Back for its third attempt at cracking the secret sauce, Fitbit has launched the Ionic Smartwatch. You may be thinking that you’ve seen it all before — after all, this is the same company that previously brought you the disappointing Surge, and decidedly un-fiery Blaze. This time is different, though, we promise. Late in 2016 Fitbit acquired the company that started the smartwatch craze, Pebble. Bringing Pebble’s software and engineers into the fold, Fitbit has gone all out on creating their own smartwatch platform, Fitbit OS. Clearly, the company is hoping to create something to rival Android Wear and Apple’s watchOS. With its own app store, onboard GPS, and NFC chip, the feature packed device looks comparable on paper.
As the smartwatch market has matured over the past few years, the designs have become more elegant. Early models like the Samsung Gear Live, or even the original Pebble, looked like plastic toys strapped to your wrist. The Ionic doesn’t quite hark back to that era — but it isn’t entirely dissimilar. While standard Fitbit trackers aren’t known for their fashionable design, they are subtle devices made to blend in. The Ionic is the opposite of that approach — it is there to be noticed. The large square screen stands out on your wrist, often feeling oversized. You’d overlook this if it weren’t for the sizeable bezel emblazoned with the Fitbit logo.
