The Fitbit Air is Google’s latest fitness tracker, priced at £85, and it directly competes with Whoop’s subscription-based wearable. Unlike Whoop, the Fitbit Air does not require a paid subscription to access core features, making it an attractive option for health-conscious users.
Design and Build
The Fitbit Air is the smallest Fitbit ever made, weighing just 5.2g (12g with the band) and measuring 8.3mm thick. It has a minimalist, screen-free design with no buttons, resembling a tiny pebble. The device is 25% smaller than the Fitbit Luxe and comes with interchangeable bands, including a textile performance loop, a sweatproof silicone band, and a premium bracelet-style band. Available colours include obsidian, fog, lavender, and berry.
Key Features
- Health Monitoring: Tracks heart rate, sleep stages, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, skin temperature, respiratory rate, and VO2 max.
- Smart Wake Alarm: Vibrates gently at the optimal time within your sleep cycle, a feature not available on Whoop.
- AFib Detection: Alerts for irregular heart rhythm notifications.
- Readiness Score: Provides daily readiness and cardio load metrics via the Google Health app.
- Battery Life: Lasts up to 7 days and charges magnetically from 0 to 100% in 90 minutes.
Google Health App and AI Coach
The Fitbit Air integrates with the newly rebranded Google Health app, which features a Gemini-powered AI Health Coach. This coach provides personalised fitness plans that adapt to real-time data, offering tailored recommendations for workouts, recovery, and trends. Users can also log meals and track menstrual cycles. While basic metrics remain free, the AI coach requires a Google Health Premium subscription, which includes three months free with the device.
Pricing and Availability
The Fitbit Air is available for pre-order at £84.99 and will launch on 26 May. Google Health Premium pricing is expected to be similar to Fitbit Premium, currently £7.99 per month or £79.99 per year.
For more details, see our comparison of Fitbit Air vs Whoop.
