Fitbit Versa hands-on: Fitbit's finally getting serious about smartwatches

The Versa ditches GPS and NFC for a $199 price tag.

I've been wearing a Fitbit Ionic since January, and it's quickly become one of my favorite smartwatches. I like the way it looks, it keeps me motivated to stay active, and its feature-set works great for what I want in a wearable. Unfortunately, most everyone else doesn't feel the same way.

Fitbit reported less-than-favorable sales for the Ionic during its latest earnings call, and along with this, promised investors it was working on a new "mass appeal" smartwatch that would draw in more customers. A couple leaks gave us a good idea as to what this gadget would bring to the table, but now we officially know what's going on.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Fitbit Versa.

The Fitbit Versa is a very different-looking watch compared to the Ionic, and I think most people will agree that all of the changes here have been made for the better. Fitbit says the Versa is the "lightest metal smartwatch you can buy in the U.S.", and while I never had a problem with the weight of my Ionic, the Versa is noticeably lighter.

You'll find three buttons on the Versa (one on the left and two on the right), and the screen is taller and less wide compared to the Ionic. Fitbit's going for a "squircle" design and one that's not so masculine, and it hopes this will help put an impact on the smartwatch market that males currently dominate by 60%.

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