Fitbit, DFRE join hands for Dubai Fitness Challenge

Dubai - Versa 2 smartwatch, Premium service also announced in UAE

Wearable technology manufacturer Fitbit and the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) have revealed a partnership for Dubai Fitness Challenge 30x30 in a bid to further boost the popular active lifestyle initiative.
The announcement was made during Fitbit's launch of its new products and service in Dubai.
The Dubai Fitness Challenge, an initiative spearheaded by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, aims to transform the emirate into the most active city globally by encouraging people to complete 30 minutes of activity for 30 days.
The upcoming third edition, slated to run from October 18 to November 16, aims to build on its huge success in the past two years with even more residents expected to participate.
"Last year we had more than one million participants" who were able to change their lifestyles for the better, said Saeed Al Marri, deputy director for retail sector development at the DFRE, which is an entity under Dubai Tourism.
"We look forward to this partnership [with Fitbit] and we're very happy to be part of this."
Al Marri was joined in his announcement by Hemesh Chandavarkar, director for commercial and sponsorship at the DFRE.

New products now 'active'
Vincent Lamoureux, director of new markets at Fitbit, says the wearables and health-tracking market are sectors that should be accessible to all, with devices that fit everyone's needs.
By introducing the Versa 2, consumers now have an additional option in this regard.
He also revealed the latest statistics on Fitbit's offerings. As of the second quarter of 2019, 228 billion hours of heart rate data along with 517 billion minutes of exercise and 202 trillion steps have been recorded by users. On the flipside, 10.5 billion nights of sleep have been logged.
"We believe that health belongs to everyone and that people should not be priced out of having access to devices and features that can help them improve their health," James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit, said in a statement.
"That's why we've designed Versa 2 to be a premium, full-featured and easy-to-use smartwatch at an accessible price point."
The Fitbit Versa 2 comes with an improved and precision-crafted swim-proof design, plus more advanced sleep, health and smart features.
At the gathering, the company also announced Fitbit Premium, a paid subscription service within the Fitbit app that takes user data in order to deliver a more personalised experience, with coaching to help users achieve their goals.
The service costs Dh40 monthly or Dh330 annually.
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com