Fitness trackers and bands used to have a distinct appearance, with basic, narrow screens and a generally compact form factor. However, the trend toward larger screens on wearables has resulted in modern fitness-focused wearables resembling smartwatches, and this is the aesthetic that the Fitbit Versa 4 pursues. It has a square AMOLED screen that dominates the front, a matte aluminum casing, and a single button on the right side of the device. Although Fitbit does not officially state the screen’s specifications, it is sharp and quite nice to look at, especially if you use a watch face with a black background. A press of the button or the lift-to-wake gesture will wake the screen, but tapping the touchscreen will not work until the device is active. You can also use the always-on display mode to see the time, set the screen timeout duration, and select one of three brightness levels, depending on your needs. Many popular wearables are OS or platform-specific, and Fitbit’s acquisition by Google has led many to believe that the device and app require, or work better on, an Android phone to function. However, this is not the case; the Fitbit app is compatible with both Android and iOS, and Fitbit remains device agnostic in this regard. The Fitbit app manages the connection between the Versa 4 and the paired smartphone, as well as data collection and analysis. This isn’t unique; every smartwatch and fitness tracker does it, but where Fitbit truly differentiates itself is in the quality of its data analysis. The app generates detailed graphs and statistics based on the data collected by the Versa 4, including various data sets included with the Premium subscription.
