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Fitbit unveils menstrual cycle tracking with latest smartwatch

Fitbit on Tuesday unveiled the Fitbit Versa, a modern smartwatch that is preselling for $199.95 with an anticipated April 2018 release, and introduced a new menstrual cycle tracking functionality.

“As the wearables category continues to grow, Fitbit Versa fills a critical need in the market by delivering a beautifully designed, full-featured smartwatch that is easy to use at a very competitive price,” James Park, CEO of San Francisco-based Fitbit, said. “Versa brings consumers the advanced health and fitness features Fitbit is known for, along with broad compatibility across mobile platforms and four days battery life to provide users with a better picture of their overall health, making it stand out from any smartwatch available today.”

Fitbit is touting the new entry as the lightest metal smartwatch on the U.S. market with advanced health tracking features including 24/7 heart rate tracking, onscreen workouts an automatic sleep stages tracking. In addition, the smartwatch enables wallet-free payments on Fitbit Versa Special edition and carries on-device music with four days of battery life.

Fitbit also announced a new menstrual cycle tracking feature to help users keep track of their menstrual cycle, view holistic health data in one place and better understand connections to their overall health, Fitbit said.

The feature offers users “a greater understanding of their menstrual cycles in conjunction with their physical and mental health, as they start to recognize what are normal trends over time vs. what could be an issue to share with their doctor,” Katharine White, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Boston University School of Medicine and Fitbit advisor. “The nuances of the menstrual cycle have not been as widely studied across population as have other areas in healthcare. This exciting development by Fitbit could help potentially create one of the largest databases of menstrual health metrics in the world, providing healthcare and research professionals with an unprecedented ability to study menstrual cycles and women’s health with real-world data.”

“I encourage all of my clients to track their activity so they understand how it plays a role in their overall health and fitness journey,” Harley Pasternak, Fitbit ambassador and celebrity trainer. “Versa offers all of the features they need in one place to stay on top of their busy days, plus it’s stylish enough that they can wear it everywhere they go — to the gym or out with friends.”