Fitbit Edge at $179.99 Brings Bigger Display, Better GPS and Replaceable Battery
Google launched the Fitbit Edge on October 12 for $179.99. The tracker replaces the Charge 6 at a $20 premium and includes three months of Google Health Premium. The Verge
Google set the date early. It posted a teaser on October 9 and confirmed the October 12 reveal. 9to5Google
The Edge has a 46 percent larger OLED display than the Charge 6, a screen type where each pixel makes its own light for better contrast. The body is 11.5mm thick and has a physical side button for navigation.
It has no microphone or speaker, so calls cannot be taken on the wrist. It also has no NFC chip for contactless tap-to-pay, a feature the Charge 6 included.
The battery is replaceable and lasts about a week per charge, or about two days with always-on display enabled. It shares the same proprietary charger as the Fitbit Air. Five minutes of charging adds about a day of use, and a full charge takes 90 minutes.
Sensors include an optical heart rate sensor, an EKG sensor for detecting atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, a skin temperature sensor, and an SpO2 sensor for blood oxygen. The housing is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance and to 5ATM for swimming.
The Edge does not run Wear OS, Google's full smartwatch system. It runs a redesigned Fitbit OS, with heart rate broadcasting to compatible gym equipment and turn-by-turn directions during GPS-tracked sessions.
The largest change is automatic activity detection. Google says a revised motion model, the software that reads movement signals, makes auto tracking twice as accurate and supports over 100 activities. The same model will come to the Fitbit Air. GPS tracking is stated as 40 percent more accurate than the Charge 6.
The Edge will gain blood pressure trends and insulin resistance levels through Google Health software updates. Fitbit Air users will also see those measures with a Google Health Premium subscription, matching Health Guardian features on the Pixel Watch 5. Google
No additional trackers were added. A Stephen Curry edition of the Edge will cost $219.99. A $69.99 metal mesh strap for the Fitbit Air arrives October 27. Google also announced a Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep, described as making sleep tracking more fun. Google
The broader context here is separation by subtraction. Google is keeping trackers distinct from smartwatches by removing calls and payments while improving display, GPS, auto detection and serviceability. In my view, the detail to watch is the replaceable battery paired with a subscription roadmap for health data, which shifts competition toward long-term data and motion software that can be updated across devices.
