Suunto’s Fitbit Air rival could give Google a run for its money
Screenless fitness trackers are very much in vogue right now, and although it wasn’t the first option on the market, the Fitbit Air marked the beginning of this recent trend.
Even though Google already has competition from the likes of Garmin and Luna to contend with, it now seems that Suunto is getting in on the action.
The Fitbit Air’s biggest test yet?
Already known for putting out some of the best running watches in the business, the Finnish company could be branching out into a new vertical if a certification by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in Singapore is anything to go by.
Spotted by Wearable Fans, a new device (listed under the name HR264), is described simply as being a ‘heart rate monitor’. What’s more, we don’t even have to guess as to what the thing might look like, as a handful of regulatory photos have also leaked.
The pictures in question show a small, rectangular device with loops on either side for a band to be attached. On the back, there appears to be a four-pronged charging system, one that looks very similar to that of the Suunto 9.
Wearable Fans
While the device appears to only be available in black, there are two loop bands featured alongside it, one carrying the same shade of black while the other is a lighter shade of grey, which is reminiscent of the Garmin Cirqa in French Grey.
The existence of this device has been further corroborated by certifications in Russia and the United Arab Emirates. The fact that this process is actively underway would suggest that a release is somewhat imminent, so it isn’t completely unreasonable to expect an unveiling before the end of the year.
At this point in time, it’s difficult to say exactly what Suunto’s screenless tracker might offer in the way of features, but if the brand’s running watches are anything to go by, then the Fitbit Air could have one of its most potent competitors to date.
With the core Suunto watch experience usually subscription-free, its screenless tracker is unlikely to lock key features behind a paywall. However, whether the device itself will cost less than the Fitbit Air’s £84.99/$99.99 launch price remains to be seen.
In other fitness tracker news, we’re currently in the process of testing the recently announced Fitbit Edge. Despite it lacking a few crucial features, the spiritual successor to the Fitbit Charge 6 looks like a compelling option for people who want a screen on their wrist but don’t need full smartwatch functionality.
