Fitbit Charge 6: Everything we know and hope to see

Fitbit had a busy 2022, launching two watches (the Sense 2 and Versa 4) and one health tracker (the Inspire 3). Still, one anticipated tracker skipped the occasion: the Fitbit Charge 6. We’ve heard a rumor that this flagship health tracker has already arrived on the FCC and will launch in early 2023, however in any other case know little or no about the way it’ll enhance on the Charge 5.When it involves one of the best health trackers, the Charge 5 has headlined our record since its 2021 launch with no shut rivals besides its personal predecessor, the 2020 Charge 4. With simply over a yr between them, the Charge 5 made main upgrades to the show, well being sensors, and software program; and each are among the many only a few petite trackers with built-in GPS. In this fashion, the Fitbit Charge 6 has a lot to show. And given how Fitbit’s 2022 watches just like the Versa 4 really downgraded some options in comparison with the Versa 3, it is not a assure that the Charge 6 will dwell as much as our personal pleasure for it.Keeping this context in thoughts, here is what we all know concerning the Fitbit Charge 6, together with when it ought to arrive and which options it ought to hold, in addition to the upgrades we hope to see for Fitbit to retain its wearable crown.Fitbit Charge 6: Release date and pricingA 9to5Google (opens in new tab) report gave us scant particulars about what to anticipate from the Charge 6, together with a potential timetable. According to the positioning, the Charge 6 — or a tracker codenamed FB424 with Bluetooth and NFC assist — arrived on the FCC on August 24, the identical day Fitbit introduced the Sense 2 and Versa 4. Fitbit doubtless held off revealing the Charge 6 so vacation gross sales of the Charge 5 would not be harm, however we’re all however assured to get the tracker someday in 2023. The solely query is when. Given Fitbit often attends CES and has unveiled previous merchandise just like the Blaze on the conference, it is theoretically potential we’ll see the Charge 6 there. Otherwise, most Fitbit merchandise are typically launched in the summertime or fall; the Charge 4 was considered one of its earliest calendar releases in April 2020.As for pricing, we’ve not heard any leaks on the topic, however we do not essentially want a touch. The final three generations of Charges, again to the Charge 3, all value $150 at launch. We doubt Fitbit will make it costlier, and it already has the Inspire 3 for discount hunters.Fitbit Charge 6: Design(Image credit score: Christine Persaud / Android Central)According to the aforementioned FCC leak, the Fitbit Charge 6 will look “near identical” to the Charge 5, together with the aluminum physique, curved black glass, and strips for ECG readings on both facet of the tracker. So you may anticipate a rounded, pill-shaped 1-inch AMOLED show, distinctly thinner than the blocky look of the Charge 4 and older fashions. It additionally probably will not have any buttons or capacitive faux-buttons, making it touch-only. Our Charge 5 evaluate identified how finicky utilizing the touchscreen may be, particularly as soon as your fingertips get sweaty; however that is pretty industry-standard for health trackers, and Fitbit will doubtless prioritize a uniform look and light-weight design as an alternative of placing a noticeable button on the facet.Fitbit additionally tried a capacitive button on previous Charge fashions, however these are extraordinarily finicky, which is why Fitbit went again to bodily buttons on the Sense 2 and Versa 4. So we would hope Fitbit both squeezes a bodily button in or nothing.Our solely different design questions concern colours, proprietary bands, and charging. The Charge 5 got here in Black, Platinum, and Soft Gold, and we hope the Charge 6 returns with just a few playful coloration choices. It additionally had its personal set of proprietary bands, making certain Charge 3 and 4 bands would not work with them. We’re hopeful that the unchanged design signifies that Charge 5 bands will work with the Charge 6, so you may construct up a wider vary of choices. The similar applies to the bundled charger, since Fitbit additionally deprecated the Charge 4’s charging cable. Let’s hope Fitbit retains issues constant right here. Whatever occurs, Fitbit shipped the final charger with infinity, leather-based, material with velcro, and perforated silicone bands, so you need to have a variety of proprietary choices as soon as once more. You simply will not have the ability to use industry-standard quick-swap bands.Fitbit Charge 6: Sensors and options(Image credit score: Christine Persaud / Android Central)The Fitbit Charge 5 had a superb bundle of sensors and instruments for a health tracker. One of the uncommon health trackers with GPS, it additionally had NFC for FItbit Pay, an optical coronary heart price monitor, blood oxygen monitoring, and the aforementioned strips for taking ECG and EDA readings. You can manually test your coronary heart rhythm and stress ranges by putting your thumb and index on both strip. And it additionally tracks pores and skin temperature at night time, although with out the Fitbit Sense 2’s devoted temperature sensor for extra correct readings.The Charge 6 ought to convey again all of those options, in addition to different sensors just like the 3-axis accelerometer and ambient gentle sensor. Though it is not assured, for the reason that Charge 5 misplaced the Charge 4’s altimeter. Fitbit may all the time take away one thing to make room for a more recent sensor.What new sensors or instruments may the Fitbit Charge 6 convey to the desk? For starters, the Sense 2’s new cEDA sensor, which repeatedly measures your stress ranges with out having to take a guide studying. But we do not know how massive this sensor is and whether or not it could make the Charge 6 too heavy, so there is no assure. Honestly, we would a lot relatively Fitbit convey again the altimeter, since that is a necessity for athletes making an attempt to precisely gauge their effort at excessive elevation. It’s not as flashy, however runners and cyclists want it greater than they should know the way burdened they’re.