{"id":13824,"date":"2026-05-07T08:21:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T15:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/googles-fitbit-air-is-a-screenless-competitor-to-the-99-whoop-and-its-main-features-dont-require-a-subscription\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T20:02:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T03:02:47","slug":"googles-fitbit-air-is-a-screenless-competitor-to-the-99-whoop-and-its-main-features-dont-require-a-subscription","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/googles-fitbit-air-is-a-screenless-competitor-to-the-99-whoop-and-its-main-features-dont-require-a-subscription\/","title":{"rendered":"Google&#8217;s Fitbit Air is a screenless competitor to the $99 Whoop, and its main features don&#8217;t require a subscription."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"dt-post-content\">\n<p>Google recently made its most serious move into the fitness tracker market. The Pixel Watch maker has officially launched the Fitbit Air, a screenless health band priced at $99.99. Unlike Whoop, which locks all fitness data behind a paywall, Fitbit Air&#8217;s core health tracking features will remain free. <\/p>\n<p>Currently available for pre-orders, the device will begin shipping to 21 countries starting May 26, 2026. You can get the tracker in four Pixel-like colors, including Obsidian, Lavender, Mist, and Berry, and choose from three different band styles: Performance Loop, Active Band, and Elevated Modern Band. <\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5971963\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">Google<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What exactly is Fitbit Air tracking?<\/h2>\n<p>Despite weighing only 12 grams with the strap (5 grams without it), the Fitbit Air packs a sensible sensor base for anyone serious about tracking health and fitness. <\/p>\n<p>The device provides 24\/7 heart rate with AFib irregular rhythm alerts, heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen (SpO2), skin temperature, and a standard step\/calorie counter. It also provides sleep stages and duration tracking, and supports automatic activity detection.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s no built-in display, and that&#8217;s intentional. The idea is to let your wrists remain free of distractions while you exercise, while the tracker silently collects data in the background, which is synced to your phone via Bluetooth.<\/p>\n<p>The device is water resistant up to 50 meters, so you can wear it during your swim. A full charge should take you up to seven days, taking about 90 minutes to go from zero to 100% with a magnetic charger. <\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1200\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1200\" alt=\"Accessories, Belt, Belt\" class=\"wp-image-5971971\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?w=2000 2000w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=325%2C195 325w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=720%2C432 720w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=220%2C132 220w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C922 1536w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=1350%2C810 1350w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=650%2C390 650w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=430%2C258 430w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=1000%2C600 1000w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C720 1200w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=317%2C190 317w, https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/tachyon\/2026\/05\/Fitbit-Air-closeup-shot-1.jpg?resize=640%2C384 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5971971\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"text\">The limited edition Fitbit Air Stephen Curry costs $129.99<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Google<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does the Fitbit Air compare to the Whoop?<\/h2>\n<p>Unlike the Whoop, the Fitbit Air&#8217;s core tracking features work without registration out of the box. <\/p>\n<p>However, if you want access to advanced features such as Google Health Coach, an AI assistant powered by Gemini to analyze your fitness data, as well as long-term data and personal information, you must pay for a Google Health Premium subscription ($9.99 per month). <\/p>\n<p>The good thing is that you get a three-month trial of the Health Premium subscription for free, included in the price of the Fitbit Air. Google has also confirmed compatibility with both Android and iOS devices. For the first time, you can also pair both the Pixel Watch 4 and Fitbit Air to the same Google Health account. <\/p>\n<p>The Fitbit Air is Google&#8217;s most deliberate attempt to tap into Whoop&#8217;s massive user base. By keeping the core health features free for all users and offering a Health Premium membership at a lower price than an annual Whoop membership, Google may compel health-oriented users to pick up the Fitbit Air.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Google recently made its most serious move into the fitness tracker market. The Pixel Watch maker has officially launched the Fitbit Air, a screenless health band priced at $99.99. Unlike Whoop, which locks all fitness data behind a paywall, Fitbit Air&#8217;s core health tracking features will remain free. Currently available for pre-orders, the device will [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13825,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-13824","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wearables"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13824"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13824\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13826,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13824\/revisions\/13826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwayritz.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}