I’ve been a Fitbit fan ever since I first strapped the Fitbit Charge 2 to my wrist in 2016.The firm was a pioneer of wearable health tech, producing an army of very popular trackers and watches over the years.But since Google acquired Fitbit in 2021, the future of the famous brand has been up in the air.The current Fitbit range includes the Inspire 3, Versa 4 and Sense 2, all released back in 2022, while the Charge 6 came out in 2023.The children-centric Fitbit Ace LTE came out in 2024, but for the US only, suggesting Google’s plans for Fitbit aren’t entirely global.Google also uses Fitbit-branded software to power the fitness features of its Google Pixel Watch line up, prompting a company spokesperson in 2024 to say there will never be another Fitbit-branded smartwatch.For a while, it looked as though Google was abandoning Fitbit hardware and pushing the Pixel Watch with, slightly confusingly, Fitbit elements.
But in October 2025, Google confirmed it will release “new Fitbit hardware” in 2026.This announcement had me excited.I still love the Fitbit brand as it represents the choice to have a simple, slim tracker on my wrist that captures my activity without pestering me for my attention like the Apple Watch or Pixel Watch does.Not to mention the fact that the Fitbit Charge 6, my tracker of choice, can last six days on a charge, beating any Apple, Google or Samsung smartwatch for longevity.For a while, it looked as though Google was abandoning Fitbit hardware Tech news, reviews and latest gadgets plus selected offers and competitions Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you.
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And while the Fitbit Premium subscription service is a tall ask for casual users at £5.99 per month, the app gives enough data to non-paying users to still make the trackers worth buying, in my eyes.In line with the promise of new hardware, the Fitbit app for iPhone and Android has been overhauled (albeit agonisingly slowly) over the past five years with a visual redesign.I lament the removal of simple, fun perks like the leaderboards you could have to try and beat your friends’ step counts, but today, the Fitbit app has a clean, easy to read look that is more befitting of a modern tech brand.But just as this new design has settled in, Google is on the move again, and the new big redesign of the app is not available in the UK.Instead, Fitbit is slowly releasing a new, AI-infused overhaul of its app, but only in the US.Announced back in August, Fitbit is integrating a “personal health coach” using its Gemini AI tech, changing the look and feel of the app along with it.
Users are promised much more personalised health tips, and you can ask the coach to build fitness programs for you.It’s still in ‘Public Preview’, meaning you have to opt in if you want to use it.This is common in modern software, and allows people to test knowing there might be bugs, and lets the company sort out any flaws users find before a full release.Frustratingly, you have to be located in the United States to give the new Fitbit app a go, with no word on a full release in that country, let alone the UK.When software can be global, it’s disappointing to see Fitbit’s latest innovation restricted to the US.
If the software is still in preview, why not open it up to the UK and other countries to get more testers on board?Maybe Google is seeing how the new app and its features perform on the ageing Fitbit hardware on people’s wrists.Hopefully, we’ll see new Fitbit trackers released in the coming months, primed for use with this new generation app and offering the Fitbit brand the lease of life it deserves.For a few years, it looked for all the world like Google was killing off the old Fitbit.But people love their Fitbits, and it finally seems as though Google hasn’t forgotten that.
As we enter 2026, I hope Fitbit can still offer the option of a simple, affordable fitness tracker for those of us who don’t want a smartwatch.It feels like the brand’s last shot at relevance.
