Google unveils screenless Fitbit Air and Google Health app to replace Fitbit

The Fitbit Air will have all the standard wearable health sensors: heart rate, accelerometer/gyroscope, infrared SpO2, and skin temperature. Google notes that the heart rate monitor isn’t as advanced as the one in the latest Pixel Watches, so the Air might not be as accurate during vigorous activity. The Air also has a vibration motor that can be used for alarms, but it’s not going to buzz for phone notifications like a smartwatch.

The Fitbit Air launches on May 26 for $99.99 with the included Performance Loop band. There are also silicone Performance Loop and Elevated Modern Band options. Bands start at $34.99 and come in various colors. A Fitbit Air purchase also includes three months of Google Health Premium (replacing Fitbit Premium), which now features Google’s new AI Health Coach.

Goodbye, Fitbit… Hello, Google Health

The Fitbit app is getting a major makeover and a new name. An update in the coming weeks will transform that app into Google Health, featuring a new interface with a more extensive Material Expressive aesthetic and redesigned menus and tabs. You also won’t see Fitbit branding in as many places—the Fitbit Premium subscription will become Google Health Premium.

Without a subscription, the app still does all the basic things, like tracking your health stats, automatically logging workouts, and showing it all in a pretty dashboard. With the Premium subscription, you get all the features from Fitbit Premium plus the new AI Health Coach. It’s a chatbot, so you can ask it about any health or wellness topics, and the answers are grounded in your health data.

Google suggests asking the Health Coach for customized workout routines or exploring health concerns. The robot can theoretically use your accumulated health metrics, like workouts, nutrition, and sleep, to provide better suggestions. You can even upload a picture of food to Health Coach and have it automatically logged in the app.