Fitbit Versa 4: Everything we know (Updated: August 23)

Update: August 23, 2022 (4:30 AM ET): We’ve updated our Fitbit Versa 4 hub with new details hinting at Google Wallet support.

Original article: The Versa series is Fitbit‘s bread-and-butter smartwatch series. Ever since the first Versa debuted in 2018, the two successive devices have improved the formula, added more features, and upped the company’s smartwatch credentials. We earmarked the Fitbit Versa 3 as the company’s best wearable considering its excellent value, decent battery life, and accurate health tracking. There’s plenty of room for improvement for the rumored Fitbit Versa 4.

Fitbit’s new smartwatch details are coming thick and fast, so it’s not a stretch to suggest it’ll be landing soon. But what do we know about Fitbit’s next smartwatch? Below, we look at the latest rumors surrounding the Fitbit Versa 4 and everything we hope to see on the smartwatch.

See also: The best Fitbit smartwatches and fitness trackers

The Fitbit Versa 3 debuted in late August 2021, around eleven months after the Versa 2. Following this pattern, it’s safe to suggest the Versa 4 could appear in the Fall of 2022.

As for the device’s name, there’s little indication that Fitbit will deviate from the Versa moniker. If Fitbit were to consider a new name, the company has options.

Fitbit could consolidate the Sense and Versa lines into one. Considering how close the Versa 3 and Sense were in terms of base specs, it may be worth calling the Versa 4 the “Sense Lite.” There’s no evidence to support the death of the Versa line, so we’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.

See also: The best smartwatches you can buy

Our latest look at the device may be our best yet. New alleged press renders stemming from tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer and 91Mobiles broke cover in early August. The renders reveal minimal design tweaks over the Versa 3, bar the Rose and Graphite straps. It seems it might be tough to tell the Versa 4 and Sense 2 apart, especially as the former will also gain a physical button on its left flank per the render.

We don’t get a good look at the right flank of the watch, so Fitbit may still choose to keep the inductive groove on that side. The renders also don’t reveal the rear of the Versa 4. However, earlier live-action shots do.

Beyond the button, we can glean additional details of the shot. There are no significant design deviations here over the Versa 3. This suggests straps should be backwards compatible, while the Versa 4 could seemingly occupy the same amount of space on the wrist as its predecessor.

In late July, 9to5Google published alleged real-life shots of the device. They suggest we won’t see any major tweaks in the sensor department. This isn’t terrible news, as it seems Fitbit’s going fore refinement instead of novelty.

Interestingly, a now-deleted video titled “Tutorial for Fitbit Versa 4 / Sense 2 Screen Protector” also allegedly showcased the Versa 4 in the flesh (via 9to5Google). The clip was from Wasserstein, a company known for manufacturing device accessories. But don’t get too excited yet. The device on show is seemingly the original Sense. However, it does suggest the Versa 4/Sense 2 may be awfully similar to the current Fitbit flagship.

Additionally, an APK teardown of the Fitbit app performed by 9to5Google suggests that the Fitbit Versa 4 and Fitbit Sense 2 could use 336 x 336 displays. That’s the same resolution used by the original Sense and the Versa 3. The Versa 3’s display measured 1.58-inches, so we could expect the Versa 4 to pack similar body dimensions.

Our verdict: Fitbit Sense review

We expect several features to return on the Versa 4, including built-in GPS with Glonass support, a built-in speaker with Bluetooth call smarts, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support, and SpO2 tracking. It’s unclear how Fitbit would entice Versa 3 users to upgrade to the Versa 4 without additional sensors. With this in mind, we wouldn’t be surprised if it adopts all or a selection of the exclusive ECG, EDA, and skin temperature sensors used on the Fitbit Sense.

Software

The aforementioned 9to5Google teardown also revealed that the Fitbit Versa 4 likely won’t run Wear OS. Google has previously confirmed that a yet-to-be-released Fitbit smartwatch would run Wear OS, but considering the Sense 2 isn’t a likely candidate either, it seems an all-new Fitbit range might sport this distinction.

Per details uncovered by 9to5Google, Google Wallet support may land on the Versa 4. This comes from an APK teardown of the latest version of Play Services. It’s unclear how this will be integrated on the Versa 4 (and Sense 2), but considering Google’s move towards one payment solution, merging Fitbit Pay into Google Wallet would make a lot of sense.

More reading: Everything we know about the Google Pixel Watch

The Fitbit Versa 3 launched at $229, undercutting the Galaxy Watch 4 ($249) and Apple Watch SE ($279) but placing it above the aesthetically-similar Garmin Venu Sq ($199). Fitbit’s newer models usually demand a few more dollars over their predecessors, so don’t be too surprised to see a $249 asking price for the Versa 4.

As for availability, Fitbit’s new models usually launch a few days after their official announcements, so expect the Versa 4 to be available to purchase in the Fall. However, Fitbit also has a habit of announcing certain features that arrive locked, pending regulatory approval, or slated for a later release date. We expect more of the same here.

See also: The best Fitbit alternatives

One of the more quizzical design additions on the Sense and the Versa 3 is the finicky inductive groove. Its lack of tactile feedback, awkward placement, and clunky operation makes it more challenging to use than a traditional button. Sure, you get used to it eventually, but we still feel a tactile button would be a better fit whether you’re sitting still or out on a run.

The Versa 2 packed a clicky button that made it easy to find without looking. Trading this pusher for an inductive option was presumably made as an aesthetic decision, but we’d much prefer the return of a raised nub. Fitbit must make the Versa 4’s inductive button easier to use if that’s too much to ask. Early renders suggest we might get both.

Google now owns Fitbit, but you’d be forgiven for forgetting this. The latest version of Fitbit OS is devoid of Google apps and services and doesn’t have suitable replacements. For starters, there’s no reliable offline maps app supported by Fitbit. There’s no YouTube Music support or a dedicated Google Calendar app, nor do users have the ability to cast Fitbit workout videos to supported displays. We’d love to see a more concerted effort from Google to bolster Fitbit OS.

Fitbit makes a habit of releasing a new charging cradle for almost every smartwatch and fitness tracker. This stopped with the Versa 3 and Sense, but we’d still like to see support for a universal solution, like wireless charging.

While the new magnetic charging cradle is a significant improvement over the Versa 2’s silly clasp charger, it remains a hindrance for travelers or folk who frequently forget to charge their devices. Wireless charging support would allow users to, in theory, top-up their Versa 4 using their phones’ reverse charging feature or via a portable charger.

See also: The best wireless chargers

Fitbit OS has come a long way since the fledgling days of the Blaze. The new version used on the Versa 3 is cleaner and more intuitive than ever before, but it remains sluggish when scrolling through and opening apps. We’d like to see a more concerted effort from Fitbit to rid the OS of these graphical hitches and performance lapses that negatively affected the Versa 3 and Sense.

Finally, if we’re not going to get sweeping physical changes, we’d like to see new sensors on the Fitbit Versa 4. Fitbit introduced an artificial feature gulf between the Sense and Versa lines in 2021, but in 2022, we want to see the Sense’s smarts filter down into the next Versa model. This includes the ECG monitor for heart health monitoring, an EDA sensor for stress monitoring, and a skin temperature sensor to actively monitor body heat fluctuations.

That’s everything we want to see on the Fitbit Versa 4. Which features do you desire most? Be sure to vote in our poll above.