The Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 get their first major update

What you need to know

• Fitbit has released the first big update for the Sense 2 and Versa 4.
• The update allows you to take calls on your wrist using the built-in speaker and microphone.
• You can also now cover the screen to switch it off.

Fitbit unveiled the Versa 4 and Sense 2 in September with a few missing capabilities that should have been present at launch, but the company's first update for the wearable devices fills those gaps.

The new update represents the first major one for these devices. It includes a bunch of features that are practical for everyday use, such as the ability to take calls using the built-in speaker and microphone on the watches.

As 9to5Google points out, this feature was not available from the start, which was surprising given that many of the best Fitbit devices in the past had it.

Fitbit also expanded your options for how you can turn off the screen. Prior to this update, you were only able to either set a timeout schedule or put your wrist down in order to switch off the screen. The latter, in particular, was not even turned on by default, so you would need to enable it in the settings menu. Now, you can just cover the screen with your hands to do so.

The update bumps up the software version to 1.184.52, and it includes the usual bug fixes and a few other improvements. It arrives only a few days after Google Wallet was rolled out to the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4. This was not unexpected seeing as the smartwatches were promised to receive support for Google apps, including Google Maps for navigation.

These improvements are a significant step up in the wearable devices' smart functionality, making them an ideal companion for consumers who want to make payments or take calls right on their wrists. And these smartwatches are likely to get even more useful with the promise of broader integration with Google's ecosystem, if you don't mind paying a premium.