Google releases Fitbit Charge 6 with a physical button again

Google has announced the FitBit Charge 6. The device is very similar in shape to the Charge 5, but brings back the physical button on the side. The heart rate monitor has also been improved.

The Fitbit Charge 6 At first glance it seems to have an identical design compared to the Charge 5 from 2021. The biggest difference is that the physical control button on the side of the device is back. Fitbit Charge models always had them, but in the Charge 5 that button disappeared. Users had to do all control via the touch screen, but that was often inconvenient, especially during sports. In the Charge 6, that button does the same thing as on previous models.

Google says further in a press release that the wearable has a better heart rate monitor. It has ‘an improved machine learning algorithm’ that has been taken from the Pixel Watch. According to Google, heart rate measurement is up to sixty percent more accurate during vigorous sports sessions such as HIIT training or spinning.

The Charge 6 can be paired via Bluetooth with multiple connected sports devices such as Peloton bikes or NordicTrack machines to display heart rate directly on the device. The device also has multi-sport modes; From now on, twenty new options including HIIT, strength training and snowboarding can be added.

The Charge 6 can also control more Google services than the earlier model. The Charge 6, for example, has turn-by-turn navigation via Google Maps and can make payments via Google Wallet.

Many of the features from the Charge 5 have remained the same. The Charge 6 has built-in navigation, water resistance to a depth of less than 50 meters and a sleep tracker. The wearable costs 159.95 euros. That is ten euros more than the Charge 5 is currently for sale for and twenty euros cheaper than when the Charge 5 was just released.