitbit HR, Fitbit Charge HR, Fitbit Charge 2, Fitbit Charge 3, Fitbit Blaze, Fitbit Surge, Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition, and Fitbit Versa. For devices with a relative SpO2 sensor, including Fitbit Charge 3, Fitbit Ionic and Fitbit Versa, Fitbit will also be testing for breathing disruptions. In the future, with FDA approval, the data from this sensor technology could indicate more serious health conditions, like sleep apnea.

As the first wearable brand to introduce sleep tracking in 2009, Fitbit has built one of the largest sleep databases, tracking more than 7.5 billion nights of sleep to date, as of August 8, 2018 . With the Fitbit Labs Sleep Score beta program, Fitbit is continuing to make advancements in sleep by delivering an intuitive way for users to better understand their sleep quality.

The Fitbit Labs Sleep Score beta program will be available for a limited time to interested qualifying Fitbit users in the United States, Australia and United Kingdom.

In addition to the Fitbit Labs Sleep Score beta, Fitbit will continue to develop and work toward clinical validation of its software for use in detecting health conditions such as sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation. Fitbit is also one of nine companies in the FDA’s digital health software precertification pilot program, which is designed to streamline the approval process for software as a medical device while still ensuring patient safety and quality products.

Pricing and availability

Fitbit Charge 3 will be available at global retail partner stores worldwide, including Amazon, Best Buy, Kohl’s, Macy’s Target, Verizon and Walmart beginning October 7. The device will also be available for sale at Fitbit.com and major online retailers for $149.95 (USD) in black with a graphite aluminum case or blue gray with a rose gold aluminum case; accessories range from $29.95-$49.95 (USD). Coming soon, Fitbit Charge 3 Special Edition with Fitbit Pay will be available for $169.95 (USD).