A New Google Fitness Tracker Built for the Subscription Era
Fitbit Air is Google’s boldest move yet to reposition Fitbit in the premium fitness market. The new Fitbit Air fitness tracker goes up for preorder at USD 99.99 (approx. RM470) via the Google Store, with a Stephen Curry Special Edition at USD 129 (approx. RM605). Unlike traditional Fitbit bands, Air is designed from the outset to pair tightly with Google Health Premium, which costs USD 9.99 (approx. RM47) per month or USD 99.99 (approx. RM470) annually. That model positions Air squarely as a Whoop alternative: Whoop bundles the hardware into a required USD 200 (approx. RM940) yearly membership, while Google sells the device upfront and keeps ongoing features optional. With about a week of battery life, four color options, and bands starting at USD 35 (approx. RM165), Fitbit Air signals what Google describes as the beginning of a renewed Fitbit hardware push.
Screenless Fitness Tracker: Why Fitbit Air Looks More Like Whoop Than a Watch
Instead of chasing smartwatches, Fitbit Air embraces a screenless fitness tracker design, echoing Whoop’s sensor-first philosophy. By removing the display, Google emphasizes continuous data capture over on-wrist interaction, making Air feel more like a dedicated biometric module than a tiny phone for your wrist. This allows for a minimalist band that can be worn day and night without bright screens, extra notifications, or distractions. It also lets Google keep the hardware cost lower than many rivals such as Oura’s ring and Apple’s cheapest smartwatch, while still targeting performance-minded users who care more about metrics than apps. The Curry Special Edition adds a water-resistant coating and raised interior print, signaling a focus on serious training use. In practice, the lack of a screen pushes users toward the Google Health app as the primary interface, reinforcing Google’s broader software and subscription strategy.
From Fitbit App to Google Health: A Unified Data Hub With AI Coaching
Alongside Fitbit Air, Google is effectively retiring the standalone Fitbit app in favor of Google Health. Beginning May 19, the Fitbit app starts rolling out as Google Health on Android and iOS, with the transition expected to complete by May 26. Existing workout logs will transfer automatically, and the Google Fit app is slated to migrate to the new platform later this year. Google Health is more than a rebrand: it introduces an AI-powered Health Coach built on Gemini models, customizable dashboards, expanded social leaderboards for steps, and secure data sharing with doctors and family. Sleep tracking accuracy is said to improve by 15% over previous Fitbit models, and users gain features such as A-Fib detection and a daily Readiness score. By centralizing these capabilities under Google Health, Fitbit Air becomes the hardware entry point into a broader, AI-driven wellness ecosystem.
Challenging Whoop and Other Premium Wearables on Value and Flexibility
The real disruption is in how Fitbit Air reframes value in the premium tracking space. Whoop locks users into a membership where hardware is included but a USD 200 (approx. RM940) annual subscription is mandatory. Oura’s smart ring starts at USD 349 (approx. RM1,645), while Apple’s entry-level smartwatch is listed at USD 249 (approx. RM1,175). By contrast, Google’s USD 99.99 (approx. RM470) upfront price for Fitbit Air plus an optional Google Health Premium subscription turns it into a more flexible Whoop alternative. Users can buy the device once, try three months of Google Health Premium, then decide whether advanced insights, AI Health Coach, and readiness scoring justify an ongoing fee. With Fitbit holding roughly 6% of the global wristband market in 2025 versus Whoop’s 2%, Google is betting that a screenless tracker, stronger software, and optional recurring costs can expand its share without abandoning affordability.