Over the last decade or so, companies manufacturing wearables have been obsessed with fitting in as much as possible. This refers to not just features, but also the physical screen itself.
However, more/bigger isn’t always better, and at least one more major company has realized that.
We first heard about Google’s Whoop-like screen-less fitness tracker back in early April. Fast-forward by a month, and Google has just officially announced the wearable.
Starting at $99.99, Google’s Whoop-like tracker is called Fitbit Air, and it is compatible with both Android and iOS. The device is available to pre-order now, with new users getting a free three-month trial of Google Health Premium with the purchase.
At first glance, it looks identical to the Whoop, but that’s mostly because the two devices share similar-looking fabric bands. Those bands are what make the device comfortable to wear, with Google pushing the Fitbit Air as a device that you wear 24/7. Users can also opt for different ‘Active’ and ‘Elevated’ bands too.
It sits silently on your wrist with a screenless design built so you can live in the moment. You have the freedom to explore deep insights from the Google Health app on your phone when you want them, and stay notification-free when you don’t.
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Colors |
Obsidian, Berry, Lavender, Fog |
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Memory |
Saves 7 days of detailed motion data, minute by minute, Saves 1 day of workout data, Saves daily totals for the last 30 days, Stores heart rate data at 2-second intervals |
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Battery and power |
Battery life of up to 7 days. Battery type: Lithium-polymer. 0-100% in 90 minutes. |
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Materials |
Device: recycled polycarbonate and PBT plastics. Band: textile and stainless steel. |
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Sensors & components |
Optical heart rate monitor, 3-axis accelerometer + gyroscope, Red and infrared sensors for oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring, Device temperature sensor (skin temperature variation available in the Google Health app), Vibration motor. |
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Water resistance |
Water-resistant up to 50 metres. |
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Dimensions (without band) |
Length: 1.4 in (34.9 mm). Width: 0.7 in (17 mm). Height: 0.3 in (8.3 mm). |
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Weight |
0.01 lb (5.2 g) without band. 0.03 lb (12 g) with band. |
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Compatibility |
Android 11.0 or higher. Apple iOS 16.4 or higher. |
The Fitbit Air is capable of 24/7 heart rate tracking, heart rhythm monitoring with Afib alerts, SpO2 monitoring, resting heart rate and heart rate variability tracking, sleep stage monitoring, and more.
It boasts “up to a week of battery life,” though Google did not mention a mAh figure. The company did say that the wearable can be charged from 0 to 100 percent battery in roughly 90 minutes.
Pre-orders for the Fitbit Air are open now. Expect the device to hit store shelves on May 26.
