Can you make phone calls on the Fitbit Versa 2?
Can you make phone calls on the Fitbit Versa 2?
Best answer: Unfortunately, no. Though the Versa 2 does have a microphone, you cannot place or answer calls. Non iOS users can respond to messages with their voice on Android, and all users can activate the microphone to summon Alexa.Dick Tracy smartwatch: Fitbit Versa 2 Special Edition ($230 at Fitbit)
Fitness is calling, but your mom isn't
The Versa 2 is an affordable and very capable smartwatch, but there is one key feature that it simply does not support: voice calling. Apple, Samsung, and Huawei all offer some kind of LTE SIM or passthrough calling features on their smartwatches, but this is not something that Fitbit has chosen to include at this time.
Fitbit did put a microphone on the Versa 2 to support arguably its most important new feature: built-in Amazon Alexa integration. The microphone allows you to make requests to Alexa and receive text responses on the screen. You won't get any audible responses from Alexa though, as there are no speakers on the watch either (also necessary for voice calls).
Paging Android users...
Android users can take advantage of the microphone to dictate short replies to messages, but this functionality is not enabled for iOS users. Perhaps Fitbit will be able to work around this in the future with carriers the way Pebble was able to do several years ago, but that remains to be seen.
One could argue that most people still take their phones with them on runs/rides/hikes, so putting an expensive feature like calling support in a watch is an extravagance. Indeed, even the Versa 2 Special Edition at $230 is substantially cheaper than watches with LTE calling capabilities like the Apple Watch at $499. Regardless, the ability to send and receive calls is undoubtedly a popular feature that we hope Fitbit will consider adding in future models, even if they have to put it on a pricier special edition version.
Incomplete voice partner
The Versa 2 has a microphone to dictate requests to Alexa or responses to messages on Android. Sadly, calls and voice responses are not available on iOS.
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Jeramy is proud to help *Keep Austin Weird* and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. When he's not writing about smart home gadgets and wearables, he's defending his relationship with his smart voice assistants to his family. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.