Wearable tech company Fitbit has launched a new device named Ionic, which aims to bridge the gap between fitness trackers and the smartwatches currently on the market.
Ionic, launched at this year's IFA consumer electronics conference in Berlin, is Fitbit's second foray into smartwatch design ? following the Blaze device it launched last year.

As with other devices on the market, Ionic offers users a number of smart features including contactless payments, music streaming and phone notifications.
It also incorporates the in-depth health and fitness trackers that the brand is known for. A personal trainer mode delivers users tailored workouts, while sensors have the ability to measure blood oxygen levels.

A newly developed swim mode tracks distance and duration of exercise in water ? with the watch water resistant for up to 50 meters in depth. All metrics will be sent to a corresponding app, so that users can monitor their progress. "With Ionic, we will deliver what consumers have not yet seen in a smartwatch," said co-founder and CEO James Park.
"[It's] a health and fitness first platform that combines the power of personalisation and deeper insights with our most advanced technology to date, unlocking opportunities for unprecedented health tracking capabilities in the future."

Fitbit Ionic is priced at £299.99, in the same price bracket as the Apple Watch, which is sold for £269.
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