The Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2 are apparently in production, after a YouTube video from a smartwatch accessory maker was uploaded and deleted. The video, uploaded by electronic accessories company Wasserstein, was a tutorial on how to apply your screen protectors to the Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to see the video before it was taken down. But 9to5Google (opens in new tab) was able to capture a screenshot, revealing that the tutorial was not being conducted on an actual Versa 4 or Sense 2 unit.
Instead, it was being driven on the Fitbit Sense, a two-year-old smartwatch and one of the models on our best Fitbit list at the moment. We can take this as a cast-iron confirmation that the Versa 4, Sense 2 and the original Sense will all share the same screen shape and size, as accessories compatible with the existing Sense will be able to be used with both new devices.
It’s not the first time we’ve heard this rumour, as a photo leaked last month suggested the screen would have at least the same shape and a disassembly suggested the resolution would be identical. We don’t know much more about the two watches, but it’s likely that they will continue to run Fitbit’s operating system rather than Wear OS this round.
What does this mean for a release period? The original Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 models were released in September. If accessory production is ongoing, this seems like a likely window of time until the announcement. With Apple likely to unveil the next iteration of its watch in September, Alphabet may want to beat its competitor.
Analysis: Marginal gains
Small, iterative changes rather than bold new looks are in line with how the best smartwatch makers are operating today. Fitbit, Garmin, Apple… no one wants to reinvent the wheel and take a bigger risk than necessary, especially when your target audience has less money to spend. Minor updates, better firmware, improved accuracy, and new software features outweigh radical new designs.
Of course, minor changes come with their own risks: for existing Fitbit watch users, the next generation of upgraded smartwatches may not be a must buy just yet. It will all come down to the sensor suite and the improved software to justify an upgrade.
Don’t get us wrong: we love the pebble design of the Sense and Versa 3. It’s sleek and modern, evoking contemporaries like the Apple Watch, while remaining very own. But if Fitbit wants existing users to drop everything and upgrade their current watches, the Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2 will need some serious internal firepower.
