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I wore Google's Fitbit Air for a week, and it gives the Whoop a serious run for its money

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Why This Matters

Google's Fitbit Air offers an affordable, comfortable, and comprehensive health tracking solution that challenges established players like Whoop. Its integration of AI-powered Health Coach enhances user experience, making advanced health insights accessible to a broader audience. This development signals a shift towards more affordable, screenless fitness devices that prioritize usability and long-term health management for consumers and the industry alike.

Key Takeaways

Google Fitbit Air 4.5 / 5 Very good pros and cons Pros Affordable

Comprehensive health tracking

Google's AI Health Coach improves the experience Cons The AI isn't perfect, and can hallucinate $99.99 at Amazon

Is 2026 the year we go screenless? It's looking to be that way with Google's release of the Fitbit Air, its Whoop competitor, available now. Whoop may have kick-started the screenless wristband craze, but Google is proving that an affordably priced health tracker can be just as commercially successful, especially if it's comfortable, useful, and long-lasting -- with its $100 price tag.

Also: Fitbit Air vs. Whoop: I compared Google's screenless fitness tracker to the industry best

The Fitbit Air's announcement came with a few software updates, including an app name change from Fitbit to Google Health and the global launch of Google's Health Coach, the AI companion that powers the premium app experience.

I've been testing the device over the past week as I've gone running, lifted weights, done yoga, and logged hours on the elliptical. I've asked the AI coach for help in planning my workout routine, understanding my recovery, and nutrition advice. After stress-testing the Fitbit Air, I'm well-positioned to tell you whether it's a worthy buy. Spoiler alert: it absolutely is.

Your experience with the Fitbit Air will differ depending on whether you're subscribed to Google Health Premium. The bulk of the Fitbit Air's functions are the same across tiers, but some in-app features, like logging a meal by messaging the AI coach, are slightly more seamless in the membership tier.

Out of the box, the $100 Fitbit Air comes in four colorways: lavender, berry, obsidian, and fog (a blue-gray). It's a thin band that takes up less space around my wrist than my Whoop or Apple Watch. It's also lighter.

Also: I compared the best smartwatches by Google and Samsung - here's how Pixel wins out

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