Google takes a break from destroying Fitbit by rolling out a surprisingly major software update
It’s been a rough time for Fitbit fans since its acquisition by Google in 2021. The recent scrapping of the brand’s popular web dashboard feature is the latest in a list of many setbacks.
But the first bit of positive news in a while is that Google is now rolling out some major software updates to trackers, including the Fitbit Charge 6, Fitbit Versa 4, and Fitbit Sense 2.
The updatedThe updates, which are being rolled out in phases, aren’t quite on the scale of a reborn web dashboard, but they do promise to bring some real quality upgrades and improved accuracy. The Charge 6, Sense 2, Versa 4, and Inspire 3 are getting updated to version 210.26, and Google recommends checking the app to see if it’s arrived for you and then keeping your device plugged in to a charger during the update.
First off, the Auto Detect mode on the Sense 2, Versa 4, and Charge 6 is now more versatile. It will automatically track your performance in rowing, elliptical, and spinning classes. This joins the existing ability to automatically recognize runs, walks, and bike rides. All three devices also get improved GPS accuracy, thanks to a new ability to switch between built-in and connected GPS modes during workouts.
Older trackers aren’t getting as big an overhaul as the current top Fitbits, but they’re not being skipped entirely, either. The Fitbit Charge 5 and Luxe, for example, now show you your daily readiness score on the tracker, while the Versa 2 and 3 get an injection of bug fixes and other improvements. For a full list of the features coming to your checker, head over to Google’s official update page.
A well-deserved breather
Since its acquisition by Google, Fitbit’s stock has largely fallen, at least according to the brand’s fans on the Community forums and Reddit.
From removed features to seemingly botched firmware updates, Fitbit fans aren’t exactly thrilled with Google’s approach. It seems to be making Fitbit’s fitness trackers more like the Pixel Watch, with older features being abruptly scrapped.
This raft of software updates will come as a welcome relief to Fitbit owners, as Google’s presence for a change also brings with it some positive benefits, such as more accurate heart rate monitoring thanks to machine learning algorithms.
With Fitbit’s ‘AI chatbot’ also coming to Android users “later this year,” Fitbit owners have reason to remain cautiously optimistic. But owning a Google gadget always carries with it the nagging fear of a one-way ticket to the Google Graveyard.