Irrational or not, I still long for a screenless Fitbit

Remember Jawbone? One of my first wearables was the UP2, a fashionable bangle-like fitness tracker that provided basic sleep tracking. I fell in love with its slim, unassuming form factor. A screenless health monitor that I could wear alongside my analog watch? It was the dream! But when the flailing company folded and killed off its app, I upgraded to a Fitbit Flex 2. I wore it until the rubberized coating bubbled and boiled. Eventually, I tossed the torn-up device, but I never forgot about it.

Things have changed drastically since then. The wearable landscape has transitioned to larger displays, and screenless fitness trackers are no longer as popular as they once were. Despite these developments, I wonder how great a screenless tracker with modern hardware could be. A Fitbit Flex 3, if you will. It might be a case of irrational nostalgia, but I dearly want Google and Fitbit to grant me my wish.