The Fitbit smartwatch is facing further obstacles before its eventual release, according to a Bloomberg report yesterday. The upcoming wearable device has been the subject of leaks and rumors for some time, and is expected to release in the fall following some earlier production issues that pushed back a planned spring launch. The report states that the company is now facing some issues with the development of its app store for the smartwatch, as well as the loss of some employees who were working on the project. However, Fitbit has issued a statement in response to say that the smartwatch is “on track” and has also denied that there are any problems with the developer program and third-party apps for the device.
The upcoming Fitbit smartwatch will utilize a custom operating system, and the app store for the device is set to be available for Android and Apple smartphones, so that users can download the apps and emit them to the wearable via Bluetooth. Although the report reiterates that the app store is delayed and points to a lack of enthusiasm from app developers being one of the reasons behind this, it also states that it might still be ready by the time the device is launched. The wearable technology devices company has a lot invested in the new smartwatch, but it remains to be seen if the project will succeed given the amount of competition. Growth for Fitbit has stagnated since earlier this year, and last month Samsung overtook Fitbit in terms of wearable sales for Q1 although both lagged behind Apple in top spot.
In early May some leaked images of the upcoming smartwatch (codenamed Higgs) and some Fitbit Bluetooth earbuds appeared. It was claimed that the full-featured smartwatch would be the first from the company that would not be focused on fitness, unlike the Fitbit Blaze or Fitbit Surge. The same source also provided an unconfirmed price for the Fitbit smartwatch of around $300 as well as some leaked details. It’s said to have a color display, on-board GPS, a heart rate monitor, and four days of battery life. Furthermore, users will have the ability to make payments via the device and there will also be a direct link to the Pandora music service, rather than Spotify as was first rumored. As far as the design is concerned, the wearable will have interchangeable bands and an aluminum body. As usual, with leaks of this kind, none of the above has been officially confirmed just yet.