Google's Fitbit Air brings AI health coaching to $99 fitness tracker

What happened

Google released the Fitbit Air, a $99 wearable device that pairs basic fitness tracking (step count, heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen) with an AI health coach powered by Gemini. The coach generates daily summaries of readiness and sleep metrics, answers health questions, interprets data trends, and suggests fitness adjustments—though it defers all diagnoses to healthcare professionals. Nearly 500,000 people beta-tested the coach since October 2025, and Google shipped an improved version last month with a more customizable layout, leaderboards, and the ability to upload medical records.

Why it matters

Google is betting that consumers will pay for deeper health insights beyond raw fitness numbers. The $99 annual Google Health Premium subscription unlocks the AI coach, video workouts, and adaptive fitness plans—but basic tracking data is now free to all. For people willing to invest setup time, the coach can generate personalized advice (like adjusting workouts during travel or heat stress), though it requires 5–6 hours of initial data entry and careful context management to work well. The coach is not exclusive to the Air; Pixel Watches also get it, and Google plans to expand it to third-party wearables.

What to watch

The Fitbit Air costs $99 and fits wrists ranging from 130mm to 210mm. Battery lasts roughly a month between charges and recharges to 85 percent in about 45 minutes. The device is extremely lightweight and comfortable, though Google's official alternative straps are not popular; the company has released specs so third-party options may emerge. Google Health Coach is available now in the rebranded Google Health app.