Google’s AI-fication of the Fitbit app is charging full speed and will soon reach more people and more countries. After being released as an Android preview exclusive to US Premium subscribers, Google announced that public previews of its redesigned Fitbit app and health coach/concierge will be open to iPhone users starting Feb. 10.
The Gemini AI-powered “Coach” will also be released in English to Fitbit Premium subscribers in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore on both iOS and Android.
Google released the redesigned Fitbit app and built-in Coach as a public preview at the end of October for eligible Fitbit Premium subscribers on Android and since then has been gathering feedback from early adopters to refine the experience. This expansion brings the new app to the masses, generating more feedback opportunities and closer to the release of the final version.
As the race to build smart, personalized fitness platforms heats up, Google is relying on its comprehensive suite of hardware, software and AI assistants to set Fitbit apart. Since the wrist is the central point of data (with the Pixel Watch and Fitbit trackers), Google aims to transform its platform from a fitness tracker into an active, AI-driven life companion.
Google first announced Fitbit’s new AI health trainer at its Pixel launch event in August.
What to expect
The redesigned app experience has a cleaner UI that is more intuitive to navigate than the previous version. It is built around four main tabs: Today, Fitness, Sleep and Health.
The Today tab, which is something you’ll see more often, highlights visual statistics with a strong focus on weekly trends. Google says this is a truer reflection of progress compared to the typical daily details emphasized by other trackers. Other tabs allow you to dig deeper into detailed metrics across categories such as sleep and priority categories. And this time, the burden of interpreting the data will not just fall on the user.
Woven throughout the app is a new Coach feature, which you can access via the “Ask a Coach” prompt. Coach draws on real-time and historical data to help make sense of your metrics and turn them into a personalized action plan. Google describes you as an “always on” trainer who can answer questions or quickly adjust your schedule based on recent activity, fitness, and even life events like travel or missed workouts.
For example, you might ask, “I have 30 minutes to work out… What do you recommend?” or “How can I improve my VO2 max?” Or draw links to your math with prompts like, “Do I sleep better on days when I get more steps in?”
During the (optional) boarding process, you can set goals, log in available fitness equipment and injuries or limitations. The preview starts with a short 5-10 minute conversation (text or voice) to help the AI understand your goals and motivations. From there, the program adapts based on changes in metrics such as training load, readiness score and overnight recovery data, keeping everything aligned with your long-term goals.
Participating in the training experience is opt-in, so you can still use Fitbit without the AI features if you want.
Fitbit fans checking out the updated app have the option to switch between the old and new versions.
Availability and pricing
The update — first introduced to US-based Android users — will also be available to people in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore (18 and over) who subscribe to Fitbit Premium ($10 per month or $80 per year) regardless of phone. Yes, that means iPhone owners too. Works with the latest Fitbit trackers, smartwatches and Pixel Watch models. During the preview phase, you can switch between old and new app designs without losing data, allowing for side-by-side comparisons and feedback collection.
Google says user input from this stage will be key in shaping the final result of the app experience and there will be an integrated feedback tool for testers. While the company hasn’t confirmed a firm end date for the preview, it says the experience will continue to expand to more users and devices over time.
Fitbit’s new trainer is powered by Google’s Gemini AI voice assistant.
The real test
This redesign and the Coach feature show great potential. If it delivers on Google’s promises to bring professional-grade training to regular users, it could mark a turning point in health technology and could put Google ahead of the pack. The company says the trainer experience was developed with input from health experts and a consumer advisory panel, and that user data will not be used for Google Ads.
But as with everything in the AI world, execution will be everything, and the value of a health coach must be compelling enough — and accurate enough — to overcome the reluctance to provide another AI feature with sensitive health data. But the real test is how well Google handles privacy, data security and real-world usefulness. That balance can mean the difference between a repackaged Gemini that many people turn off, and a game-changing tool that translates your data into action.
For now, it’s a promising preview, but I’ll be checking it out in person when it comes out.
