Fitbit in the Google Era: From Step Counter to AI Health Coach

When Google bought Fitbit in 2021, many people wondered whether the brand would survive. Five years on, the answer is more interesting than a simple yes or no. Fitbit is being reinvented, and its name is slowly disappearing from the software.

Fitbit becomes Google Health

On May 19, 2026, the Fitbit app became the Google Health app, with a redesign built around four tabs: Today, Fitness, Sleep, and Health. Fitbit Premium was renamed Google Health Premium at the same time.

The change wasn't painless for long-time users. Some features were dropped, including Snore Detection for Sense and Versa 3 owners and the Sleep Sensitivity settings. Social features such as friends and leaderboards were also locked in the old app ahead of the switch. If your account was never migrated to a Google Account, check your data status, because deletion deadlines have already passed for some unmigrated accounts.

The Gemini-powered Health Coach

The biggest shift is software. Google's Health Coach is built with Gemini to deliver proactive, personal, and adaptive guidance. Instead of just logging numbers, the app tells you what to do with them: how to adjust a workout, when to rest, and how to improve sleep.

This is also where the trade-off sits. Critics note the AI Coach costs $9.99 per month for what used to be free, so some long-time users feel they're paying for things that were once included. Whether the Coach justifies the price depends on how much you value personalized guidance over raw data.

Fitbit Air: a screenless tracker for $99

After a quiet period for Fitbit-branded hardware, Google answered with a surprise. In May 2026 it unveiled the Fitbit Air, a screenless wearable in the style of Whoop that retails for $100. It covers the essentials: 24/7 heart rate, heart rhythm monitoring with A-fib alerts, blood oxygen, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and sleep stages and duration.

The idea is simple: less distraction, more wearability. Google pitched it at people who find wearables too bulky, complicated, or expensive, and it's 25% smaller than the Fitbit Luxe.

It also reached India very recently. It went on sale on October 2 at ₹13,999, roughly $146, compared with $99 in the US, which makes it a premium buy locally, though it includes a three-month trial of Google Health Premium. The competition there is real, with Indian brands like Noise and Urban trying to undercut Western rivals on price.

Who should consider it?

For people who want more than a tracker, Google's Pixel Watch is the other half of its wearable strategy.

•        Casual wellness trackers who want sleep and heart data without a screen will like the Air.

•        Data-driven athletes may prefer a Pixel Watch or a Garmin for deeper workout features.

•        Loyal Fitbit veterans should review which features they've lost and decide whether Premium is worth paying for.

The bottom line

Fitbit isn't dead, but it is changing. The hardware is getting simpler, the software is getting smarter, and more of the value is moving behind a subscription. If you want an affordable, low-effort way to understand your sleep and heart health, the new Fitbit is a strong option. If you were attached to the old app's free features and social community, expect some adjustment.