New Fitbit Versa on the way with built-in Amazon Alexa? (Update: Retail box)

Update, August 14, 2019 (11:45 AM ET): A new batch of leaked photos reportedly show the retail box for the as-yet-unannounced Fitbit Versa 2 (via Tizen Help). Overall, it seems that the Versa 2 is going to be a nominal upgrade over the original.

The only real notable upgrade apparent from these leaked images is that Fitbit Pay could be available on the standard edition of the Versa 2. If you’ll remember, with the original Versa you needed to buy an upgraded version to access Fitbit Pay.

The source of the images claims the company will officially unveil the Fitbit Versa 2 on August 25 and the device will hit store shelves on September 15. If true, we’ve got less than two weeks to wait until we see what the Versa 2 has in store.

Check out the images for yourself below and continue on to read more about the Versa 2:

Original article, August 1, 2019 (08:37 AM ET): Fitbit is surely working on a new Versa product behind-the-scenes (potentially the Fitbit Versa 2), though it hasn’t talked about any new Versa watches since the release of the Versa Lite earlier this year. However, thanks to images from leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks) posted earlier today, we might have an idea of what the next Fitbit Versa will offer.

Blass tweeted a compiled image showing off five renders of what he called the next “Versa-class” smartwatch from Fitbit, potentially the Versa 2. The smartwatch appears to have much in common with previous Versa watches, and particularly the Versa Lite thanks to the absence of right-side buttons.  

The render on the far left suggests it will come with at least one interesting new addition, though: built-in Amazon Alexa support.

You can find digital assistants on watches like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch and on certain Wear OS watches like those from Mobvoi and Fossil. These allow users to arrange their calendar and ask questions like a voice assistant on smartphones. If the new Fitbit Versa includes Amazon Alexa, it would be the first time Amazon’s digital assistant has been built into a Fitbit device, though Fitbit already has a downloadable Alexa skill.

This would also suggest the new Fitbit Versa is coming with a microphone, which no Versa watch has had previously. It could allow for even more functionality, like voice calls.

The two woven bands seen in the images, meanwhile, suggest this will be at the premium end of the Versa spectrum. Fitbit currently has three Versa models — the Versa, Versa Special Edition, and the Versa Lite — but the woven watch bands are only available for the premium Special Edition model (it’s priced around $250).  

Adding further credence to this notion is the Q2 2019 earnings Fitbit announced yesterday. It revealed weaker than expected Versa Lite sales but hinted at new products to come with improved average selling prices.

I suspect the next Versa watch will indeed be at the higher end, but it may need to show off more than a few worthwhile improvements to help Fitbit boost its revenue before the end of 2019. 

If you want to check out our original Fitbit Versa review — and find out why we urged you to “just buy one already” — hit the link.