Fitbit (FIT) Alta HR Launched: 5 Specs Of The Newly Released Fitness Band

Fitbit unveiled Monday its new fitness band, the Alta HR. The wearable device picks up from the Alta released a year ago with similar features and retails for $150.

“Alta HR and these powerful new sleep features demonstrate our continued focus on evolving our innovative technology to deliver deeper, more actionable insights to help our users improve their health. The miniaturization of our PurePulse heart rate technology opens up exciting opportunities for future generations of devices and new form factors,” James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit, said in the company’s press release announcing the launch.

The wearable is thin and the company seems to have cut down its PurePulse heart rate sensor to fit in the small space in the frame.

Here are five interesting features of the fitness wearable:

Heart Rate Tracking: Just like any other Fitbit device with the "HR" moniker, the Fitbit Alta HR has a heart rate tracker that uses its signature PurePulse heart rate technology. Fitbit Alta HR's frame will be 25 percent thinner than that of the Fitbit Charge 2. PurePulse can manage a user’s pulse despite obstructions such as thick arm hair.

Sleep Stages Tracking: Fitbit has introduced a new feature with the Alta HR, which will monitor the quality of your sleep. How it works is that it combines heart rate and motion data to assess how much REM, light and deep sleep you have had, which could give you an idea on how to improve the quality of your sleep. According to the company, the feature could actually replace expensive sleep tracking in sleep labs.

Sleep Insights: Another sleep-related feature of the Alta HR is Sleep Insights. The feature combines sleep data gathered by the Alta HR with diet and fitness patterns and based on the accumulated data makes suggestions to the user to improve the quality of sleep. For example, if you have better sleep post exercise, the Fitbit app will suggest doing so more often.

Slim Form Factor: The company claims that the Alta HR is the world’s slimmest wristband with a heart rate sensor.

Improved Notifications: The Alta HR features improved notifications, such as:

• All-day automatic tracking including heart rate, steps, distance, calorie burn and active minutes.
• Automatic exercise tracking that records activities such as walking, running, cycling, elliptical, sports and aerobic workouts.
• Reminders to move when you have been sedentary for too long.
• Call, text and calendar notifications connected to fitness.
• Notifications from Fitbit’s social fitness network.

The Alta HR will be available from early April, according to the official press release.