Google has made a number of announcements related to its fitness-related services and products, including the replacement of the Fitbit app with the all-new Google Health app. Further, the company has also announced the launch of a screen-less fitness tracker Band called Fitbit Air, along with the global expansion of the Google Health Coach.
Google Health App
“We’re updating the Fitbit app to become the Google Health app, a centralized place for your health and wellness data. This new era debuts a comprehensive, redesigned wellness destination that brings together the best of Fitbit’s pioneering spirit with the helpfulness of Google,” said Google in a blog post.
The updated app will feature a simplified layout with four main tabs: Today, Fitness, Sleep, and Health. Google says the redesign is aimed at making it easier for users to quickly access key health and wellness information. Further, users will also be able to customise the dashboards in the Today and Health sections so their preferred metrics show up first.
Then, the app will support syncing and tracking a wider range of data, including activity, fitness, sleep, vitals, and medical records. Google says the app will help users identify trends and monitor progress over time by bringing health information together in a single place.
Google Health will also work with hundreds of third-party apps and devices through integrations with Health Connect, Apple Health, and Google Health APIs. This means users will be able to view information from services such as Peloton and MyFitnessPal directly inside the app.
In the US, users will also be able to upload and sync medical records into the Google Health app. This includes access to information such as lab results, medications, and vital statistics. Google says users will retain control over how their data is stored, shared, or deleted.
Additional updates include expanded social leaderboards for tracking steps and cardio load with friends, along with improved cycle tracking tools featuring better logging, irregularity trends, and an interactive calendar view.
Google says the Health app will roll out as an update to the existing Fitbit app, meaning current Fitbit users will not need to install a separate application, and their data will transition automatically.
The company also confirmed that it plans to consolidate its health and fitness services, with Google Fit users expected to receive options to migrate their data to Google Health later this year.
The Google Health app is also optimised for Google Health Coach. You’ll get timely insights from the coach on Today. The Fitness tab becomes the home for your “weekly plan,” where you can get workout suggestions and create and save workouts with natural language. On the sleep tab, you can better understand your weekly consistency and progress towards getting better rest. And, on Health, in addition to getting a snapshot of your key health metrics, you can get summaries of your medical records from the Coach.
“The best Fitbit features you know and love are its core. And Fitbit continues to be at the heart of our hardware,” Google notes.
The Google Health app starts rolling out to all users on May 19, when you can expect to see a new brand icon and app. The app will automatically update, and existing users will not need to take any action.
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Fitbit Air: Everything to Know
Fitbit Air is compatible with Android and iOS and available for pre-order in the US, starting at $99.99 (approx Rs 9,300). It includes a three-month trial of Google Health Premium, giving you full access to Google Health Coach right out of the box. The Google Fitbit Air Special Edition will also be available for pre-order today, and on-shelf in the U.S., May 26, for $129.99 (approx Rs 12,283). Accessory bands are available for pre-order today, starting at $34.99 (approx Rs 3,300).
Google says that the Fitbit Air is its “smallest tracker yet.” It is being described as a proactive wellness partner that uses high-fidelity sensor technology in a “tiny, discreet pebble” that enables advanced health and fitness tracking like 24/7 heart rate, heart rhythm monitoring with Afib alerts, SpO2, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep stages and duration, and more.
It sits silently on your wrist with a screenless design. Google says the Fitbit Air can last up to a week on a single charge. It further claims that Fast charging gives you a full day of power in just five minutes.
“The low, lightweight profile is so comfortable, you’ll forget it’s there. With comfort at the core, you’ll never miss out on the benefits of sleep tracking that are central to getting the most holistic view of your health. You can even swap between your Pixel Watch during the day for Fitbit Air for sleep without missing a beat.”
It syncs with the new Google Health app, so you can check deeper insights for your health metrics via the app on your phone. You can start a workout from the app, follow along with a coach-recommended guided workout, or simply get going, and Fitbit Air will detect and track common activities automatically, sending you a recap of your workout.
Google notes how the band will learn your routines, so automatic detection gets better over time and is personalized to you. You can also log your workouts manually anytime, or with the Google Health Coach you can even snap a photo of your cardio equipment, or the circuit training routine on the whiteboard at the gym.
The company is offering three band styles you can swap for your Fitbit Air. The standard in-box Performance Loop Band is made using recycled materials and features a breathable, micro-adjustable design for a more flexible fit. It will be available in several colour options.
For fitness-focused users, Fitbit is also offering the Active Band, which uses sweatproof and Water-resistant silicone material designed for workouts and outdoor use. The band features a ribbed texture and comes in brighter colour finishes for a sportier look.
Meanwhile, the Elevated Modern Band is aimed at users looking for a more fashion-oriented design. Google says the band gives the device a more bracelet-like appearance while retaining smartwatch functionality, with classic colour options intended to match different styles.
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Global Expansion of Google Health Coach
After launching in India and 36 other countries in April, Google says the Google Health Coach will go global starting May 19 as part of the Google Health Premium subscription. The rollout will reach 100% on May 26, when the new Fitbit Air hits store shelves. It is included with a Google Health Premium subscription (formerly Fitbit Premium), at just $9.99 per month or $99 per year. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers will get Google Health Premium at no extra cost. The Coach is launching first for eligible Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, with support for other devices coming soon.
The coach can be your fitness trainer and create personalised plans and routines for your workouts. It can further help connect the dots to improve your sleep, and can be your go-to resource for health and wellness questions.
Google also introduced a few updates, such as where Cycle Tracking, Nutrition and Mental Wellbeing have all been redesigned for the new Google Health Coach experience. Further, the Coach can share insights on things like how your cycle phase and symptoms connect to other parts of your health, like sleep and readiness, and provide recommendations to adjust your workout for better recovery.
Then you have the ability to sync medical records in the U.S., and share them with the Coach to ask questions and learn more. Then there are Dynamic workouts, including rich visualizations and instructions in a streamlined layout for step-by-step exercise logging, featuring automatic progress tracking that evolves with you.
Chats are now more succinct and conversational, better reflecting real-life conversations with a coach. Also, you can track your data via voice, images or documents. To log complex workouts, upload photos of gym whiteboards or snap photos of meals for nutritional analysis, and understand or summarize files, like PDFs or medical records.
Author: Abhishek Malhotra
Source: The Mobile Indian
Reviewed By: Editorial Team
