Skip to content
Tech News
← Back to articles

Google Ditches the Screen With the New Fitbit Air (2026)

read original get Fitbit Air Smartwatch → more articles
Why This Matters

The Fitbit Air represents a significant shift towards minimalist, screen-free fitness tracking, challenging established players like Whoop with its lightweight design and user-friendly software. Google's move into this niche highlights a growing trend towards discreet, functional wearables that prioritize comfort and simplicity for consumers. This development could reshape expectations for fitness trackers, emphasizing usability and design over constant data display.

Key Takeaways

The wait is over. There's finally a new Fitbit.

Five years after acquiring Fitbit, and three years since it released the Charge 6, Google is finally expanding into a new phase of fitness tracking. With its screen-free design, the new Fitbit Air could be the first device to threaten Whoop's grip on this category, thanks in large part to Google's intuitive, user-friendly software.

The First Screenless Fitbit

The Fitbit Air is Google's most minimalist wearable yet. There's no AMOLED display, no haptic side button, and none of the visual feedback loops that have defined Fitbit devices (and most fitness trackers) for years. Instead, it's a slim oval device that fits into a wide array of bands. It looks and functions more like a Whoop band than a traditional tracker with a screen.

Courtesy of Google

Google claims the Air is 20 percent lighter than the discontinued Fitbit Luxe; it's meant to disappear on the wrist rather than compete for attention. Whether that feels liberating or limiting likely depends on how much you rely on real-time metrics during workouts and whether you want a purely functional fitness tracker that fades into the background. There are, unsurprisingly, no Google Wallet integrations or YouTube Music controls here.

Google is also expanding its accessory lineup with several new band options and colorways. The default Performance Loop, made from recycled materials, is micro-adjustable for a precise fit. It's available in four colors: Obsidian, Fog, Lavender, and Berry. The Active Band is a sweat- and waterproof silicone strap built for workouts, and it comes in the same four colors. The Elevated Modern Band offers a more fashion-forward alternative for everyday wear and comes in three colors: Porcelain, Moonstone, and Obsidian.

For the launch, Google has also teamed up with NBA champion Stephen Curry on a special-edition band. Curry has been acting as a performance adviser for Health Coach and has been notably seen wearing a test version during Warriors games.

Stephen Curry Fitbit Air Courtesy of Google

Full Fitbit Tracking

... continue reading