What you need to know
- Google is replacing Fitbit with Google Health, but many classic features are being removed in the transition.
- Sleep Profile, badges, and social features like groups and messages are being discontinued from the app.
- New metrics like Resilience and weekly cardio targets replace stress scores and daily goals.
Alongside launching its new Fitbit Air, Google's competitor to the Whoop band, Google has also announced that the Fitbit app will transition into the new Google Health platform. However, this shift also means some classic Fitbit features are going away.
Google has detailed in a support page what the redesigned Google Health app will bring, but it looks like a few familiar features won't make the cut (via 9to5Google). One of the biggest changes is that Sleep Profile and its animal-based summaries are being removed.
Instead of showing how you slept over the past month, Google is moving toward a more AI-driven approach through Google Health Premium, where you can ask questions about your sleep patterns. Google also notes that for Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 users the snore detection feature is going away.
The Google Health app will allow users to check their oxygen saturation levels using the SpO2 data. This means that, with the update, the Estimated Oxygen Variation (EOV) levels will no longer be available. Google is also transitioning the cardio fitness core to standard VO2 max.
One change I actually like is that Google is moving away from daily goals and shifting toward a more flexible weekly cardio target. This makes more sense in real life, since you can make up for a missed workout later in the week if you're busy or not feeling well.
When it comes to other health tracking features, minute-by-minute skin temperature data is going away. Instead, users will get daily and weekly trends. Google is also replacing the stress score with a new Resilience metric, categorized as Optimal, Balanced, or Low, instead of just showing a number.
Finally, a number of social features are being removed. All Fitbit badges will go away, and instead, Google says the health coach will help you track and celebrate progress. Your social profile will shift to your Google account name and picture, and you'll be asked for permission before anything is shared.
Google is also removing direct messages, groups, and the community feed from the Fitbit app. If you're still using the older Fitbit experience, Google says these social features will start being phased out from May 12, 2026.
Android Central's Take
The weekly targets make way more sense than rigid daily goals, I'll give Google that. But removing badges, community feed, and messaging just makes the whole experience feel a lot less fun.
