FITBIT VERSA

If you don’t remember Pebble, it’s easy to write off Fitbit’s Versa as a cheap Apple Watch knockoff. It has the same square body as Apple’s dominant wristwatch. Its size strikes a perfect balance between the 42mm and 38mm sizes. You can dress it up with a similar series of metal and leather bands. And it comes in rose gold.

But spend a little time with Versa and you’ll see that it’s not as much of an imitator as it is Apple Watch’s first real competitor. Granted, that’s not saying all that much. Fitbit shut down Pebble before Apple Watch hit shelves, most Android Wear/WearOS watches have been dead on arrival, and Fitbit’s own Ionic smartwatch was too buggy and expensive to seriously challenge Apple Watch. But Fitbit’s new $200 wearable is the Pebble Watch we always wanted, combining fitness acumen with technological smarts into a sleek, attractive package.

It still has a heavy focus on fitness and health, of course, but Versa is a something of a watershed product for both Fitbit and the smartwatch industry, a true lifestyle product