It is truthful to say Fitbit has been via a number of modifications within the eight years since I wrote about breaking apart with the then-dominant wearable. Spoiler alert: I ran away with the Apple Watch and by no means regarded again. Now right here comes the ex with a brand new announcement, and, uh … I assume you’d say they’ve had some work accomplished?
Fitbit was purchased by Google for $2.1 billion again in 2019. The Fitbit co-founders left the tech large in 2024, a number of months earlier than Google discontinued the Fitbit wearable altogether. The Google Pixel has grow to be the default Fitbit smartwatch, and the Fitbit Cost 6 its sturdy old-school health tracker.
In the meantime, the Fitbit app — the place Google sells Premium subscriptions at $8 a month — has been loaded with new options. Now, whether or not you prefer it or not, these options embrace suggestions from Google’s AI, Gemini — or because it’s known as in its Fitbit taste, Coach.
The corporate has trialed Coach by way of the Android model of the Fitbit app. The check expanded final month to iOS customers — proper across the similar time Fitbit house owners have been required to have Google accounts, and the Fitbit accounts have been discontinued.
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That deadline for switching to Google has been prolonged till Could 19, 2026 — doing little greater than perpetuating the agony for old-school Fitbit customers.
Mashable Mild Velocity
All of which, apparently, makes this the proper time for Google to ask Fitbit customers to belief the corporate with their medical knowledge. “When your coach understands your medical historical past, its steering turns into safer, extra related and extra personalised,” the corporate wrote in its newest Fitbit announcement.
The corporate added: “you will have management of your knowledge and the way it’s used, shared or deleted. Your medical data, like different well being knowledge in Fitbit, is not used for advertisements.” (emphasis within the authentic.)
And for those who’re questioning whether or not to belief that declare, word that the AI options in query aren’t from Google alone. Requests for well being data go to b.nicely Linked Well being, an AI platform that aggregates well being knowledge from varied suppliers.
Clear, the safety platform you might know from the empty line subsequent to the TSA queue at many airports, is one other associate, permitting you to seek for medical data utilizing a legitimate type of ID and a selfie.
So, Fitbit, you are wanting nicely, and I see you will have some new mates. We should catch up someday. Carry my medical data? Yeah, let me take into consideration that. I am going to let !
