Google has revealed it will release new Fitbit-branded fitness tracking hardware in 2026 for the first time in more than two years.
It was September 2023 when Google last launched a new Fitbit wearable, which was the Charge 6 wristband. Most of the company’s hardware energy has gone into the Pixel Watch series in recent years with the Fitbit smartwatch series falling by the wayside.
However, Google has continued to develop health and fitness software under the Fitbit name and that’s how we’re hearing about new software today – as part of the personalised, AI-powered Fitness Coach Preview, Google said it “launching new Fitbit hardware next year” as part of an “exciting year ahead” (via 9to5Google).
Given the infrequency of Fitbit hardware releases in recent years, I wondered whether we’d ever see another model in the line that dates all the way back to the actual Fitbit, a glorified pedometer worn on a pocket that helped to spark a wearable technology and quantified movement phenomenon.
It’s possible (and perhaps most likely), we’ll see a seventh-generation Charge wristband, which Stuff currently rates as our best fitness tracker for most people thanks to its large screen, svelte design and advanced health-tracking nous. It’s got a week long battery life, phone-connected GPS, 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, and access to Google Wallet. Plus it’s often available for under $100/£100 if you’re shopping at the right time.
An upgrade would be valuable and appears more likely than a Fitbit Sense or Versa smartwatch, which would essentially compete with Google’s Pixel Watch 4 that has brought the series its own as a legitimate Apple Watch rival.
Perhaps Google has something else in mind for its long-held property? The company denied as recently as August that it was not actively developing a smart ring to rival the likes of Oura, Samsung and Ultrahuman. However, a Fitbit smart ring would make plenty of sense at this point.
The Fitbit Coach Preview, first announced alongside the Pixel Watch 4 in August and brings Gemini integration and AI-powered coaching, is rolling out now.
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