Google is on the streak of updating its apps with the new Google Design Material Standards, and the latest app to get the new makeover is the Fitbit app.
Earlier this month, Google announced Fitbit’s design updates to make it more simple and user-friendly. While the update is available to only select beta users for now, it will be launched for everyone this fall (at the end of the year).
Three Fitbit tabs
The new Fitbit app is designed to provide you with a personalised and customised experience. The new, simpler design and fresh look will give a comprehensive view of your health metrics.
While the current app has four tabs, the updated app will have a three-tab—Today, Coach and You—user interface, streamlining your access to key health metrics, motivating content and personal achievements. It will enable you to monitor your health insights in a simpler way.
Today tab
While Fitbit’s current design has a Today tab, the refreshed Today tab will be more customisable and allow you to view your top statistics at a glance. You’ll be able to highlight different metrics by choosing your focus areas.
For example, if you want to focus on your sleep, Fitbit will highlight your Sleep, steps, mindfulness and Zone Minutes at the top. If you select the focus area as heart health, the app will show heart, health metrics, Zone Minutes and exercise at the top.
With “more consistent charts, graphics and icons that show your health trends,” redesigned Fitbit app will personalise your experience. You’ll also be able to view past health metrics and trends on this tab.
Coach tab
This tab will feature motivating health and fitness content to help you meet your health goals. You’ll be able to view curated workouts and mindfulness sessions and filter them based on the time and equipment you have on hand.
The app will curate workouts based on your previous sessions. With a Fitbit premium subscription, you’ll also be able to unlock more content, including dance videos and HIIT sessions.
The updated Fitbit app is also incorporating features from Apple Fitness+, like showing your workout stats like heart rate, calories and active zone minutes on the screen while watching the videos.
You tab
It is the latest addition to the Fitbit app that will focus on your personal preferences. You’ll be able to adjust your goals, look at your achievements, reflect on your progress, access reports, connect with people and manage your community connections at this tab.
However, we’re unsure of what social features you’ll be able to see, as Challenges were discontinued earlier this year.
Other metrics
In the press release, Fitbit mentioned that it’ll simplify logging in other metrics like steps, exercise, and water intake—even if you don’t have a connected Fitbit device. It’ll let you track your metrics without connecting a smart device/wearable to the app.
The upgraded app will also offer accurate step count and live route views on maps for activities like walks, runs and hikes.
Design updates
The update will align the Fitbit app with Google’s own design language with a refreshed colour palette, updated photography, illustrations and icons.
After the redesign, the Fitbit app will look and function more like a Google app—energetic vibes, larger elements and new icons—making the transition of users from Fitbit to Google accounts easier (which Google is planning to complete by 2025).
Privacy and security
Google clarifies in the press release that the new Fitbit app will make it easier for you to manage app data and permissions, ensuring seamless privacy. It also mentions that Fitbit data will not be used to show personalised Google ads and will remain separate from Google ads data.
A short background
To recap, Google acquired Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2019 and has ever since started integrating Google’s products and services with it.
The redesigned Fitbit app not only reorganises the layout and displays user data differently but also makes it more obvious that Fitbit is now a part of the Google ecosystem.
“The redesigned Fitbit app pushes us toward our vision of helping make everyone in the world healthier, and we’ll continue to update it with user feedback from this beta.”
– Google stated in the press release.
The new, updated Fitbit app
Google will release the new Fitbit app for everyone after receiving feedback from beta users, making changes accordingly and ensuring its free from bugs.
While most users are excited about the redesign and cannot wait to get hands-on experience with it, some are unsure of the changes Google is making on Fitbit’s community end. In an article on myhealthyapple.com, A. Beth Whittenberger shares:
“Unfortunately, the update comes at the cost of less community and the social interactions that created a strong Fitbit following over the years. We don’t like the continued movement away from the Fitbit Community and all the social aspects that made using your Fitbit fun with others!”
Interestingly, as The Verge points out, the updates didn’t come off as a complete surprise and look like the groundwork for Pixel Watch 2, which is expected to roll out this fall. With leaked Pixel Watch 2 watch faces looking similar to officially updated Fitbit app screenshots shared by Google, users are excited for the new watch.
What do you think about Fitbit’s update? Let us know in the comments.
