The Fitbit App Is Shedding All These Options

With Google’s announcement of the screenless Fitbit Air, the corporate can be making ready for an enormous shift in how the app works and what system options it helps. Meaning we’re dropping sleep animals and a bunch of different options that you could be miss. Right here’s what’s on the chopping block. 

Fitbit accounts are going away (for actual this time)

Fitbit was once its personal firm, however after Google purchased Fitbit, it began gently encouraging customers to make use of Google accounts reasonably than utilizing their outdated Fitbit accounts. The encouragement has gotten much less light over time, with Google saying louder over the previous yr or so that you simply want to change your outdated Fitbit account to a Google one, for actual, we imply it. 

The deadline to change saved getting pushed again, but it surely appears to be like like Google actually does imply it this time. Social options within the Fitbit app shall be locked on Could 12, 2026 for individuals who use a Fitbit account. After Could 19, 2026, your Fitbit account will cease working. Google will start deleting your Fitbit knowledge on July 15, 2026. We now have directions right here for migrating your Fitbit account to a Google account. 

The outdated Fitbit boards are going away (alongside together with your put up historical past and profile knowledge)

If you happen to use the Fitbit boards (which have been round since 2013), you’ll lose knowledge there, too. Buried in a chipper announcement a couple of discussion board overhaul (“We are able to’t wait so that you can see the up to date neighborhood!”), Google says you’ll lose your put up historical past and all profile knowledge from the discussion board. Fitbit customers typically regarded to those posts for info on older units that aren’t at present supported. It’s not clear from the announcement whether or not previous posts will nonetheless exist in an archive.

No extra badges or sleep animals

You possibly can now not earn badges. No new badges shall be created, and all outdated badges shall be deleted. Google says “In case you have Google Well being Coach, your coach will assist to rejoice your progress and accomplishments.” Sleep animals are going away, as effectively—extra about that under. (For what it’s price, Samsung nonetheless does sleep animals, as I seen once I reviewed the Galaxy Ring.) 

Numerous social options are going away

In addition to boards, there are additionally social options within the Fitbit app. These are altering, too: 

• Social profiles will embody your identify, electronic mail, and profile image out of your Google account. The primary time you log in with the Google account, you’ll get a immediate asking you to approve sharing this info. You possibly can’t have a customized identify or image besides by altering it in your Google account.

• Privateness settings for social profiles aren’t accessible anymore, since social profiles will now not embody your intercourse, top, weight, location, or pals record.

• Teams and Neighborhood feed are going away.

• Direct messages will now not be accessible within the Fitbit app.

• Child accounts can’t have pals.

These well being options are disappearing or altering

When the outdated Fitbit app is changed with Google Well being, a number of of the outdated options gained’t make the soar. If you happen to’ve been utilizing the Public Preview, you’ll have seen these options aren’t there. Whereas Google Well being will add some lacking options, right here’s a listing of the modifications Google plans to make. I’ll embody what, if something, is supposed to substitute for every lacking or modified characteristic.

• Cardio health will now not be estimated primarily based in your top and weight. This characteristic is now referred to as VO2max and requires GPS knowledge from outside runs. (One good perk: it might probably use knowledge from different units, not simply Fitbits.)

• Sleep profiles are going away, together with sleep animals. As a replacement, you may ask Google Well being Coach what sort of sleeper you’re.

• Estimated Oxygen Variation (EOV) goes away, however you may nonetheless examine your blood oxygen (SpO2) within the Well being tab.

• Snore detection goes away. This was a characteristic on the unique Sense and on the Versa 3. 

• Graphs of stress checks will now not be accessible. You possibly can nonetheless do a scan on the Cost 5, Cost 6, and Sense to see the person consequence.

• Minute-by-minute pores and skin temperature is now not accessible. You possibly can nonetheless get every day and weekly pores and skin temperature.

• Blood glucose monitoring gained’t help you add signs or get reminders to examine your ranges, however you may join Apple Well being (iOS) or Well being Join (Android) to get blood glucose knowledge that approach.

• Meals plans are now not supported with calorie targets, however you may nonetheless set calorie targets and macronutrient targets within the Vitamin part of the Well being tab.

• Recipes are now not accessible. This was a premium characteristic.

• Lifescan units now not have a supported connection to the Fitbit app. You possibly can nonetheless log your blood glucose manually. 

In lots of instances, the lacking options are being changed by a suggestion that you could ask Google Well being Coach about that space of your well being. Since Google Well being Coach is a premium characteristic, meaning you’ll must pay for that reply and you’ll get it in a much less structured format which may be tainted with hallucinations. This doesn’t really feel like an improve to me! However Google appears to hope that the added options of the brand new app will greater than make up for what’s lacking.