Along with shutting down the new Fitbit Air, a Whoop-style fitness band, Google said Thursday that it’s also renaming the Fitbit app to Google Health and launching an AI-powered health coach as a subscription service.
The Health app will become a central part of Google’s fitness strategy, building on its 2021 acquisition of Fitbit, which saw the tech giant delve into wearable fitness devices to complement its more mainstream Android smartwatches.
Leveraging Google’s Gemini AI, the new Google Health Coach will deliver personalized information to users, acting as a combination fitness coach, sleep expert, and health and wellness advisor. The service has been in public preview since last year and has undergone improvements based on user feedback, the company said.
Google says the Health app will be available globally on May 19 as part of the Google Health Premium subscription — the same day the new Fitbit Air launches. The AI fitness coaching service will be bundled with the Google Health Premium (formerly Fitbit Premium) subscription, which costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers will have access to Google Health Premium at no additional cost.
Google notes that the health coach service is customized for the user through an onboarding process, in which you will list your health goals, your daily routine, the type of exercise equipment you have access to, any injuries the coach should be aware of, and other lifestyle factors. The coach will then use these details to create personalized guidance and information.
Users can also communicate with the coach using natural language to adjust and update their personal information or goals at any time. They can also record workouts, meals and health records by dictating them or uploading photos or files.
The shuttle will be accessible from the Today tab of the Google Health app. The company notes that any information provided by the coach will not simply be a summary, but will combine information from multiple sources, including fitness and sleep metrics, environment, diet, cycle tracking, and US medical records (if accessed). Google said the cycle tracking, nutrition and mental wellness features have been redesigned for the health coach as well.
The AI coach is also injected into other areas of the Google Health app, including the Fitness tab’s workout suggestions and guidance, the Sleep tab’s sleep tracking, and the Health tab’s summary of your metrics.
Google’s health coach will be available first for select Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, and support for other devices will be available soon, the company says. However, anyone can download the Google Health app to get started. People without a Fitbit or Google Pixel Watch will be notified when the bus is ready for them, but Google hasn’t said when that will happen.
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