Fitbit’s products haven’t exactly been on Google’s radar since the acquisition closed at the start of 2021. It was clear from the start that the software giant’s interest in the wearable leader was due to its smartwatch ambitions. We saw it with the launch of the Pixel Watch last year and we’ll likely see it again during next week’s hardware event.
However, although Fitbit devices themselves have not been a priority for Alphabet, they cannot simply fall back on the line completely. Fitbit still has a huge user base of dedicated fans that a single Pixel watch can’t handle. This goes double for people who prefer a simpler band without all the smartwatch bells and whistles.
More than two years after the Charge 5 became Fitbit’s first post-acquisition device, Alphabet is refreshing the line. The parent company’s fingerprints are all over the press release announcing the new wearable.
“The Charge 6 helps you stay on track with your goals, thanks to advanced health sensors that, combined with a new machine learning algorithm, provide you with the most accurate heart rate tracking on a Fitbit tracker yet,” the company notes.
Linking biometric sensors with machine learning algorithms is a product of the marriage between Google and Fitbit. Health has, of course, been the foundation of the wearables category for years now, and much of the new work we’re seeing is an effort to improve the vast amounts of health data these devices collect. It’s no different than when Google started relying heavily on computational photography for its Pixel line.
In fact, the new heart rate monitoring technology is borrowed directly from the Pixel Watch. This could eventually serve as a model pipeline moving forward. The teams are building something new for the Pixel Watch that will eventually make its way into Fitbit devices. That this arrived shortly before Google announced a new watch is certainly no coincidence.
The other big plus here is the ability to connect the Charge to workout apps and equipment like those from NordicTrack, Peloton, Concept2, and Tonal, to monitor metrics in real time. And in case you’re worried that the Charge isn’t smartwatch enough, the device gets some first-party Google software.
“For the first time, we’re bringing useful Google tools to a tracker. Charge 6 will feature Google Maps and Google Wallet, making it easy to go from workouts to errands and everywhere in between.” Navigate on the go with Google Maps to get turn-by-turn directions right on your wrist , or grab a post-workout snack using Google Wallet for contactless payments.”
The Fitbit Charge 6 is available for pre-order today. It will run at $160 when it goes on sale later this fall.