Fitbit smartwatch on track to launch later this year

The Fitbit smartwatch will be on the market in time for Christmas holiday shoppers, the fitness-tracking firm's CEO said today. 

"Our smartwatch, which we believe will deliver the best health and fitness experience in the category, is on track for delivery ahead of the holiday season," James Park said in the company's earnings report press release.

The smartwatch had faced reported production delays, but it's now on pace to launch before the end of the year, for real. 

We're missing have an exact release date for Fitbit's full-fat smartwatch, of course, though comments made on the company's earnings report call suggest the device will arrive sometime in October, November or December, as reported by The Verge.

Park also offered up a few juicy details about the smartwatch on the call. The device will feature GPS, water resistance to a depth of 50 meters, health and fitness tracking capabilities and support across platforms. Best of all, its battery life will last for multiple days.

Ready for the fight?

Whenever the Fitbit smartwatch launches this year, it will face stiff competition from the Apple Watch and its huge hold on the smartwatch market. 

Apple said during its earnings call on Tuesday that Apple Watch sales are up 50% year-on-year.

Fitbit did well with its pseudo-smartwatch, the Fitbit Blaze, but left consumers wanting more. The Fitbit Alta maker's first real-time smartwatch promises to deliver on a few fronts, but it also has lots of expectations riding on its shoulders. We'll find out in a few months' time whether it meets or misses them.

Michelle Fitzsimmons

Michelle was previously a news editor at TechRadar, leading consumer tech news and reviews. Michelle is now a Content Strategist at Facebook.  A versatile, highly effective content writer and skilled editor with a keen eye for detail, Michelle is a collaborative problem solver and covered everything from smartwatches and microprocessors to VR and self-driving cars.