Google Health remains a work in progress, but the Fitbit Air shows a more thoughtful approach to integrating AI into health tracking. Priced at $99, the device is a return to Fitbit's roots: a simple, comfortable band that tracks steps, sleep, heart rate, and more. But its real innovation lies in the optional Google Health Coach, a Gemini-powered chatbot that analyzes your data and offers personalized advice.

Hardware That Delivers

The Fitbit Air is exceptionally lightweight and comfortable to wear. During testing, it was barely noticeable on the wrist, even when sleeping. Battery life is outstanding: after a month of use, it required only three charges. A 45-minute charge brought the battery from 20% to 85%. The band uses a proprietary charger, a common complaint with fitness bands, but the quick charging mitigates the inconvenience.

The device tracks a comprehensive set of metrics: steps, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, sleep stages, readiness score, and cardio load. It lacks push notifications but includes silent alarms. The sensor pops out easily from the strap, allowing for customization. Google has released specs for third-party straps, though current options are limited. The band fits wrists from 130mm to 210mm, with testing suggesting it works best for wrists larger than 146mm.

The AI Health Coach: A Mixed Bag

Google Health Coach is optional but central to the Fitbit Air experience. It provides daily morning summaries of sleep and readiness, suggests activities, and answers health questions. It can generate workout plans based on your goals and medical context, and it defers to professionals for diagnoses. The coach can access medical records via CLEAR identity verification, and users can upload records for deeper analysis.

In testing, the AI showed real promise. It correctly advised the reviewer to skip workouts when dehydrated or overheated, and prioritized hydration during travel. However, achieving useful results required extensive upfront effort: five to six hours of inputting goals, medications, diagnoses, and blood test results. Even then, the coach sometimes reverted to older data, requiring repeated corrections. The quality of experience correlated directly with the time a user invested in training the AI.

Colleagues who tested the device had varied experiences. One found it helpful for illness, another hated it, and a third found it no better than common sense. The ability to log food via photo and edit through conversation was widely praised. For the most part, the AI is a tool between doctor visits, helping users stay accountable to medical advice.

Pricing and Subscription

The Fitbit Air costs $99 and includes a three-month trial of Google Health Premium ($99 annually after that). The subscription unlocks the AI coach, video workouts, adaptive plans, and deeper metrics. But all basic tracking data is free, making the Air an excellent value for those who want a no-nonsense tracker without AI. This dual approach is a smart strategy: it appeals to both AI enthusiasts and skeptics.

Agree to Continue

Using the Fitbit Air requires agreeing to three mandatory terms: Fitbit Terms of Service, Google Health Additional Terms, and Google Health Data and Privacy Policy. Optional permissions include location, Bluetooth, camera, background app refresh, notifications, and cellular data. By default, health data is not used to train Google's AI; users must opt in. Google's acquisition terms require health data to be stored separately and not used for targeted advertising.

The Fitbit Air is a savvy release from Google. It balances simplicity with advanced features, and its AI coach, while flawed, is the most competent health chatbot tested. The hardware is excellent, and the price is right. In a landscape of overhyped health AI, the Fitbit Air stands out as a device that lets users choose their level of engagement.

Source: The Verge News