Google Launches Fitbit Air Screenless Fitness Tracker and Rebrands App as Google Health

"The Fitbit Air is the company's first new Fitbit hardware in approximately four years."

Google Unveils Fitbit Air & Rebrands App to Google Health

Google has announced the Fitbit Air, a screenless fitness tracker priced at $99.99, alongside the rebranding of the Fitbit app to Google Health. The new device and app were unveiled in May 2026, following a teaser from Google performance advisor Stephen Curry.

Product Details & Availability

The Fitbit Air is a screenless, pebble-shaped wearable designed for continuous wear.

Specifications:

• Weight: 12 grams with the band; 5.2 grams without it.
• Size: 25% smaller than the Fitbit Luxe and 50% smaller than the Inspire 3.
• Fit: Wrists from 130mm to 210mm.

Pricing & Availability:

• Price: $99.99 (US); $199 (Australia).
• Launch: Pre-orders began in early May 2026. General sale began May 26, 2026.

Hardware:

• Sensors: Optical heart rate monitor, three-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, temperature sensor, red/infrared sensors for SpO2.
• No integrated GPS.
• Water resistance: 50 meters (164 feet).
• Battery life: Up to seven days on a single charge. Fast charging: 5 minutes provides up to one day of use; full recharge takes 90 minutes.
• Other: Proprietary charger, haptic feedback for silent alarms, monitors for Atrial Fibrillation (AFib).

Colors & Bands:

• Pebble Colors: Obsidian (black), Berry (red), Lavender (purple), and Fog (silver).
• Band Types: Performance Loop (fabric, recycled materials), Active (waterproof plastic), Elevated Modern (plastic), Metal Mesh, and a special edition Stephen Curry Performance Loop.
• In-box: Includes a textile/polyurethane band. Pre-order incentives varied by retailer.

Google Health App & Software Updates

The Fitbit app has been rebranded as Google Health, consolidating data from Health Connect. Existing Fitbit app users were transitioned automatically via a software update. The new app features a redesigned interface with tabs for Fitness, Sleep, Health, and a Today summary.

Powered by Gemini AI, the Google Health Coach is available for Premium subscribers.

"Google has stated the coach is not a replacement for professional medical advice and that it is reviewed by external experts."

Key capabilities include:

• Personalized workout plans and adaptive fitness recommendations.
• Analysis of sleep, readiness, and other health metrics.
• Conversational and photographic meal logging.
• Integration with user-provided medical history (medications, lab results, allergies).
• Ability to generate fitness plans based on user input.

• Google Health Premium: $9.99/month or $99.99/year. Includes the AI coach, adaptive plans, workout library, mindfulness sessions, and deeper metrics. Fitbit Air purchases include three months of Google Health Premium. Also included in Google AI Pro ($19.99/month) and Ultra plans.
• Free Tier: Basic health records, core metrics, and activity tracking.

User Feedback & Subsequent Updates

Following the transition, some users reported confusion and frustration. Criticisms included difficulty accessing data, an unrefined UI, and the AI coach initiating unwanted conversations. Others found the AI coach helpful.

Google's VP of Health and Home, Rishi Chandra, acknowledged the rebranding may be difficult but stated the health app needed to be platform-agnostic. On AI accuracy, he said mistakes are possible but the company will improve based on feedback.

Version 5.01 included 16 fixes across nutrition, fitness, sleep, and general categories.
Version 5.02 (rolling out) includes:

• Hourly activity charts returned to Today and Health tabs.
• Naps highlighted in a separate tab (Android only; iOS coming).
• Metric reordering for Android users.
• Sleep data deletion and editing.
• Bug fixes for incorrect step/distance reports for biking.

As of May 27, Google published a roadmap detailing planned improvements, including:

• Exercise Tracking: Correct labeling of runs, splits in summaries, better TCX exports, live tracking connectivity.
• Nutrition: Custom food creation, improved goal-setting, deletion capabilities.
• Sleep: 24-hour total sleep view, enhanced restlessness bar.
• Google Health Coach: More concise messages, better recall, reduced errors, core temperature support.
• Sharing: Data sharing with Apple Health, medical record sharing via Smart Health Links.

Product Positioning & Market Context

The Fitbit Air is positioned as a screenless, affordable wearable comparable to the Whoop 5.0, but with a lower upfront cost and no mandatory subscription. It targets users who find wearables bulky, complicated, or expensive.

Google will continue selling the Inspire 3, Charge 6, and Pixel Watch 4 alongside the Fitbit Air. The device pairs with the Pixel Watch and works with both Android and iOS.

According to Counterpoint Research, the fitness tracker market is projected to grow by 16% in 2026.