(Image credit score: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central)As for software program, we all know that the entire regular Fitbit Premium options and experiences will probably be obtainable to Charge 6 house owners, and you need to get a free six-month trial earlier than it’s a must to begin paying for it. Since there is not a lot to say right here, it is extra fascinating to take a position what apps, if any, will come to the Charge 6.The Versa 4 and Sense 2 have entry to Google Wallet, so we assume that the Charge 6 will obtain the identical device, relatively than defaulting to the previous Fitbit Pay. The tracker nearly actually will not have a mic or speaker, which implies no Alexa assistant or Bluetooth calls. In principle, the Charge 6 may get entry to Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation, because it’s coming to the Versa 4 and Sense 2. The Charge 6 is a bit small for an precise map, however may present text-based instructions and vibrate when it is time so that you can change instructions. We suspect Fitbit will not make it obtainable, however hope the model will shock us.Unfortunately, one lacking characteristic on the Charge 5 will doubtless keep lacking on the Charge 6. While the Charge 4 had music playback controls, the Charge 5 did not, and for some cause Fitbit eliminated the controls on the Versa 4 and Sense 2, as nicely. We will not ask for music storage on a petite tracker, howeverFitbit Charge 6: options we wish to seeWe’ve already introduced up a few of our wishlist gadgets for the Fitbit Charge 6: Google apps, an altimeter, music playback controls, and a steady EDA sensor. But there are many different instruments we would hope Fitbit consists of, although some are extra sensible than others. Improved GPS trackingDual-band GPS and all-systems GNSS monitoring has change into extra distinguished on Garmin and Apple watches, and even Amazfit is bringing dual-frequency monitoring to its reasonably priced smartwatches. If Fitbit have been to prioritize this, it could’ve finished so on the Sense or Versa lineups, probably. We’d nonetheless respect a monitoring improve of some sort on the Charge 6, as a result of the model is not recognized for its accuracy on this space. The Charge 5 had some noticeable monitoring points at instances, shedding your positioning completely or else exhibiting you drifting out of your path for no cause. Hopefully, Fitbit makes an upgraded satellite tv for pc a precedence this time round.Touchscreen enhancementsWe’re usually followers of the Charge 5’s colourful AMOLED show, an enormous improve over the monocolor OLED on the Charge 4. But at 450 nits, it is solely passably readable in direct daylight. Other trackers just like the Amazfit Band 7 hit 500, and that is a less expensive gadget generally. We’d adore it if the Charge 6 may bounce to the favored 1,000-nit normal discovered on many health smartwatches, together with the Sense 2 and Versa 4.Also, if the unchanged design means no bodily buttons, Fitbit must work on making its contact controls a bit extra correct to what customers are attempting to do. For instance, you will attempt to faucet a notification to learn it and the Charge 5 interprets this as you swiping it away. Other instances, the tracker will not register your swipes in any respect except you are “very intentional,” as our reviewer put it.Optimizing the battery lifeWe’re usually fairly impressed with the Fitbit Charge 5’s 7-day battery life for informal use. If you are simply utilizing it to trace well being knowledge, it is dependable. But with GPS monitoring, it lasts simply 5 hours most; or with an always-on show, it’s going to solely final two days at most. We don’t need the Charge 6 to change into excessively cumbersome, and built-in GPS monitoring is far simpler for smartwatches that may afford the additional battery weight. But I’d love only a couple extra hours of GPS monitoring. And as for traditional battery use, if the Amazfit Band 7 can final 18 days whereas weighing about the identical because the Charge 5, why cannot Fitbit shut the hole a bit?Better integration with third-party apps and equipmentWhile there are just a few “Work with Fitbit apps,” lots of the greatest health apps do not fall below that umbrella. Fitbit purposefully makes issues troublesome if you wish to share knowledge with one other app like Google Fit or Apple Health, forcing you to make use of a third-party app as an middleman or manually export knowledge. Similarly, Fitbit does not assist Bluetooth or ANT+ equipment, so you may’t join a coronary heart price monitor strap for extra correct readings. We do not anticipate this to alter anytime quickly, however hey, possibly Fitbit will shock us beginning with the Charge 6, and begin catching as much as the competitors right here.