What you need to know
- Google is transitioning from Fitbit to Google Health, leading to the removal of several beloved features.
- Key functionalities such as Sleep Profile, badges, and social interactions like groups and messaging will no longer be available.
- New metrics, including Resilience and weekly cardio targets, will replace traditional stress scores and daily goals.
In a significant move, Google has unveiled its new Fitbit Air, a direct competitor to the Whoop band, while simultaneously announcing a transition of the Fitbit app into the Google Health platform. This evolution, however, comes with the bittersweet news that some cherished features of Fitbit will be phased out.
According to a recent support page from Google, the revamped Google Health app will introduce several enhancements, but it will also bid farewell to some familiar functionalities. Notably, the Sleep Profile, along with its whimsical animal-based summaries, will be discontinued. Users of the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 will also see the snore detection feature vanish from their devices.
The Google Health app will now enable users to monitor their oxygen saturation levels through SpO2 data; however, this update will also see the Estimated Oxygen Variation (EOV) levels being retired. The cardio fitness core will transition to a standard VO2 max measurement, marking another shift in the app’s focus.
One notable improvement is the move from rigid daily goals to a more adaptable weekly cardio target, which aligns better with real-life schedules. This flexibility allows users to compensate for missed workouts, making it a more practical approach to fitness.
In terms of health tracking, minute-by-minute skin temperature data will be replaced with daily and weekly trends, offering a broader perspective on changes over time. Additionally, the stress score will be substituted with a new Resilience metric, categorized into Optimal, Balanced, or Low, providing users with a more nuanced understanding of their well-being.
However, the transition isn’t without its drawbacks. A number of social features will be eliminated, including all Fitbit badges. Instead, Google plans to introduce a health coach to assist users in tracking and celebrating their progress. The social profile will be simplified to reflect the user’s Google account name and picture, with permissions required for any shared information.
Moreover, direct messaging, groups, and the community feed will also be phased out from the Fitbit app. For those still utilizing the older Fitbit experience, these social features are set to disappear starting May 12, 2026.
Android Central’s Take
While the shift to weekly targets over daily goals is a commendable change, the removal of badges, community feeds, and messaging diminishes the overall enjoyment of the experience.
