Google’s Fitbit Edge adds a replaceable battery and brings back the screen

Google has launched the $179 Fitbit Edge, a fitness tracker with a 1.34-inch OLED display, built-in GPS and Fitbit’s first user-replaceable battery. It combines features from the screenless Fitbit Air and Charge 6 with hardware found in the Pixel Watch lineup.

Slashdot has reported:

Google has introduced the Fitbit Edge, a $179 fitness tracker with a 1.34-inch OLED display, built-in GPS, ECG support and battery life of up to a week. The device has Fitbit’s first user-replaceable battery and works with Android phones and iPhones through the Google Health app, unlike the Pixel Watch.

The battery design aligns with Google’s push to make its Pixel Watch more repairable and may also relate to European Union battery regulations scheduled to take effect next year. Repair options will depend on region and availability. The Edge has a capsule-shaped body, which may suit people who find the Pixel Watch’s round face bulky or have smaller wrists.

Its screen is larger than the Charge 6’s 1.04-inch display, giving users more room to view workout metrics. The Edge also carries over some Pixel Watch hardware, including an altimeter that uses atmospheric pressure to measure elevation changes. It can record elevation gain and loss during outdoor activities, track floors climbed and add context to outdoor statistics.

A far-field skin temperature sensor replaces the standard device temperature sensor used in other Fitbits. The tracker also brings back features from the Charge 6 that are absent from the screenless Fitbit Air, including built-in GPS and electrical sensors that work with the electrocardiogram app. Users can control music on a connected Bluetooth device, while Google Maps turn-by-turn directions are expected later this year.

With a Google Health Premium subscription, the Edge can track blood pressure trends without manual calibration and insulin resistance trends without a blood draw. Google first announced those capabilities alongside the Pixel Watch 5, but they became available only at the end of September. They are also available on the Air, keeping the screenless tracker current as Google expands its lineup.

The Edge combines some of the Pixel Watch’s advanced hardware with a focus on fitness, placing it between devices in Google’s wearable range at a Fitbit-friendly price. Its larger display and restored Charge 6 functions offer an alternative to the screenless Air, while its replaceable battery adds a repair option not previously offered on a Fitbit.