Fitbit is no. 2 smartwatch maker behind Apple with 13.9 million units sold in 2018

 Fitbit has emerged as the most trusted and popular maker of fitness wearables and it has also bolstered its position as smartwatch maker coming in behind Apple and its Apple Watch with $13.9 unit sales in 2018 and 5.6 million sales in Q4 alone.

“I’m proud of our performance this year,” Fitbit co-founder and CEO James Park said in a prepared statement. “Our results demonstrate that our strategy is the right one, placing us on a path back to growth and profitability. We grew our active users [by] 9 percent to 27.6 million … and grew the number of devices sold in the fourth quarter.”

The most popular Fitbit models include the Fitbit Versa, Ace, and Charge 3. The company is expected to continue to roll out more wearable options as well as add functionality to its existing devices.

Fitbit's smartwatches now add quick reply functionality

One of the limitations of Fitbit devices is that they can receive notifications but while you can see a message and the sender, these aren't actionable. That's changing today with a new update which will allow quick replies. These will now have five preset responses as well as the ability to create a response provided it is under 60 characters in length. 

Fitbit's Ionic and Versa smart watches also have compatibility with Dexcom's app for Blood Glucose monitors, further expanding the focus on deeper health tracking functionality.

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Nissan recalls 54,000 cars for faulty airbags that could deploy when doors are slammed

Nissan has issued a recall for 54,000 Nissan Versa 2012 models which have curtain and seat-mounted airbags which can unexpectedly deploy when the door is slammed.

Nissan North America, who issued the recall, says the problem is likely to be casued by the degradation of the side impact sensor connector pins. The unexpected deployment of airbags in non-crash situations can increase the risk of injury.

Nissan says dealers will install a new jumper harness and replace the side impact sensors free of charge. Car owners can contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Source: CTV News