Fitbit Won't Abandon Fitness Trackers for Smartwatches, VP Says
*By Christian Smith*
Fitbit doesn't plan to exit the fitness-tracker space for smartwatches anytime soon, said VP of product marketing Melanie Chase.
"A lot of the buzz and conversation has been about the growth in the smartwatch industry, and it's easy to get distracted from the fact the tracker market is still huge," Chase said Tuesday in an interview on Cheddar.
Fitbit on Monday unveiled the Charge 3, what it calls its most technologically advanced fitness tracker to date. The device features a swim-proof design and improved health and sleep trackers.
The Charge family of products is the company's most successful line of trackers. According to company data, Fitbit has sold 35 million in the line so far. Fitbit made its first venture into the smartwatch market earlier this year when it launched the Versa.
While the wearable market has had its ups and downs, research firm IDC predicts that consumers will buy 43 million smartwatches and 46 million fitness trackers this year ー and Fitbit wants in on the action.
"As the leader in the tracker category it's important for us to continue to invest in people who love trackers while also growing in the smartwatch space with introductions like Versa," Chase said.
The Fitbit Charge 3 retails for $149.95. It's already available for pre-order on Fitbit's [website](https://www.fitbit.com/home) and will be sold in stores this October.
For full interview [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/fitbit-gives-first-look-at-most-technologically-advanced-fitness-tracker-yet).
The video announcement Friday came after weeks of speculation spread on social media about her whereabouts and health since she was hospitalized in January for unspecified abdominal surgery.
Chip Giller, co-founder, and Amy Seidenwurm, Chief of Programs and Strategy at Agog: The Immersive Media Institute, discuss how the organization uses the virtual world to make real change.
Luminary founder and CEO Cate Luzio shares some of the company’s latest Women’s History Month events and why there’s so much to celebrate about women in the workplace.
WSJ reporter Ray Smith breaks down why more companies are offering ‘dry’ promotions – a responsibility or title bump with no pay raise – and the pros and cons of accepting them.
Apple says a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit accusing it of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones in the U.S. is “wrong on the facts and the law.”
As Reddit shares begin trading at the NYSE, ‘Einstein of Wall Street’ Peter Tuchman breaks down the social platform’s debut and what it means for the overall IPO market in 2024.
CEO and co-founder of Alix, Alexandra Mysoor, discusses why it’s so important for everyone, regardless of income, to both plan and settle their estates.
After the Fed forecast three cuts to come in 2024, Kevin D. Mahn, President and CIO at Hennion & Walsh Asset Management breaks down why the market looks strong, and he sees some reasons for concern in Reddit’s choice to IPO.
