$250 Fitbit Surge “superwatch” coming soon

Fitbit Surge

Fitbit is preparing for quite a season. In addition to two fitness bands, Charge and Charge HR, the company will also announce its very first smart watch. But don’t call it like that; instead, Fitbit wants you think of its soon-to-be-launched Surge as “superwatch,” as it doesn’t want to compete with the upcoming Apple Watch and Android Wear devices, all of which offer more features than Fitbit could possibly cram in its hardware.

We are not so sure that a dedicated, wrist-worn fitness tracking watch is something most users want these days.On the other hand, Fitbit products are catered towards users who take their physical activity seriously and who may’ve already owned a Fitbit band before. Those folks will benefit from additional features the Surge brings to the mix. These would include basic sleep and fitness tracking (steps, calories, pace and distance), as well as heart rate monitoring with Fitbit’s PurePulse technology, vibrating alarm, incoming call and text notifications, and the ability to control music playback from the wrist.

All this will be available for $250, making it a hard sell. You do get a great battery life but the features other smart watches are promising are just not there. We at mHealth Spot are not so sure that a dedicated, wrist-worn fitness tracking watch is something most users want these days. Instead, we tend to think that Fitbit has a better chance selling the earlier mentioned Charge bands.

The Fitbit Surge will be available in three colors – black, slate and tangerine. Until it officially launches, here’s its features list, obtained by The Verge.

GPS tracking
Get distance, pace, and elevation climbed with built-in GPS, then review routes and split times

PurePulse heart rate
Continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate monitoring with no uncomfortable chest straps

Made for multi-sport
Record running, cross training, and cardio workouts, then see comprehensive workout summaries that include tailored metrics, workout intensity and calories burned

Activity tracking
Track heart rate, steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, and active minutes

Smart notifications
See call and text notifications on display and control music right from your wrist

Designed for all-day wear
Sleek, comfortable wristband with customizable watch faces available in black, slate, and tangerine.

Sleep quality + silent alarm
Monitor how long and how well you sleep and wake with a silent vibrating alarm

Wireless syncing + online tools
Sync stats wirelessly and automatically to your computer and to over 60 leading smartphones. See progress, log food, and earn badges through Fitbit’s mobile and online dashboard.

Share and compete
Share and compete with family and friends in new Fitbit challenges