Along with releasing the new Fitbit Air, a Whoop-esque fitness band, Google on Thursday also said it’s rebranding its Fitbit app as Google Health and launching an AI-powered health coach as a subscription service.
The Health app will be a central part of Google’s fitness strategy, capitalizing on its 2021 acquisition of Fitbit, which saw the tech giant try to forge fitness wearables to complement its general-purpose Android smartwatches.
Using Google’s Gemini AI, the new Google Health Coach will provide personalized insights to users, acting as a fitness coach, sleep expert, and health and wellness advisor. The service has been public since last year and has been improving based on user feedback, the company said.
Google says the Health app will be available globally on May 19, as part of a Google Health Premium subscription — the same day the new Fitbit Air goes on sale. The AI fitness training service will come bundled with a subscription to Google Health Premium (formerly Fitbit Premium), which costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers will have access to Google Health Premium at no additional cost.
Google notes that the health coach service is customized for the user through the onboarding process, where you will state your health goals, your daily routine, what type of exercise equipment you have access to, any injuries the coach should be aware of, and other lifestyle factors. The coach will then use this information to create a personalized guide and information.
Users can also communicate with the trainer using natural language to customize and update their personal information or goals at any time. They can also access activity, diet, and health records by telling them, or by uploading photos or files.
Coach will be accessible from the Today tab of the Google Health app. The company notes any information a trainer provides will not only be a summary, but will include information from multiple sources, such as fitness and sleep metrics, environment, nutrition, cycle tracking, and US medical records (if access is provided). Google said cycle tracking, nutrition, and mental health features have all been redesigned for the health coach.
The AI-powered coach is also included in other areas of the Google Health app, including workout suggestions and guidance for the Fitness tab, sleep tracking for the Sleep tab, and a Health tab summary of your metrics.
Google Health Coach will be available first to select Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, with support for other devices coming soon, the company said. However, anyone can download the Google Health app to get started. People who don’t have a Fitbit or Google Pixel Watch will be notified when the trainer is ready for them, but Google didn’t say when that would be.
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