Will Fitbit Ionic smartwatch be enough to secure Fitbit’s future?

Earlier this year, Fitbit bought the assets of now defunct smartwatch maker Pebble, and the Ionic is the first smartwatch to come out of that merging of the minds.

Running Fitbit’s own operating system, the new device has a few things going for it. It claims to have up to four days of battery life, is water resistant up to 50 metres and has a new heart rate sensor on the back.

It automatically detects when you start exercising, so you don't have to remember to push any buttons. Compatible with both Android and Apple smartphones, there's also a software kit for developers that, if all goes to plan, will result in a slew of third-party apps for the device.

That could be an important weapon for Fitbit: its main competition, the Apple Watch, has already marked its territory when it comes to third-party developer support.Will the Ionic be enough to secure Fitbit’s future? We’ll see.