Google’s aiming to be your private concierge for all issues well being and health. The corporate has began rolling out a significant refresh of the Fitbit app, full with a contemporary redesign and a brand new built-in private coach, aka Coach, powered by Google’s Gemini AI — simply to not everybody but. Beginning Oct. 28, the brand new expertise can be obtainable to eligible Fitbit Premium customers within the US on Android, with a wider launch deliberate over time.
Because the race to construct smarter, extra personalised well being platforms intensifies, Google is leaning on its full ecosystem of {hardware}, software program and AI assistant to set Fitbit aside. With the wrist because the centerpoint of the information (through Pixel Watch and Fitbit trackers), Google is aiming to evolve its platform from a passive health tracker right into a proactive, AI-driven wellness companion.
Google first introduced Fitbit’s new AI well being coach at its Pixel launch occasion in August.
What to anticipate
Whereas I have never but examined the preview model myself, Google’s demo suggests a cleaner, extra intuitive structure constructed round 4 important tabs: At this time, Health, Sleep and Well being.
The At this time tab, which is what you may seek the advice of most continuously, highlights glanceable stats with a stronger deal with weekly developments. Google says these are a more true reflection of progress in comparison with the same old day-to-day insights that different trackers emphasize. The opposite tabs allow you to dig deeper into detailed metrics throughout classes like sleep levels and vitals. And this time, the burden of deciphering the information will not simply fall solely on the person.
Woven all through the app is a brand new Coach characteristic, that you could entry by means of an “Ask Coach” immediate. Coach attracts on real-time and historic knowledge to assist make sense of your metrics and even flip them into a private motion plan. Google describes it as an “always-on” coach that may reply to questions or proactively modify your plan primarily based on latest exercise, readiness, and even life occasions like journey or missed exercises.
For instance, you may ask, “I’ve half-hour for a exercise… What do you advocate?” or “How can I enhance my VO2 max?” And even draw hyperlinks to your personal stats with prompts like, “Do I sleep higher on days once I get extra steps in?”
Through the (optionally available) onboarding course of, you may set targets, log obtainable health tools and observe accidents or limitations. The preview begins with a brief 5-10 minute dialog (both by textual content or voice) to assist the AI perceive your targets and motivations. From there, the plan dynamically adjusts primarily based on altering metrics like coaching load, readiness rating and in a single day restoration knowledge, retaining all the pieces aligned along with your long-term targets.
Participation within the teaching expertise is opt-in, so you may nonetheless use Fitbit with out the AI options when you choose.
Fitbit followers testing the revamped app have the choice to toggle between the outdated and new variations.
Availability and pricing
The replace launches first to folks within the US, aged 18 and older, who subscribe to Fitbit Premium (priced at $10 a month or $80 a yr) and personal a appropriate Fitbit or Pixel Watch. It’ll work with the most recent Fitbit trackers, smartwatches and Pixel Watch fashions. Through the preview part, you may toggle between the outdated and new app designs with out shedding knowledge, permitting for side-by-side comparability and suggestions assortment.
Google says person enter from this era can be key to shaping the tip results of the app expertise and can have an built-in suggestions software for testers. Whereas the corporate hasn’t confirmed a agency finish date for the preview, it says the expertise will develop to extra customers and gadgets over time.
Fitbit’s new coach is powered by Google’s Gemini AI voice assistant.
The actual take a look at
This redesign and Coach characteristic present critical potential. If it delivers on Google’s guarantees of bringing professional-grade teaching to mainstream customers, it might mark a turning level for wellness tech and will place Google on the entrance of the pack. The corporate says the coach expertise was developed with enter from well being specialists and a client advisory panel, and that person knowledge is not going to be used for Google Advertisements.
However as with all the pieces within the AI world, execution can be all the pieces, and the worth of a wellness coach should be compelling sufficient — and correct sufficient — to beat the hesitation of entrusting one more AI characteristic with delicate well being knowledge. However the actual take a look at lies in how effectively Google manages privateness, knowledge safety and real-world usefulness. That steadiness might imply the distinction between only a repackaged Gemini that most individuals flip off, and a game-changing software that interprets your knowledge into motion.
For now, it is a promising preview, however one I will be testing firsthand as soon as it rolls out.
