Google Launches $179 Fitbit Edge With Replaceable Battery, OLED Screen

The Edge has a 1.34-inch OLED display, built-in GPS, ECG support and week-long battery life, Slashdot reported. Its user-replaceable battery is a first for Fitbit and aligns with Google's efforts to make its Pixel Watch more repairable. The report said the change is likely also due to new battery regulations set to take effect next year in the European Union. Repair options will vary by region and availability.

Google is placing the Edge between its existing fitness trackers and the Pixel Watch. Slashdot reported that the capsule-shaped device may suit smaller wrists better than the round Pixel Watch. Its 1.34-inch screen is larger than the Charge 6's 1.04-inch display, a difference that could help users check workout metrics. The Edge also borrows hardware from the Pixel Watch, including an altimeter that uses atmospheric pressure to measure elevation changes, records elevation gain and loss outdoors, tracks floors climbed and adds context to outdoor stats. It has a far-field skin temperature sensor, replacing the standard device temperature sensor used in other Fitbits.

The Edge inherits improvements from the Fitbit Air while restoring several Charge 6 features that the screenless tracker lacks, including built-in GPS and electrical sensors that work with the ECG app. Users can control music playback on a connected Bluetooth device, as they could with the Charge 6. Google Maps turn-by-turn directions will arrive later this year, according to Slashdot.

With a Google Health Premium subscription, the Edge can track blood pressure trends without manual calibration and insulin resistance trends without a blood draw. Google first announced these capabilities alongside the Pixel Watch 5's debut, but they became available at the end of September. They are also available on the Air, keeping the screenless tracker up to date as Google's lineup expands.