Fitbit’s Facelift Is Rolling Out Now, and It Is Very Much a Google App

Fitbit’s much-anticipated app redesign is officially rolling out today. You can grab the update directly from the Google Play Store if you’re on a Google Pixel Watch or Fitbit wearable.

Although it was announced that iPhone users would be a part of the app overhaul, the Fitbit page in the App Store doesn’t indicate it’s been updated today. I asked Google about this. The app is rolling out to everyone, iPhone users included, but it might not be until the end of the week that it pops up for some users.

We saw a preview of the new Fitbit app over a month ago. Google showed off a Material You-style app with a new consolidated navigation bar. It features three tabs centered around the app’s main functions: daily tracking and goals, Fitbit Premium’s coaching programs, and personalized health reports. There are also more color palette choices, and the overall look and feel match what Android and the rest of the Google app suite look like. Fitbit is very clearly a Google app now.

The Fitbit redesign launches just in time for rumors to pick up on the upcoming Pixel Watch 2. It’s the second-generation smartwatch from Google that we’re expecting will launch alongside the Pixel 8/8 Pro later this fall. 9to5Google reports the latest leaks show a Fitbit app with interface elements that mirror today’s timely rollout. A temperature sensor might also be built into the Pixel Watch 2, which would be welcome considering the Apple Watch and Samsung’s Galaxy Watches already offer the ability.

The Pixel Watch 2 may also introduce a few new safety features. One might include extended functionality for the Pixel’s built-in car crash detection, wherein the Pixel Watch 2 will surface with any critical information you’ve set up beforehand for paramedics and rescue personnel to peep. Google may also introduce an Apple Check In-like feature called Safety Check, which lets trusted folks know your location once you’ve arrived at a destination.

The Google Translation feature may also play a significant role in the Pixel Watch 2’s upcoming showcase. 9to5Google’s sources tell it that Google is preparing to launch a Google Assistant-led interpreter mode that handles translations on-device. That means navigating a foreign language even when your watch or phone doesn’t have an active internet connection.