The FCC just certified a Fitbit wireless device with the model number FB423. First spotted by 9to5Google, the FCC documents suggest it to be a fitness tracker. The device boasts Bluetooth and NFC support, which fits the Charge 6 billing. The Charge 5 arrived on the same day last year bearing the model number FB421, equipped with an NFC chip for making contactless payments from your wrist. While the details are pretty vague and don’t necessarily confirm the FB423 is the Charge 6, the publication had recently spotted a reference to it during an APK teardown of the Google Wallet app. At that time, they speculated that it could be a placeholder rather than an actual device in the works. But the latest sighting on the FCC database is additional evidence that Fitbit has a new Charge-series device in development. The company is due to it too. It could add the continuous EDA (electrodermal activity) sensor that debuted on Sense 2. However, we can’t entirely rule out the possibility of it being something else. 9to5Google says it could be a new Fitbit Luxe model too. An NFC-enabled Luxe 2 would certainly fit the company’s lineup. It has been focusing on offering premium features at lower cost lately.
This Fitbit device may still be months away
The FB423 hitting the FCC today suggests this wearable may arrive in the market in a few months. However, during its announcement of Sense 2, Versa 4, and Inspire 3 yesterday, Fitbit referred to the new devices as its “fall lineup”. So its next launch will likely come in early winter, somewhere around December or in January next year. But that would mean the device misses the holiday shopping season, a time when these kinds of products sell like hotcakes. Moreover, the prospect of the Charge 6 arriving in January may reduce customer interest in Charge 5. So there’s a lot of confusion regarding when Fitbit’s FB423 wireless device will arrive. What we know is that the company is working on a new product even though it may have just unveiled three of them. It should appear in more leaks and rumors in the coming months. We will keep you posted.
