Google Unveils Fitbit Edge With Replaceable Battery And Larger Display
The $179.99 Fitbit Edge adds a larger screen, expanded health tracking and a replaceable battery, with preorders open ahead of an October 27 store release.
Google has introduced the Fitbit Edge, a display-equipped fitness tracker positioned between the screenless Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 5. The Edge costs $179.99, is available for preorder and will reach stores on October 27, according to Engadget. It offers a larger display and more health features than the Fitbit Charge 6, but leaves out some features that older tracker had.
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A larger screen, with some trade-offs
Wired reports that the Edge has a 1.34-inch display, up from 1.04 inches on the Charge 6. The Verge describes it as a 46 percent increase in OLED display size and notes that the Edge also has a physical side button. The device uses a redesigned Fitbit operating system rather than Wear OS, according to The Verge, with notifications, media controls, alarms and timers among its everyday functions.
Battery life is estimated at about a week on a full charge, which takes roughly 90 minutes. The Verge says enabling the always-on display cuts the estimate to two days; a five-minute charge can provide about a day of use. The Edge has a replaceable battery, which Wired calls a first for Fitbit, though repair options will depend on region and availability.
Two Charge 6 capabilities do not carry over. The Edge has no NFC chip for contactless payments, The Verge and Wired report. It also lacks a microphone and speaker, so users can see an incoming call but cannot answer it from their wrist, according to The Verge. Wired says the Edge works with both iPhones and Android phones through the Google Health app.
Workout and health features
The Edge includes built-in GPS, an ECG sensor, skin-temperature sensing, blood-oxygen and optical heart-rate sensors, according to The Verge. It has an IP68 rating and is suitable for swimming up to 5ATM, the outlet reports. Google says GPS tracking is 40 percent more accurate than on the Charge 6; The Verge attributes the improvement mainly to changes on the device.
Google has also revised automatic workout detection. The Verge says the new system uses details such as location and routines to infer activities, and that Google claims it is twice as accurate and supports more than 100 activities. Wired distinguishes that identification capability from the Edge’s more than 50 exercise modes. Wired says Google Maps turn-by-turn directions will arrive later this year.
With a Google Health Premium subscription, users can access blood-pressure and insulin-resistance trend tracking, Wired reports. Engadget says the subscription also provides access to a Gemini-powered health coach that can adjust workout plans around a user’s schedule. Three months of Premium are included with the Edge, according to The Verge and Engadget.
Colors and pricing
Engadget says the standard Edge comes in Obsidian, Fog, Olive and Canyon. Several band options are available, while a Stephen Curry special edition costs $219.99. The Verge describes the Edge as an option for people who want notifications and a screen without moving to a full smartwatch.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.