Fitbit, as you may know, is a company that makes wearable fitness trackers. These trackers work pretty well individually — the staff at Digital Trends tried the Flex, Surge, and Charge, and came away fairly impressed — but until now, the devices had no way to communicate with each other. That’ll soon change. Fitbit announced an update, scheduled for later this week, that’ll allow users to link multiple Fitbit devices — up to six — to a single account.
The multi-device update signifies Fitbit’s strategy going forward. CEO James Park told TechCrunch the company wants to sell different Fitbit products to a single person for different scenarios — the Flex and Zip for day-to-day activities and the Surge for more intensive, focused exercise.
The multiple-device strategy could drive higher profits, but it likely won’t regain the company any of the goodwill it lost during this February’s dermatological debacle. Still, Fitbit owners immune to the rash-inducing materials found in the Charge and Surge will surely enjoy the aforementioned enhancements when they eventually hit.
Multi-device usage isn’t all the update will enable. Limited to North America at first, the Surge will gain a mode for cycle tracking. It’ll measure distance, average speed, duration, calorie stats, and heart rate during sessions. and store them on the companion mobile for easy reference. Routes will be mapped and synced to the Web, where users will be able to view a more meticulous breakdown.
Just as a reminder to owners still affected by the rash: Fitbit recommends loosening your tracker’s band, wearing it for shorter periods, or drying the skin underneath.
