Product test
Fitbit Versa: The tech industry discovers women. Nice try.
by Livia Gamper
Fitbit Versa 2 tested: "Alexa, make me fit"
28.10.2019
Translation: machine translated
Fitbit believes that its fitness wearable will be better if you can talk to it. That's why you can give commands to the voice assistant Alexa on the Versa 2. Find out what this is good for and what else the smart sports watch has to offer here.
The Fitbit Versa 2 offers you numerous functions beyond the voice assistant: It counts steps, measures heart rate, counts floors climbed, calculates calories burned and records active minutes. There is also sleep monitoring and cycle tracking for women.
Sleep, sport and more
I find the automatic activity recognition particularly practical. It identifies quite reliably whether I'm walking, jogging or cycling. Other sports usually only appear as "activity". In this case or in the event of an incorrect assignment - my (flag football training!) has already been saved by the Versa 2 as aerobics - you can tell the Fitbit app which sport it is. Ideally, the algorithm learns over time and recognises more and more sports. It uses movement and heart rate data to do this. GPS does not have to be active.
You can get more precise values for some sports if you track them manually. The Versa 2 offers you a choice of running, cycling, swimming, treadmill, weights, workout and an interval timer. When running and cycling, I like to activate the automatic pauses so that waiting at traffic lights doesn't mess up my pace. For GPS tracking and more accurate pace and distance data, you need to have a smartphone with you. As the Versa 2 doesn't have its own GPS, it gets its location data from the mobile phone.
Music for sport
If you want to listen to music while exercising and don't have your smartphone with you, the Fitbit Versa 2 can step in. However, you still need to have MP3 files or be a paying Deezer user to download playlists to the wearable. In both cases, the transfer takes place wirelessly via WLAN. There are fewer restrictions when it comes to headphones. You can actually pair any Bluetooth model with the Versa 2.
You will also find a Spotify app on the Versa 2, but it doesn't store any music offline, it's just a remote control on your wrist if you use the streaming service on your smartphone. That's disappointing.
Symmetry, wristbands and just one button
Optically, the Versa 2 has improved compared to its predecessor. The Fitbit lettering below the display has disappeared. As a result, the touchscreen is now centred and the symmetry makes the watch look better. Otherwise, there are still many rounded edges. The straps can still be changed without tools and Fitbit and third-party providers have a large selection available if you don't like the plain, single-coloured plastic strap that comes in the box.
The Fitbit Versa 2 sits comfortably on the wrist. It doesn't get in the way during sports or everyday wear. The clasp of the wristband holds securely, but is still easy to close and open.
Compared to its previous fitness watches, Fitbit has removed the two buttons on the right-hand side of the Versa 2. There is now only one button on the left side. You use it to switch the display on and off. You can also use it to access the start dial at any time. However, the most important thing is probably to hold it down to start Alexa.
The rest of the Versa 2 is operated via the touchscreen. You swipe horizontally and vertically through the menu structure and tap on the desired menu items. The whole thing is clearly laid out and I quickly get to the desired function.
Talk to your watch
On the Fitbit Versa 2, Alexa is waiting to receive your commands. As long as you have signed in with your Amazon account via the Fitbit app, which is pretty easy. You can ask the voice assistant questions and give it tasks. These range from the shopping list, alarm clocks and news, including the weather, to controlling smart home devices. For the whole thing to work, your smartphone must be nearby and connected to the sports watch via Bluetooth.
Alexa does not respond when you say "Alexa" like other devices. Instead, you have to press and hold the button on the left side of the Versa 2 to start the voice assistant. As the wearable does not have a speaker, you cannot hear Alexa's responses. You have to read them on the display. This makes using Alexa a little more time-consuming, but at least you don't have to listen to every long answer in full.
You can access all your Alexa skills via the Versa 2. There are no restrictions and if you are new to Fitbit, you can now also check your performance data via the Fitbit skill. This may sound superfluous, but the wearable on your wrist doesn't display all the data you could see in the app. This includes how you slept or which activities Fitbit has automatically recognised.
If you already use Alexa extensively, you will also use voice control on the Versa 2. However, it hasn't turned out so great that the wearable will convince you to drool over the voice assistant.
If you're worried that Amazon is listening to your wrist all the time, two things might reassure you. Unlike other devices, Alexa is not constantly listening in order to respond to the keyword "Alexa". Alexa also needs a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone to work, otherwise nothing will happen after your announcement. And if you don't want to use Alexa at all, you can completely deactivate the microphone in the settings and not log in to Alexa at all.
Long battery life
The battery of the Fitbit Versa 2 lasts a little while for a wearable. It loses just under ten per cent of its charge per day - regardless of whether Bluetooth is switched on or not. After nine days, however, I lost heart and recharged the battery at 15 per cent.
Conclusion: Voice control doesn't help everyone
The Fitbit Versa 2 looks better than its predecessor. Operation via the touchscreen works wonderfully and the battery life is amazing. You get a lot of information about your sleep, your body and your activities to keep you motivated. Fitbit also offers a paid training programme that guides you from your wrist.
Alexa is only an argument, however, if you actually use the voice assistant. Without it, the differences in functions compared to its predecessor are small, so there is no reason to switch.
With the Versa Lite, Fitbit also has a cheaper alternative without Alexa on sale. It looks similar and offers basically the same functions. The exceptions: On the Lite version, you can't save music, view workout guides, pay wirelessly or measure floors in activities or laps and calories burned while swimming. If this doesn't bother you, the Versa Lite is also a helpful and good fitness wearable.
When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.
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