Google Fitbit Air ⇢

I love the health-tracking features of my Apple Watch (duh) but there are times that I’d rather wear a watch without Slack or iMessage on it. For years, I’ve clamored for Apple to make a screenless tracker like the Whoop band. It seems like Google beat Apple to the punch with its new Fitbit Air:

Samantha Kelly has more at Bloomberg:

The new device bears a striking resemblance to Whoop’s health tracker, featuring a soft fabric band with a battery and sensor pack underneath. One big difference is the business model: an upfront cost to buy the hardware and an optional $10 per month Google Health subscription. Whoop doesn’t charge for its hardware but instead has an annual subscription fee that begins at $200.

The Fitbit Air may appeal to users seeking a simpler alternative to the Apple Watch — one with fewer distractions and notifications — or a cheaper option than rival health trackers. The popular Oura Ring health tracker, sold by Oura Health Oy, starts at $349, while the cheapest smartwatch from Apple Inc., the SE 3, is $249. Many of Google’s existing Fitbits cost over $100, while its Pixel Watch 4 is $349.

Oura rings and Whoop bands¹ can both sync data with Apple’s HealthKit. Google is launching a new Health app² that the company says can accept data from HealthKit:

You can connect third-party data sources to the Google Health app to keep your health and fitness data in one place. This allows you to track your progress across multiple platforms like Android Health Connect, Apple Health, and other third-party apps. Once your data is connected, you can see all your data in one place, and ask Google Health Coach questions about your fitness and health data.

Hopefully that sync is actually bidirectional.

The Fitbit Air, at its low price of $99, is certainly intriguing. Even if it syncs with HealthKit, I think a lot of iPhone users would look to Apple for a product like this. I hope it becomes popular to a point that Apple takes notice and builds the fitness band of my dreams.