The Fitbit Versa 2 makes healthy living easier

I was recently invited to the launch of the Fitbit Versa 2 and as a longtime user of the first version, I am quite impressed with the upgrade.

The launch began with a short presentation from Vincent Lamourex, the director of new markets for Fitbit, who came all the way from Spain. He shared some interesting statistics with us about how well the Fitbit brand is doing internationally.

Just to share a few:

• There are over 27 million active users of Fitbit devices globally
• 73% of the users have a weight-loss goal on Fitbit and have lost weight
• The users have clocked 202 trillion steps to date and 517 billion minutes of exercise
• They’ve had 42 million menstrual cycles logged with their “female health tracker” on the watch
• The brand is simply created to help people across the world lead healthier lives

Picture: Fitbit

With these five points, I can agree that these devices are helping to “move” people across the world.

Research has been conducted on the number of people who are physically active worldwide and it’s now sitting at 30% of the world’s population. Hopefully in the coming years, more people will become active.

Now back to the Fitbit Versa 2 and what it has to offer.

Starting off with the sleek design, the Versa 2 is now looking a lot more elegant with a premium finish. I can wear it on a night out and it’ll blend in nicely, especially with the variety of straps available.

It has a larger display and now has a much longer five-day battery lifespan.

A new feature that appeals to me is the voice-to-text feature which allows you to respond using your voice and the device then converts what you say to text message.

Picture: Fitbit

This is very useful if you are out for a run and a call comes in that you can’t take. You simply decline the call and respond via voice and the device will text your response to your caller.

Another feature that appeals to me is the smart wake feature.

If you want to wake up around 6.30am, you set the smart wake alarm and within 30 minutes of your proposed wake-up time, the device will vibrate gently and wake you up during a “lighter stage” of sleep within your sleep cycle near your proposed wake up time.

Waking up during the lighter stage means that you wake up feeling a lot more refreshed.

Have you ever woken up feeling tired, even after eight hours of sleep? If your answer is yes, it’s most probably because you wake up (abruptly) during the deeper phases of your sleep cycle.

Because the Fitbit Versa 2 monitors your sleep cycles and phases throughout the night, it is now able to wake you up during the lighter phases.

Fitbit Vera 2. Picture; Fitbit

The Versa 2 still has the same features as the first version like:

• Connected GPS
• Water resistant to 50m
• 24/7 heart rate tracking
• On-screen workouts
• 15+ exercise modes
• Sleep tracking
• Female health tracking (menstrual cycle)
• Relax guided breathing (meditation)
• Store and play music via Deezer and Spotify
• Access to 3,000 apps and clock faces

With that said, Fitbit has done well with their devices which are mainly targeted at social fitness individuals. They have a wide range of devices to suit the entire family, including the kids.

The Fitbit Versa 2 will be available end October or beginning November at the retail price of R3,999 for the standard version or R4,999 for the special edition.

Zulu is a qualified biokineticist and cofounder of PopUpGym. Follow her on Instagram: @letshego. zulu; Twitter: @letshegom; Facebook: Letshego Zulu

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