The Fitbit Air might not have taken the world by storm, but considering the $100 device isn’t much more than a fitness tracker minus a screen, the fact it made large ripples is a big achievement by itself.
I’ve made no secret of how much I love my Fitbit Air. The discrete armband has effectively replaced a smartwatch or other fitness tracker for me, and I wear it almost all the time now.
Categorizing the Fitbit Air as a fitness tracker feels wrong, somehow. With its lack of a screen and basic tracking, and limited sensors, I’d say it has more in common with a smart ring.
I’ve used a smart ring before, and while the two devices have a lot in common, I would boldly state the Fitbit Air is a lot better than the Samsung Galaxy Ring I’ve used previously.
I’d go as far as to say the Fitbit Air is a better product than any smart ring available today.
I reviewed the Fitbit Air, and it (almost) completely won me over
Your next fitness tracker won’t have a screen, but it will have AI
The Fitbit Air is a better fit
The Fitbit Air and any smart ring share a core purpose.
They track your basic vitals and exercises, without being as obvious as a smartwatch or fitness tracker.
They do this by foregoing a display and keeping their profiles low.
In the case of a smart ring, that’s by being a ring. For the Fitbit Air, it looks like a strap on your wrist.
But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there were some big differences in how they fit.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring, and any smart ring, really, is what it is.
You buy it in a specific size, and, given it’s a solid piece of technology, that’s the size you’ve got.
You would have bought a specific size to fit onto a specific finger, and unless your other digits are a similar size, you’re not really able to change where you wear it.
That’s not the case for the Fitbit Air’s strap.
You can wear it tight, loose, around your wrist, upper arm, or even your ankle, if the strap is big enough.
People have attached watches to the strap, doubling up on its usefulness, and you can even 3D print straps if you want.
The Fitbit Air is simply far, far more adaptable and versatile.
QuizFitbit 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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The Air is a lot cheaper
This one is fairly straightforward — the Air is a lot cheaper than most smart rings.
If you want to buy a smart ring, you’re generally looking to part with at least $400. The Oura Ring 5 starts at $399, while the Galaxy Ring starts at a similarly high value.
Cheaper options are available that bring the entry price down, but ultimately, none can match the Fitbit Air’s $100 price tag.
Granted, you get more for your money. The Air doesn’t feel like a budget device by any means, but it cannot match the premium materials smart rings are made from.
Plus, several smart rings offer more features than the Fitbit Air. For instance, the Oura Ring 5 can monitor your temperature and warn you if you’re at risk for illness based on deviations from your norm.
Smart rings look and feel more high-end than the Fitbit Air ever could, but that means a much higher price.
Still, if you’re looking for a basic tracker you don’t have to pay attention to, the Air’s low price is hard to argue against.
Smart rings lose out in resale value
The larger asking price for a smart ring hurts even more when you realize it has little to no resale value.
I mentioned earlier that the Fitbit Air’s different straps mean it’s more adaptable to your needs. It also means it’s possible to sell it or give it away when you’re done with it.
Don’t get me wrong, you can give your smart ring away, as long as whoever you’re giving it to has your exact finger size.
Okay, so that’s not exactly correct. If their fingers are slightly smaller, they can add ring adjusters to make it fit properly, or use homebrew methods, like small dabs of glue to shrink the ring’s inner slightly.
But even so, it’s a big additional hurdle that few other pieces of smart tech have.
I flat-out don’t want my Galaxy Ring anymore, but I can’t be bothered to go through the hassle of selling or giving it away.
And why don’t I want it anymore? Well, it all comes down to the next point.
Being blunt, I worry about a smart ring’s safety
Smart rings are miniature trackers crammed into a tiny ring, and that’s very cool.
However, that tech requires a battery, and lithium-ion batteries are … well, they’re not things you mess around with.
Lithium-ion batteries tend to become “spicy pillows” as they age, expanding and eventually exploding.
This is a serious problem for all smart tech, and a big reason why you should keep an eye on all of your smart devices and check them from time to time.
A smart ring is the worst place to have a failing battery.
Yes, this is a fairly rare event for most people, but we’ve already seen examples of it happening.
With most wearable tech, it’s a horrible moment and a shock, but you can at least quickly take off a watch or a fitness tracker.
A smart ring, though? You need to slide that off, but if the battery has already expanded, you might find it impossible to remove.
Yeah, I don’t want to end up in that position, and it’s put me right off the idea of smart rings.
The Fitbit Air does everything I wanted a smart ring for
I was excited about owning a smart ring.
I thought it could be a great way to forgo wearing a smartwatch in favor of something lower tech, and I was right. But the Fitbit Air does it better.
It’s more comfortable to wear, is more adaptable to my life, and it’s a device I can see myself wearing long-term.
Smart rings have their advantages, yes, and they’re far prettier than the Air.
But I can’t get over that resale options are limited, and the idea of having an exploding ring stuck to my finger. That one haunts me at night.
The Fitbit Air delivers everything I want a smart ring for, and it does it for far less than any smart ring. It’s the one I’d buy again and again over a smart ring.
8.5/10
- Battery Life
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7 days
- Health sensors
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Optical heart rate, 3-axis accelerometer, temperature sensor
- Dimensions
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35 x 17 x 8.3mm (Module)
- Water Resistance
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50 meters
