Fitbit unveil the more-affordable Versa Lite

Fitbit has unveiled a more-affordable version of last year's Fitbit Versa smartwatch.

The Fitbit Versa Lite loses the music playback and guided workouts found in the original Versa but lands at a cheaper price.

Still, the new smartwatch ticks a lot of the same boxes when it comes to features. It offers up automatic activity, PurePulse 24/7 heart rate and Sleep Stages tracking. It also boasts 15+ goal-based exercise modes, connected GPS and smartphone notifications and the same four-day battery life found in its predecessor.

This time around, Fitbit have also reduced the number of physical buttons from three to one - opting for a more minimalist approach that almost entirely relies on the touchscreen display for interactivity.

There will be five color variants on offer - white, lilac, mulberry, marina blue and charcoal. Fitbit say they'll be introducing a set of "sport-inspired" hybrid woven watchbands later down the line.

“With our newest products, we’re delivering high-quality, easy-to-use wearables that are more affordable, so getting healthy can be accessible to people of all ages and activity levels – even those who have never tried a wearable,” said James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit.

“Bringing more users to the wearables category and growing our community of active users is a critical part of our strategy. We will continue to build on the Fitbit platform to provide a more personalised and valuable experience for our users through a paid premium service expected to launch later this year.”

In Australia, the Fitbit Versa Lite will retail for an RRP of $249.