Google Rebrands Fitbit App as ‘Google Health’
▼ Summary
– The Fitbit app is rebranding as Google Health on May 19, and Google will sunset the Google Fit app later this year.
– The Health Coach, an AI-powered chatbot that provides fitness and health guidance, is exiting beta and is central to the app’s redesign.
– The new Fitbit Air, a screenless health tracker, launches alongside the Google Health app, marking the first new Fitbit in three years.
– The Google Health app integrates with Health Connect and Apple’s HealthKit, allowing Apple Watch users to analyze their data within the app.
– Users can upload medical records via provider portals and share health data with family, friends, or a physician through the app.
More than a decade after its original launch and five years into Google’s ownership, the Fitbit app is being rebranded as Google Health. Alongside this shift, Google has confirmed that the Google Fit app, which has been around for 12 years, will be retired later this year. Specific details on how to migrate user data to Google Health are expected to be released in the months ahead.
Last year, Google rolled out a major redesign of the Fitbit app in public beta, focusing on a new AI-powered Health Coach chatbot. This tool offers guidance on everything from general wellness to fitness routines and can even interpret medical records. Now, the Health Coach is officially moving out of beta. On May 19, Fitbit users will receive an app update that transforms their current interface into Google Health.
“The investment we’ve been making the last few years is literally designed for this one moment,” said Rishi Chandra, Google’s vice president for health and home, in an interview with WIRED.
For existing Fitbit app users, the transition to Google Health will happen automatically through a standard app update. Despite the name change, Chandra emphasized that the Fitbit brand remains a key part of Google’s strategy. The company has introduced its first new Fitbit device in three years: the Fitbit Air. This screenless health tracker is lightweight and designed for comfort, making it accessible to users of all ages, from children to seniors. Its simplicity ensures that anyone can easily interpret the data it collects.
“That tying together of this wearable technology with the coaching experience is what’s been missing for the longest time, so candidly, we were waiting for the Coach to be ready before we launch new hardware,” Chandra said. “Now we have the Coach, you should expect to see more hardware coming.”
The Google Health app is positioned as a comprehensive hub for all health and fitness data. It supports both Health Connect and Apple’s HealthKit platform, meaning even Apple Watch users can analyze their data through Google Health. For those who purchase the new $100 Fitbit Air, Google plans to enable device data to be viewable within Apple Health, though this feature won’t be available at launch.
Users can upload medical records directly into the app by searching for their doctor’s name or address and logging into the provider’s portal. This will sync both historical and future records to Google Health. The Health Coach also allows for manual logging of anything from nutritional intake to adjustments in weekly fitness plans after an injury. Chandra noted that the app is built for sharing, making it easy to pass health data along to family members, friends, or a physician.
(Source: Wired)
