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It’s too early to call time on the Fitbit smartwatch

Outlook

James Moore
Thursday 07 January 2016 02:01 GMT
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A survey has shown that those who use fitness trackers lost less weight than those using other methods
A survey has shown that those who use fitness trackers lost less weight than those using other methods

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Oh dear. It seems that Fitbit’s new smartwatch, the “Blaze”, has acquired an unfortunate nickname (clue: replace fit with a four-letter word that rhymes with it).

The reaction to the launch caused its shares more pain than a torn anterior cruciate ligament. It was still at the side of the road, gasping for breath, a day later.

But could it catch its second wind when the public gets hold of the device? If you’re the sort of person who wears a Fitbit watch – which does everything a regular Fitbit does, as well as syncing to your phone, and allowing you to control the music on it, plus giving you a five-day battery – the Blaze might be rather attractive.

No, it won’t take third-party apps, but it’s competitively priced compared to, say, an iWatch, and sometimes less is more.

If Wall Street is right, the Blaze is a big bad bust that’s going to burn Fitbit’s fingers and slim down its returns for years to come. But perhaps it might pay to give the product a run out with the public before rushing the shares into the investment emergency room.

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