Google launched the Fitbit Air today at $99.99. The screenless tracker competes with WHOOP and the Oura Ring on price. Google also renamed the Fitbit app to Google Health, said it will fold the Google Fit app in later this year, and announced that the Google Health Coach — an AI assistant powered by Google's Gemini AI — goes globally available on May 19.
Google's product VP Karan Chandra told CNN that "people who love their Apple Watch: great, that's fine, let's go work with you." Google's pitch is that the Google Health app and its AI coach will work across wearables and platforms, including Apple Watch through HealthKit (the system inside iPhone that stores your health data) and Garmin, Oura, and Pixel Watch through Android's Health Connect. Google trails Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Huawei in global wearable market share, according to IDC, and is competing on the AI layer instead of pushing harder on hardware.
The Fitbit Air is $99.99 for a tracker with no screen, seven-day battery life, automatic workout detection, and core health tracking that does not require a subscription. It weighs 12 grams (about the weight of two quarters) with the band attached. WHOOP, the closest direct competitor, requires a membership starting around $200 a year. The Oura Ring 4 starts at $349 plus a $5.99 monthly fee. A Stephen Curry Special Edition with a water-resistant coating and an airflow-friendly inner band sells for $129.99.
Google includes three months of Google Health Premium with the Fitbit Air. After the trial, the subscription is $9.99 a month, or it is included for users on the Google AI Pro or Ultra plans.
Google Health Coach has been in a public test version since October. It looks at your sleep patterns, suggests workout plans, flags how well you are recovering, and answers questions about your data in normal conversation. Google says you can upload your medical records as PDFs and the coach will reference them when giving advice. The full coaching feature requires the Premium subscription.
Other large companies are building the same kind of AI health layer. Microsoft launched Copilot Health in March. OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health in January. Apple has Apple Health and the Health app on iPhone but has not announced a generative AI coach (yet). Apple's WWDC keynote on June 8 is the next time Apple is expected to talk about its AI plans.
For anyone wearing a fitness tracker, the question is which company you want analyzing your health data. The Fitbit Air at $99.99 is a low-commitment way to find out if Google's coach is worth letting into your health data.