We're testing Fitbit Air: These are our first impressions of the tracker, AI coach, and new app

Smartwatches don’t suit you, either because you prefer wearing analog ones, or because they distract you? If you still want to track your health metrics and physical activity, then buying a smart ring or a screenless tracker is an option. Google introduced an alternative to the popular Whoop trackers last month – it’s called Fitbit Air and unfortunately, it’s not officially sold in the Czech Republic.

However, we at the editorial office were so interested in the tracker that we ordered it from the German Google Store, three times in fact. I’ve been wearing the small device, which costs roughly 2,400 CZK converted, on my wrist for several days now and I’m ready to share my first impressions. 

Incredibly comfortable – exactly as I expected

In my previous article, I described in more detail why Fitbit Air is exactly the device I was looking for. I also relied on the first experiences of foreign editors who had the tracker available earlier and agreed that it is very comfortable. And I cannot disagree with them.

Even though I hadn’t worn anything on my right wrist until now, I quickly got used to the presence of Fitbit Air. And why wouldn’t I, when the tracker, including the strap, weighs only 12 grams. The included fabric strap is pleasant, easy to fasten, and also looks good. I deliberately chose the dark Obsidian variant, which is not flashy and looks elegant with absolutely any outfit. Moreover, compared to Whoop, the tracker is not as wide.

New Google Health app and AI coach

Along with Fitbit Air, Google introduced a new mobile application, Google Health, which replaces the former Fitbit app. Later, users of the Google Fit app will also be migrated to it. From a design perspective, it looks modern and is full of colors. However, it takes a while to get properly oriented in it – it offers a lot of overviews and tabs, and there’s also a lot of text everywhere.

Why is that? Fitbit Air relies heavily on an AI coach, which is available to subscribers of the premium Google Health Premium package, priced at 299 CZK per month. When you purchase the tracker, you get a 3-month free subscription, and if you subscribe to Google AI Pro or Ultra, you don’t have to worry about when this period expires – the subscription is included with them.

To my surprise, the coach communicates excellently in Czech and so far, I haven’t had a single bad experience with it. Quite the opposite. It can provide clear feedback on your sleep or activities and can connect individual measured data to offer truly useful recommendations. You can also ask it anything and have anything explained. During the initial conversation with it, you discuss your goals and favorite activities so it can tailor advice and workouts to you. 

I’m curious how the coach will perform after several weeks. When conversing with regular AI models, it’s typical for their accuracy to degrade with the length of the chat, and they tend more towards so-called hallucination or loss of context.

Health and Sport Tracking

As for the measurement itself, so far I have the impression that Fitbit Air can excellently monitor sleep and accurately estimate how I feel upon waking. Heart rate measurement also seems reliable to me, both at rest and during sports activities. It can recognize some of them (walking, running, or cycling, for example) on its own, while others you have to start manually in the app. A disadvantage is the absence of GPS, which means you always have to carry your phone with you.

Although I’ve had the Fitbit Air on my wrist since last Thursday, the app still doesn’t show me my readiness score – its calibration reportedly takes about a week. Therefore, I will only be able to describe how useful this data is later in the review.

Is it worth getting Fitbit Air?

If you’re asking whether it makes sense to get Fitbit Air, unfortunately, I can’t yet provide as comprehensive an answer as foreign reviewers who have been wearing the tracker for weeks. However, I can honestly say that the tracker has performed perfectly so far, and I’m thrilled with it not only as an editor but primarily as a user. The device is comfortable to wear, looks discreet, and seems to measure accurately. The smart coach is a great motivator and apparently can put two and two together, offering relevant advice.

The 2,400 CZK price tag is justifiable, and I can imagine using it even without a subscription and its associated access to the coach or more detailed sleep analyses. On the other hand, it’s precisely the AI overviews that significantly enhanced the “wow effect” for me.

What would you like to know about the Fitbit Air tracker?