Fitbit Air and Edge Gain Health Guardian and 100-Activity Detection for Google Premium Users

Google is expanding its health monitoring capabilities to the Fitbit Air and Fitbit Edge trackers. The company is introducing new premium accessories and deeper app integrations to support these devices.

What happened

Google announced updates to its wearable ecosystem in a blog post published by the company. The update includes the rollout of Health Guardian features to Fitbit Air and Fitbit Edge devices. These features are available to users with a Google Health Premium subscription later this month.

The Health Guardian suite tracks subtle health changes over time. Users can set up blood pressure trends and insulin resistance trends in the Google Health app. If users meet monthly wear requirements, they receive a report at the start of each month. This report helps users make early lifestyle adjustments.

Google also introduced a new Fitbit Air Metal Mesh band. Crafted from flexible stainless steel, the band is designed for day-to-night wear. It is available in Champagne Gold or Polished Silver for $69.99. A bundle with an Obsidian Fitbit Air is priced at $149.99 at Target and the Google Store.

The company also launched the Fitbit Edge, described as a next-generation tracker. It offers advanced fitness tracking and real-time guidance. This device joins the Fitbit Air and Pixel Watch lineup in receiving software updates.

Why it matters

Google is improving automatic activity detection across its wearable portfolio. The update expands detected activities from 10 to more than 100. This includes strength training, swimming, and racket sports. The feature is available on Fitbit Air, Fitbit Edge, and Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5.

The new detection system uses contextual reasoning to improve accuracy. It factors in workout routines, historical data, and location with permission. Google states this delivers nearly twice the accuracy of previous versions. It also cuts missed workouts by more than half.

Workouts meeting a minimum duration threshold are logged automatically. The default threshold is 15 minutes with sustained elevated heart rate. Summaries are sent to the mobile app within 30 minutes. The system learns from user edits to refine future predictions.

This marks a significant shift in how Google handles fitness data. The company has delivered more than 55 features and fixes since launching the Google Health app. These updates aim to provide a more connected view of user health.

What to watch

• Monitor the Google Health app for the Health Guardian rollout

Background: Software updates

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What to do and how to stay safe

• Length outweighs complexity in resisting brute-force and dictionary attacks.
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Step-by-step guide: Password Policy Checklist for Secure Identity Management

General security guidance from the Patch Gazette newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.