I’m a committed Oura Ring wearer, and although it will take a lot for me not to wear one, there’s a Fitbit Air and Google Health feature that has so neatly fitted into my life, changed the way I exercise, and served as a real motivational tool, it may see me divorce my Oura Ring one day.
Fitbit products and history
Trivia challenge
From step counts to smartwatches — how well do you really know Fitbit and its iconic devices?
HistoryProductsHealthFeaturesWearables
In what year was Fitbit founded?
Correct! Fitbit was founded in 2007 by James Park and Eric Friedman in San Francisco. The company officially launched its first product, the Fitbit Tracker, at a TechCrunch conference in 2008.
Not quite. Fitbit was founded in 2007 by James Park and Eric Friedman. Despite being founded that year, the company didn’t release its first wearable tracker until the following year in 2008.
What was the name of Fitbit’s very first wearable fitness tracker, released in 2009?
Correct! The original Fitbit Tracker was a small clip-on device released in 2009. It could track steps, distance, calories burned, and even sleep patterns, which was groundbreaking at the time.
Not quite. The first Fitbit product was simply called the Fitbit Tracker. It was a small clip-on device that tracked steps, distance, calories, and sleep — a remarkable feature set for 2009.
Which tech giant acquired Fitbit in January 2021?
Correct! Google completed its acquisition of Fitbit in January 2021 for approximately $2.1 billion. The deal faced significant regulatory scrutiny over privacy concerns before it was finally approved.
Not quite. It was Google that acquired Fitbit in January 2021 for around $2.1 billion. The acquisition was heavily scrutinized by regulators in the EU and elsewhere due to concerns about how Google might use Fitbit’s vast health data.
Which Fitbit device was the first to feature a built-in GPS?
Correct! The Fitbit Surge, released in 2014, was Fitbit’s first device to include built-in GPS. It was marketed as a ‘fitness superwatch’ and also featured continuous heart rate monitoring and smartphone notifications.
Not quite. The Fitbit Surge, launched in 2014, was the first Fitbit device with built-in GPS. It was a major step forward for the brand, offering runners and outdoor athletes real-time pace and route tracking without needing a phone.
What is the name of Fitbit’s health and wellness subscription service, launched in 2020?
Correct! Fitbit Premium launched in 2020, offering advanced health insights, guided programs, sleep analysis, and mindfulness content for a monthly fee. It integrates deeply with the Fitbit app to give users a more personalised health picture.
Not quite. The service is called Fitbit Premium, and it launched in 2020. It provides subscribers with deeper health metrics, personalised insights, sleep tools, and guided wellness programs beyond what the free Fitbit app offers.
The Fitbit Versa 2 introduced which virtual assistant feature?
Correct! The Fitbit Versa 2, released in 2019, was the first Fitbit device to include Amazon Alexa built in. Users could ask Alexa questions, set alarms, and control smart home devices directly from their wrist.
Not quite. The Fitbit Versa 2 integrated Amazon Alexa, not Google Assistant or any other voice assistant. This was a notable partnership, allowing users to interact with Alexa hands-free right from their smartwatch.
Which Fitbit model was the first to receive an ECG (electrocardiogram) app for detecting atrial fibrillation?
Correct! The Fitbit Sense, launched in 2020, was the first Fitbit device to offer an ECG app. It could detect signs of atrial fibrillation, a potentially serious heart condition, helping position Fitbit as a serious health monitoring device.
Not quite. The original Fitbit Sense, released in 2020, was the pioneer here. It brought an ECG app capable of screening for atrial fibrillation, alongside other advanced sensors like an EDA sensor for stress tracking.
The Fitbit Ionic smartwatch was discontinued by Fitbit in 2022. What was the primary reason given for the recall?
Correct! In March 2022, Fitbit recalled the Ionic smartwatch due to reports that the lithium-ion battery could overheat, posing a burn hazard to wearers. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission was involved, and Fitbit offered a $299 refund to affected customers.
Not quite. The Fitbit Ionic was recalled in 2022 because its battery could overheat and cause burns to the skin. The recall involved over one million units worldwide, and Fitbit offered a $299 refund as part of the settlement with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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Not a fitness fan
But motivation still matters
The Oura Ring fits into my life really well because I’m not a fitness fanatic, I don’t have a gym membership, and I am currently not training for a marathon. It tracks my walks, occasional runs, housework and yard work, sleep, and overall health.
