Fitbit Surge vs Apple Watch vs Samsung Galaxy Gear S Comparison: Review of Specs - Tough Competition
The new Fitbit Surge smartwatch promises to provide stiff competition to the Apple Watch and Samsung's Galaxy Gear S when it is released in the early part of 2015.
Two other watches -- the Fitbit Charge and Fitbit Charge HR – will also be released on the same date.
The Fitbit Surge is the highest priced among the three watches. It features eight sensors designed for non-stop monitoring of health-related data. Among its features are ambient light sensors, a 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, heart rate monitor and compass.
In addition, the smartwatch can be used with a number of iOS and Android devices and has Caller ID. Priced at $250, the Fitbit Surge still costs $100 less than the Apple base model of the Apple Watch.
Time notes that the upcoming Fitbit models will have to deal with the negative press the previous models got when they had to be recalled after some users developed skin rashes.
The Fitbit Surge has one major advantage over the Apple Watch and other smartwatches: Its battery can last up to five days. On a blog post in the company's website, it is claimed that the watch can remain operational for up to seven days on a single charge because of its "efficient battery technology."
CNET notes that the Fitbit Surge will not be integrating with the iOS HealthKit since it is not compatible with the Android OS.
However, in an official statement Fitbit company officials said "Fitbit is committed to supporting all users of Fitbit products who have iOS, Android or Windows Phone devices, Macs or PCs."
