When will the Fitbit Luxe 2 be released?
The original Fitbit Luxe was launched in April 2021, which as you can see is now more than a year ago. Fitness trackers aren’t quite the same as iPhones or Samsung Galaxy devices which get a yearly update like clockwork. It can be a lot longer between new models, as people tend not to replace them with the same frequency. With this in mind, we think it’s likely that the Luxe 2 will make its debut in 2023 rather than this year.
Recent code found in the Fitbit app by 9to5Google suggest three new models are in development, codenamed Hera, Rhea and Nyota, the latter of which has a 208×124 resolution panel which is the same as the original Fitbit Luxe. So, the people at Fitbit are hard at work and hopefully we’ll see the fruits of their labours very soon.
How much will the Fitbit Luxe 2 cost?
There’s no official word from Fitbit yet regarding anything about the Luxe 2, so we’ll take our guide from the previous model. The standard Fitbit Luxe is available for £129.99/$149.95/€149.95, while the Gorjana Special Edition is priced at £179.99/$199.95/€199.95.
We’d expect the Luxe 2 to follow this pattern, although as the Gorjana version was only differentiated by a fancy bracelet rather than any additional features, that particular variant might not make the cut this time around. You can always buy the bracelets separately anyway.
What specs and features will we see in the Fitbit Luxe 2?
We haven’t seen any solid rumours so far about what the Luxe 2 might bring to the table. From the 9to5Google report we see that the display resolution should remain the same as the original, so that would suggest the display size will also follow suit. This means the Fitbit Luxe 2 will most likely boast a 0.76-inch panel. This makes a lot of sense, as the focus with the Luxe range is on appearance and luxury (hence the name) rather than cutting-edge health features. Those are left for the more fitness-oriented devices like the Fitbit Charge 5.
So, if you’ve already invested money in a few different bands and bracelets, it would make sense if those could then be brought with you to the new model.
Of course, the Luxe range are still very capable trackers, so expect to see the same collection of useful features on the Luxe 2 as its predecessor, including step, distance and calories burned monitoring. Heart rate and exercise tracking, plus the very useful sleep analytics that tell you not only how long you slept but also the quality of those hours.
What we’d like to see in the Fitbit Luxe 2
In our review of the Fitbit Luxe we highlighted some areas that the device could be improved. Hopefully this will happen with the Luxe 2. Here’s the top things we’d like to see added to the new model:
GPS
One of the main omissions from the Luxe was GPS tracking. This is present on the Fitbit Charge 5, so it would seem reasonable to have the same functionality on the Luxe 2. You can use connected GPS by linking the Luxe to your smartphone, but it’s not as good as having the device independently monitoring your runs and other activities.
NFC
Another feature available on the Fitbit Charge 5 that hasn’t made it to the Luxe yet is NFC. This seems like a silly thing to leave out, especially when the Luxe brand is more focussed on lifestyle and fashion, as it’s a necessary component when it comes to using wireless payments like Google Pay.
ECG
Rounding off the three-letter-acronym (TLA) wish-list is the Electrocardiogram feature from the Fitbit Charge 5 which allows the device to monitor for any irregularities in your heartbeat that could be a warning sign for potential heart-attacks or heart-related problems. To be fair, it’s only available via the Fitbit Premium subscription at the moment, but opening it up to the Luxe 2 would make it not only something that looks nice but could also save you from suffering serious health problems.
To see our choice of the best health monitoring devices you can currently buy, take a look at our roundups of the best fitness trackers and best Fitbit.
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews for Macworld and its sister site Tech Advisor.