It does all this so well that I haven’t been without an Oura Ring on my finger for more than four years. It can track other activities, some after the fact, but I don’t feel it’s happy doing it. The Oura Ring isn’t made for hardcore sports people, but for lifestyle tracking.
However, over the last month or so, I’ve been doing a few sets of bodyweight exercises each morning and evening. They don’t take long, don’t require much warming up or cooling down, and don’t really constitute a “workout.”
Tracking this activity is possible using the Other setting in the Oura Ring’s live activity mode, but it barely seems worth it. Yet, it’s something I do that contributes to my health, and it’s good to hold myself accountable.
Plus, seeing it added to my daily activity is motivational, and no matter how simple your fitness efforts are, this is important.
1,400 hours later and my Oura Ring 4 Ceramic still looks brand new, and it’s a huge win
Durability problems appear to be solved
Google Health to the rescue
At last, a good use of AI
Here’s where Google Health comes in.
I’m reviewing the Fitbit Air, and part of the setup process involves telling the Google AI Health Coach your goals, what you currently do, and what you’d like to incorporate into your routine.
This already sets it apart from most fitness trackers, and I loved how I told the AI Coach I didn’t want to dramatically change things, but wanted to stay focused and maintain my current routine. It listened, accepted it, and hasn’t got sidetracked yet.
Part of my requirement was to include my bodyweight exercises, and to my surprise and joy, Google Health not only put these into a special plan, but let me properly track them with a couple of button taps.
What’s more, the AI Coach remembers I do them, asks if I’m prepared, if I’ve already been very active, or if I want to skip them.
When I go to track them, the screen also shows an animated example of the best form for the exercise, and after I’ve finished, there’s a detailed overview of my performance.
Plus, the AI Coach congratulates me afterward in its overview, which also tells me whether I beat my best time and compares data on heart rate with past workouts.
A health tracker for everyone
Just like the Oura Ring
Because I’m not going out and being sporty, most fitness trackers are overkill, and that’s why the Oura Ring suits me a lot.
On the surface, the Fitbit Air — a pure fitness tracker — is for the sportier person too, but the Google Health AI Coach changes that.
It’s smarter than the AI in the Oura Ring app and the Whoop app, where you can ask questions and get answers, but neither helps manage your healthy lifestyle or interact with the app itself.
Google’s AI Coach does all that, but it doesn’t overreach, remains focused, and respects your lifestyle and health goals.
What I do with my bodyweight exercises would be laughed at by a Tren-blasting gym rat, and I don’t expect them to make dramatic changes to my body or health.
Google Health’s AI Coach accepts this and pushes me to stick with it rather than recommending I go out and “crush my (non-existent) fitness goals.”
It takes what I do seriously. It also created a custom workout plan that’s ready for me to track each day, with no effort on my part.
Because sport and fitness aren’t a big part of my life, this level of automation is welcome, as it removes the need for in-app setup that I may just skip.
Room for growth
With simple instructions
Changing these custom workouts is also really easy with the Coach. I asked it about adding another exercise, and to give advice on how it may affect my goals.
The Coach gave sensible feedback, and after we’d agreed on a course forward, it amended my daily workouts without me doing anything.
Autonomy like this makes living with Google Health not just convenient, but also very personal. It grows with you, and although I use it for modest exercise goals, I expect it’s just as effective when tracking much more intensive workouts.
While the Oura Ring would still track my morning and evening mini workouts, it would do so using an open goal mode.
Google Health’s method holds me more accountable and gives me a more detailed long-term picture of my efforts, all with a surprisingly personal touch.
Personality costs money
The Coach is a Premium feature
I’m entirely sold on the Google Health app’s AI Coach, and it makes the Fitbit Air the perfect middle ground between the Oura Ring’s lifestyle tracking focus and the overt sportiness of a product like a Garmin or even the Apple Watch.
However, the AI Coach isn’t free. It’s only available as part of the Google Health Premium subscription, which costs $10 per month or $100 per year. This is quite expensive compared to the Oura Ring’s $7-per-month subscription.
I find the AI Coach very helpful and love how it simplifies building, understanding, and tracking a simple exercise plan, plus how encouraging it is after you get started.
Considering the Fitbit Air’s modest $100 price, you could own it and subscribe to Google Health Premium for four years before even reaching the entry price of the Oura Ring 5.
All this combined makes me see how the Fitbit Air and the excellent AI Coach could replace my Oura Ring, and also that I’ve finally found how effective AI can be when used in the right way.