Fitbit launches a new smart health bracelet intended business and insurance

Fitbit has launched a new line of connected wristbands. Called Fitbit Inspire , it consists of two models, which the firm however reserves for companies using its platform Fitbit Coach.

A few weeks after launching its professional platform Fitbit Coach, the No. 2 European wearable market intends to continue its conquest of the world of business and launches a dedicated activity tracker. And even two. The Fitbit Inspire, since it is his name, comes in two versions and is not intended to fill the stalls of stores. The US start-up of wearables has chosen to offer them only to employees of companies or customers of mutual and health insurance partners.

It will be offered exclusively to Fitbit Care customers, companies that want to improve the well-being of their employees or their customers, in the case of insurance companies.

The idea is to equip all employees of a company under the guise of well-being. Fitbit wants to offer a follow-up of the activity during the sleep, the employees will be able to know the number of calories lost daily, of course, they will also have the alerts on their telephone. Some models will, at first sight, be equipped with GPS.

Inspire Activity Bracelets have classic activity tracking, sleep and calories burned. They remind his owner to move, congratulate him when he has achieved his goals and allow him to receive alerts and follow his agenda. The Inspire HR version allows you to follow your heart rate, the different stages of sleep and the distance covered in a day, as well as your walking pace via the GPS of your smartphone. No price is indicated on the website, but Fitbit told the CNBC site that these are the cheapest products it offers. No doubt the price varies according to the agreements made with the companies and the quantity ordered by them.

A BTOB EXCLUSIVE OFFER

With such an offering, Fitbit continues its strategic shift towards the BtoB market. In February 2018, the American bought the start-up Twine Health which has developed a health coaching platform for companies. On subscription, this solution allows companies to reduce their medical expenses by doing prevention or by accompanying their employees in treatment programs step by step to reduce their weight or stop smoking.

A less expensive version than the Alta

The Fitbit Inspire, in its simplest version, is a bracelet with a touch screen and various sensors to monitor activity and analyze sleep. A system of objective is obviously the party, as well as alerts in case of prolonged periods of inactivity, but it will be remembered especially that this bracelet for the least basic is waterproof up to 50 meters and announced with 5 days autonomy. The second version, called Fitbit Inspire HR, is a little more interesting and especially more complete since it includes, as suggested by its name, a heart rate monitor. It is thus able to provide richer and more accurate information during training, especially since a GPS is also added, but also to detect the different phases of sleep during the night.

Fitbit Inspire & Inspire HR

Regardless of the version, the Inspire brings nothing really new in the catalog of Fitbit, the Alta range offering more or less the same with a more worked design bonus. This new model therefore aims to offer companies seeking to deploy a fleet of activity trackers alternatives cheaper than watches and bracelets consumer brand, but also those of the competition. Our colleagues at Engadget indicate that the Apple Watch is used by many insurance companies, probably in the United States where contract rates can vary greatly depending on the state of health that it is possible to control remotely and continuously. It could become an important market for Fitbit.

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