Google and Fitbit unveil a bold, AI-driven refresh for the Fitbit app
Google is pushing beyond the basics of activity tracking by integrating its Gemini-powered Coach into a major redesign of the Fitbit app. The rollout, beginning Oct. 28 for eligible Fitbit Premium users in the United States, signals a shift from passive data collection toward proactive, AI-assisted wellness coaching that aims to keep users engaged and progressing toward long-term health goals.
Four tabs, a cleaner layout, and a more useful Today view
The refreshed app centers on four primary sections: Today, Fitness, Sleep, and Health. The Today tab is designed for quick glances, emphasizing weekly trends to provide a clearer picture of progress than day-to-day fluctuations. The other tabs offer deeper dives into sleep stages, vitals, and various health metrics. Importantly, Google is positioning the redesign as more than a new look; it’s about making data interpretation easier and more actionable for users who want to improve wellness without becoming data scientists.
The Coach: a real-time, data-driven personal trainer
At the heart of the upgrade is Coach, an optional, always-on feature that you access via an Ask Coach prompt. Coach uses current and historical data to help you understand your metrics and craft a personalized action plan. It can respond to questions in real time and adjust your plan based on training load, readiness, or life events such as travel or missed workouts.
Examples of how Coach can assist include questions like, “I have 30 minutes for a workout… What do you recommend?” or “How can I improve my VO2 max?” The tool can also correlate stats—such as sleep quality and daily steps—to tailor recommendations. During onboarding, you can set goals, log available equipment, and note injuries or limitations. The initial interaction is a 5–10 minute conversation (text or voice) designed to help the AI understand your motivations and goals.
How the coaching plan adapts to you
The coaching experience dynamically adjusts as you train. Metrics such as training load, readiness scores, and overnight recovery influence the guidance. Over time, Coach becomes more aligned with your long-term health objectives, transforming raw sensor data into practical steps. Participation is opt-in, so Fitbit users who prefer a traditional, data-focused experience can continue without AI coaching.
Availability, pricing, and how the preview works
The rollout begins in the United States for adults who subscribe to Fitbit Premium (priced at $10 per month or $80 per year) and own a compatible Fitbit or Pixel Watch. The update works across the latest Fitbit trackers, smartwatches, and Pixel Watch models. During the preview phase, users can compare the old and new app designs side-by-side without losing data, enabling feedback and smoother transitions.
Google has emphasized that user feedback will shape the final product. An integrated feedback tool is available during the preview, and although a firm end date hasn’t been announced, Google plans a gradual expansion to more users and devices over time.
Why this could be a turning point in wellness tech
If the Coach feature lives up to its promise, Fitbit’s app could become a model for AI-assisted wellness that balances privacy, usefulness, and accessibility. Google asserts that health data used in Coach is not employed for Ads, and experts helped design the coaching experience. Nevertheless, the success of this initiative hinges on how accurately the AI interprets nuanced health signals, how well it respects user privacy, and how effectively it translates data into meaningful, achievable actions.
For now, the preview offers a compelling glimpse of a more proactive wellness assistant that lives where the data is—on the wrist. The test for Google and Fitbit will be whether Coach can genuinely translate metrics into consistent, practical improvements, or if it remains a promising but underutilized feature.
Bottom line
The Fitbit app refresh with Gemini-powered Coach aims to turn everyday health data into a personalized coaching experience. With an opt-in model, careful privacy considerations, and a focus on actionable guidance, it has the potential to redefine how mainstream users engage with fitness and wellness technology.
