GoKawiilIt’s finally happened! After years of begging for their return, screenless fitness trackers are back, at least in the form of Google’s new Fitbit Air. I’ll admit, I didn’t expect Google to be the one to answer my pleas, but given that Fitbit started life with simple, innocuous trackers like 2013’s Flex, it feels fitting that we’ve come full circle with 2026’s Air.
As mentioned, the Fitbit Air’s module-and-strap design means it ditches the display in favor of indicator LEDs. However, it’s still a well-equipped fitness tracker with sleep tracking, daily activity monitoring, heart rate variability recording, and more.
But despite this surprisingly lengthy feature list for a device smaller than its tiniest traditional tracker, one key omission ruins the entire device for me — the Fitbit Air lacks built-in GPS.
Would you consider purchasing a fitness tracker without GPS functionality? 45 votes Yes, if it has other features I need. 49 % Yes, if it's more affordable. 13 % No, GPS is a must-have feature for me. 20 % Maybe, depending on other factors. 18 %
Google saw the benefits of a screenless fitness tracker and made one
Fitness trackers with displays have become the norm, and given their position as watch replacements and smartphone extensions, this is entirely understandable. However, ditching the screen offers many benefits to those chiefly concerned with background fitness monitoring.
Aesthetically, there’s the clean, understated design. The Fitbit Air looks like a simple yet sophisticated strap clasped to one’s arm, allowing a traditional analog watch to be worn alongside it. The device, especially in Obsidian, looks far more professional than candy-colored running watches. But hey, if you want something brighter, you can purchase another strap and simply pop the module into it.
Screenless fitness trackers offer myriad advantages, from improved battery life to a more acute focus on tracking health data.
Then there are the pragmatic benefits of this design. No screen means less battery consumption — a huge positive for a device that should be worn as much as possible. According to Google, the Air can go a week between charges, and this is on a device with a much smaller volume than its other trackers.
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