The fitness band is back with a vengeance. Google announced the Fitbit Edge on Oct. 12 — a slim screen tracker that slots between the $100 Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 5, which starts at $350. Price: $179.99. Preorders are open now, and it hits shelves Oct. 27.
Here’s what you get for the money, per Google and Ars Technica:
- A 1.34-inch OLED touchscreen with 46% more viewing area than the old Charge 6, plus one physical button.
- Built-in GPS, so you can leave the phone home on a run, plus an ECG app, blood-oxygen, skin-temperature and heart-rate sensors.
- Up to seven days of battery. Turn on always-on display and Ars says that drops to about two.
- Works with Android or iPhone through the Google Health app, and it’s water-resistant to 5 ATM.
Now the fine print, Ars Technica style: no NFC, so no Google Wallet tap-to-pay. No microphone or speaker, so replies are canned quick responses and there’s no talking to Gemini. You can’t download extra apps or watch faces. And the Gemini-powered Health Coach needs Google Health Premium: three months free, then $10 a month. Google also touts “Health Guardian” trends for blood pressure and insulin resistance, but its own fine print says those are wellness info, not a diagnosis.
One win for your wallet down the road: Google calls it its first repairable tracker, with a replaceable battery. That means a service swap, not a DIY job.
What to do: If you’re still wearing an aging Charge, this is the upgrade Google built for you. If you want to tap to pay or talk to your wrist, spend more on a real smartwatch. And put a calendar reminder on that free Premium trial before it starts billing.
Source: Google — Google Fitbit Edge, Oct. 12, 2026; Ars Technica — Google announces the Fitbit Edge, Oct. 12, 2026
Leave a Reply