Google unveils screenless Fitbit Air, replaces app with Google Health

Google announced a new Fitbit device and a major revamp of the Fitbit app. The new Fitbit device, dubbed the Fitbit Air, trades a screen for a subtle, more comfortable fitness tracking experience. Meanwhile, the Fitbit app is getting replaced with a new, more holistic health tracking solution.

An all-new Fitbit

We’ve seen it rumoured a bunch, but now it’s official: Google is launching a screenless fitness band called the Fitbit Air. The search giant describes the Air as its “most comfortable Fitbit ever” and touts it as an affordable, comfortable, and distraction-free fitness tracker.

The Fitbit Air is comprised of two components: an interchangeable strap, and a small sensor that Google calls a “pebble.” The pebble includes the fitness tracking tech you’d expect from a Fitbit device, including 24/7 heart rate tracking, heart rhythm monitoring with Afib alerts, SpO2, resting heart rate, sleep tracking, and more.

Being screenless, Google is really pushing the distraction-free aspect of the Air. Wearers can choose when to interact with fitness data by heading to the companion app on their phone, while the Air itself sits quietly on the wrist and doesn’t bombard people with notifications and other noise like a smartwatch. (Google also said that the Fitbit Air can work with the Pixel Watch, allowing people to wear the smartwatch during the day and the lighter, screenless Air while they sleep.)

Fitbit Air boasts up to a week of battery life and fast charging that gives a full day of power in just five minutes.

As for the straps, Google will have a few options available at launch. There’s the Performance Loop, which comes in the box and is “micro-adjustable” for a better fit, the sweatproof, waterproof silicon Active Band, and a more stylish Elevated Modern Band. Each band is available in a variety of colours. Further, there’s a special edition of the Performance Loop band that Google co-designed with NBA player Stephen Curry.

The Fitbit Air works with iOS and Android, and is available for pre-order starting today and will cost $129 in Canada. It comes with a three-month trial of Google Health Premium (more on this below). Fitbit Air will land on store shelves starting May 26.

Goodbye Fitbit, hello Google Health

Alongside the Fitbit Air, Google unveiled a major revamp of the Fitbit app. First, Google is rebranding the app to Google Health, and the company is taking a more holistic approach to health data with the new app. Google says it can bring together health data from various sources, including wearables, Google’s Health Connect, Apple Health, medical records, and more. The company also plans to allow users to securely share their health data with friends, family, and doctors in the future.

Google Health brings several features and upgrades, including a new layout, customizable dashboards, increased data and more trends, the ability to upload medical records (U.S.-only for now), better cycle tracking, and more.

Moreover, Google will continue offering a premium subscription in the new health app. The app will offer activity, sleep, and health tracking features for free, while the subscription adds features like the health coach, adaptive fitness plans, more detailed sleep insights, and more.

Another part of the move to Google Health is the company’s AI health coach, which is now publicly available after it spent several months as a preview. (Google expanded the preview to Canada in February.) Health coach uses Google’s Gemini to offer users insights into their health data and help them develop plans to reach their goals.

Google says it will automatically upgrade existing Fitbit users to the new app via an update to the Fitbit app. It will also migrate Google Fit users later this year.

Images credit: Google