As for the design, Fibit’s mantra seems to be “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and the “squeaky-clean” design of the Apple Watch and the original Versa seems to be well accepted by users, which Fitbit has carried over to the Versa 2. At first glance, this new fitness watch looks very similar to its predecessor, but closer inspection reveals a few small tweaks that give the Versa 2 a truly stylish look. As for the screen, one of the major hardware improvements worth mentioning: unlike the Versa’s LCD display, the second-generation Fitbit smartwatch has stepped into the era of bright AMOLED touchscreens protected by Gorilla Glass 3. With a brightness of over 1,000 nits, the Versa 2’s brightness is always set to the lowest setting, as it is too bright for general use. Even on the “dim” setting, the 300 x 300 resolution screen is crisp, and thanks to the ambient light sensor, you can adjust the brightness according to the environment you’re in. Fitbit has added a microphone to the Versa 2, giving it limited voice control capabilities. There is no speaker, so it cannot be used as a speakerphone, but if paired with an Android device, it will convert your message replies to text when you speak. (Sorry iPhone users, but the Versa 2 does not allow you to reply to messages at all.) This worked well in my tests with quick and accurate transcription of my voice. It takes two or three taps of the screen to record a voice response, which is a bit cumbersome, and you can’t actually start a new message by voice – there is room for improvement here since you can only answer what you receive. It’s also unfortunate that there is no built-in GPS, so you have to carry your cell phone with you to keep track of distance and route information. For that, you need to look to the Fitbit Ionic. If you are a runner or want to do outdoor workouts without being tied to your phone, the GPS connection may be a deal-breaker. But Fitbit’s big strength over other watches and fitness trackers has always been the Fitbit app: it gives you a clear, easy-to-understand breakdown of your exercise metrics, and it’s even through Samsung’s Health app and Activity/Health app than competitors like the Apple Watch That means it’s much easier to interpret . It’s also more social.
