Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Air Diverge Beyond the Screen, Engadget Reports

The Fitbit Air arrived in May as a $99 competitor to Whoop, and the Edge followed in October as what Engadget describes as a half-step between the most affordable tracker and the Pixel Watch 5. Google has iterated on the Pixel Watch since 2022 and released the kid-focused Fitbit Ace LTE in 2024, but the Air marked the company's return to low-cost wearables under the Fitbit name.

The two devices use distinctly different form factors, Engadget reports. The Air is a sensor puck measuring 1.37 by 0.66 by 0.32 inches without its band, and nearly all interaction happens through the Google Health app, where users view data and adjust settings. Physical contact is limited to charging and swapping bands. The Edge measures 1.54 by 1.01 by 0.46 inches and adds a 1.34-inch oval AMOLED touchscreen and a mechanical side button, allowing more on-device interaction and, with always-on display enabled, greater visibility.

Sensor packages also differ. Both devices carry optical heart rate sensors, but only the Edge has the electrical sensors needed for ECG readings. The Edge additionally includes an altimeter for calculating elevation and an ambient light sensor, which Engadget says is likely used to calibrate screen brightness.

Google rates both devices at seven days of battery life, though the Edge's display changes the calculation. It reaches seven days with the screen off, but with always-on mode enabled it is rated for roughly two days. Google says the Edge charges to 100 percent in 90 minutes, and a 15-minute charge provides a day of use when the battery is low. Both devices carry IP68 dust and water resistance and protection up to 5ATM.

When Google announced the Edge, it said the Health Guardian features introduced on the Pixel Watch 5, covering areas such as heart health and insulin trends, would also come to the Edge and the Air. Because those features rely on Google's collected data rather than specific sensors, Engadget suggests additional AI features could arrive through a similar route.

Shared capabilities include activity tracking, a daily readiness score, cardio load insights, step tracking, continuous heart rate monitoring, irregular heart rhythm notifications, sleep tracking and a resilience score that approximates stress. The Edge's screen and extra sensors enable ECG readings, floors-climbed tracking and live workout metrics on the built-in display.

Because the Edge runs Google's lightweight Fitbit OS, it can show more health data on-device, receive phone notifications and run a stripped-down version of Google Maps. The Air cannot do the same without a display, which Engadget frames as part of its appeal for users who prefer a less intrusive device. Google Health Premium is required to use either tracker to its fullest, but neither locks users into the Android ecosystem.

The Edge is not a mini-smartphone in the way the Pixel Watch is, Engadget writes, but it is the more conspicuous of the two by design, while the Air remains a sensor-and-app proposition for people who only want to see their data when they choose to look.