Fitbit Might Be Making a Whoop-Like Smart Band

Google hasn’t launched a new Fitbit device since 2023, instead appearing to devote all of its hardware efforts to Pixel watches. But all along, the company has refused to confirm that Fitbit hardware is truly dead, and a new promotional video appears to show why: It appears a smart Whoop-style band is on the way.

What was teased

The video was posted on Steph Curry’s Instagram page on March 31, so it’s not an April Fool’s joke. In a few short clips, we see a strip of gray and orange fabric around Curry’s left wrist. He says: “I’m excited about what this is going to mean for the world’s health and well-being. It’s a first of its kind, in a way. I don’t want to spoil it. You kind of have to see for yourself.” The text on the screen reads: “A new relationship with your health. Coming soon. [Google logo].”

What we really know

Google has not publicly confirmed any details. News and rumor sites, as well as user forums, are converging on the explanation that it is a Whoop-style smart bracelet without a screen and will be branded as Fitbit. Visually, I agree with the smart bracelet theory: it certainly looks like one, and the only way it could be anything else is if there’s a screen facing the inside of the wrist.

Fitbit branding is not confirmed: we only see a Google logo in the video, not a Fitbit logo. A Bloomberg article cites “a person with knowledge of the matter” as saying that Google is working on a Fitbit-branded smart bracelet.

Right now, Fitbit’s only real offerings are the Charge 6, released in 2023, and a few 2022-era models: the minimalist Inspire 3 and two smartwatches (Versa 4 and Sense 2) that Google is still selling but doesn’t seem excited about. Smart bracelets, on the other hand, appear to be a growing product sector. Whoop has been the clear leader in this space for years, but last year we got the Polar Loop, the Amazfit Helio/Core, and a Garmin sleep tracker. This year, fertility tracking app Natural Cycles began selling a temperature-tracking smart bracelet, while Luna and Speediance announced new smart bracelets at CES. (Neither of these have launched yet.)

Why do I think they are announcing it now?

Ironically, the internet of fitness gadgets has recently been abuzz with anticipation for a new smart Whoop-style band. But no Fitbit! The rumor (herefor example) was it Garmin was about to announce one. A listing for a “Cirqa smart bracelet” appeared briefly on some Garmin websites earlier this year, but if it’s a real product, it doesn’t appear to be ready yet.

This reminds me something that happened last year in the field of smart bands: Amid rumors about a Garmin smart bracelet, Polar announced he was working on his own intelligent group. Garmin Index Sleep Band abandoned the next day.

So this looks like a second round. Garmin’s new band could be a true Whoop competitor (which the Index sleep band was not), and Fitbit could try to get ahead of an imminent Garmin product announcement. I don’t have any inside information on whether or not either of these two products will launch, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Garmin’s arrives before Fitbit’s.

Also this week, Google announced an expansion of the AI ​​health coach into the Fitbit app. (Yes, it’s the same AI coach who told me the Pixel Watch 4 didn’t existand it was comically bad in the coaching part. Maybe it has improved.) The AI ​​coach is now available for free users and not just subscribers, and has integrated more features.

Smart bracelets are having a moment, and I think it’s because gadget makers are running out of new things they can put into a watch. Once you have motion and heart rate sensors, you have the main functions a fitness watch needs. The extra features don’t add enough excitement to justify higher prices or frequent upgrades, so companies find they can cut back on hardware and turn to software features and subscription services. The smart ring market is already a bit further along this path, as I’ve written before. Now it’s time to see what happens with smart bracelets.