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I hope this isn't Fitbit's new smartwatch

I hope this isn't Fitbit's new smartwatch

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Image: Wareable

Fitbit's rumored smartwatch is supposed to be available by the holiday season, which means we should not only have an official idea of what the device looks like soon, but also lots of leaks along the way. Today, Wareable published renders of the device that it claims will be the final version. The images look similar to a render that leaked in May. The watch will apparently be available in three color schemes: a silver case with a navy strap, a rose gold case with a blue strap, and a darker case with a black strap.

Feast your eyes on these color schemes:

Image: Wareable
Image: Wareable

The renders suggest infrared sensors that might allow the smartwatch to measure oxygen levels in the blood, although that same technology could also be a more accurate way to determine heart rate and heart rate variability. We can also see three buttons — two on the left and one on the right — in a similar setup to the Fitbit Blaze. Other than that, the renders don't tell us much about actual functionality. Fitbit CEO James Park did say on an earnings call this month, however, that the watch will have GPS, will be water resistant up to 50 meters, and will offer cross-platform compatibility, as well as “multi-day battery life.”

Image: Fitbit

Generally, the device reminds me of a more square-shaped Blaze. I don't love it, and I hope this isn't the smartwatch Fitbit is planning to debut. I valued Pebble because it did different things with smartwatch design. Its thinner devices shipped with smaller LCD displays and looked more like everyday watches. This just looks like a fitness tracker with a display. Fitbit acquired Pebble and apparently learned nothing from its design team.

Instead, Fitbit wanted to take its Javascript-based software development kit (SDK). With Pebble's technology, the company says it'll have multiple apps available at launch with plans to offer a third-party "app gallery" where users can find iOS and Android-compatible apps. Spotify likely won't be one of those partners, although Park has said music functionality will be available in some form.

Maybe it doesn't matter that I don't love this watch. People buy Fitbits for fitness tracking, not fashion, and Pebble — while it tried to eventually market itself as a fitness tracker — was more for design-oriented people. So long as Fitbit's watch can handle activity tracking better than other devices, the company will probably have a fine launch.