Google Launches Screen-Less Fitbit Air in India at ₹13,999, Far Above Its $99 U.S. Price
Google launched the screen-less Fitbit Air in India at ₹13,999, roughly $146 and well above its $99 U.S. price, betting on premium positioning for a tracker that monitors heart rate, heart rhythm, blood oxygen and sleep.
Unveiled in May, the Fitbit Air tracks health and fitness metrics including 24/7 heart rate monitoring, heart rhythm monitoring with atrial fibrillation alerts, blood oxygen level, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and sleep stages and duration.
The device has no screen, a design choice aimed at riding the growing popularity of screen-less wearables as users shy away from displays and look for distraction-free health gadgets such as Whoop's fitness bands and Oura's rings. According to TechCrunch, the new Fitbit is the more affordable option among those names.
The screen-less health tracking segment now includes devices from Garmin and from Luffu Link, a company started by Fitbit's founders, as well as from Indian startups such as Noise and Urban, which have been trying to undercut their Western rivals on price.
Research firm IDC said in its global wearables report that screen-less trackers are carving out a niche even as wristband shipments decline. Counterpoint Research estimates that India accounts for only 5 percent of the screenless wearable market, and TechCrunch reported that a device priced as a premium product may not make a significant dent in overall numbers, despite the Fitbit and Google names behind it.
The Fitbit Air goes on sale from October 2 on the Google Store and through retail partners including Flipkart, Croma, Reliance Digital and Vijay Sales. Google is also offering a free three-month Google Health premium membership with the new band.