I told myself the Fitbit Air would be a nice addition to my EDC. A simple, complementary tracker that I don’t need to worry about charging as often. I also told myself it won’t ever replace a dedicated smartwatch. It turns out I was very wrong.
I love the Pixel Watch 4. I think it’s Google’s best product of 2025 despite what feels like inconsequential changes. Not only does it look good, but it also complements basically any Android phone I’ve ever used for any period of time. Although that does apply to all of the previous versions, too.
When the first leaks appeared for the Fitbit Air, I’ll be honest. I had little interest.
Then the launch date came around, and curiosity got the better of me. With over £100 in Google Store credit accrued on the UK site, I figured I’d just get one to try out, since it’s free to me. And while I know this sounds like major hyperbole, but this off-hand decision has potentially changed my daily life in ways I genuinely hadn’t expected.
A wearable that doesn’t feel like a wearable
For years, I have used a smartwatch as a bridge to my phone. I’m not breaking any new ground that millions of people haven’t. I mention this because I have never used notification sounds or vibration on my phone. It drives me insane when I hear a phone make a noise that I haven’t allowed. So, I keep it constantly in silent mode with only keyboard and touch haptics enabled – those can stay.
I want the little screen I carry with me everywhere to only make noise when I tell it to.
Then, in my infinite wisdom or stupidity, you decide, I somehow offloaded those annoyances to the various smartwatches I have worn over the past decade. Shifting the pings, plunks, and vibrations to the extremity of my left wrist. You can probably get where this is going.
Yes, it’s something I have come to regret over time.
My various Pixel Watches have become too much of an extension of my smartphone. Information overload has truly become a struggle for me. The sensible decision would be to disable those vibration pings, right?
So I did just that. But that didn’t stop me from just scrolling or waiting for things to appear on the tiny little screen that I can see for upwards of 16 hours a day. My phone can be left face down, out of view, or requires active interaction to become a “true” distraction. My watch, not so much. It’s literally strapped to my body with all those important sensors needed to get health and fitness feedback.
Now back to the Fitbit Air. When I finally saw the Air launch and read the details of the downgrades from a smartwatch, I instantly saw a firebreak from that information overload. Something I could wear to keep an eye on those key metrics in my own time. No need to constantly be tinkering or messing around to get things going.
I saw it as a truly passive piece of technology.
It’s small, lightweight, and comfortable. The dream trait trio for something you’re going to wear all day and all night. Only charging one a week is freeing too, but the sedentary individual might get even longer.
I’m not sure if this is a compliment per se, but I’d liken this to those old Live Strong bands if you remember those. Now the biggest compliment I can pay is that I forget that the Fitbit Air is there, and that’s arguably its best trait. It just blends seamlessly into my existence while keeping tabs on the key health stats I care about.
This is the kind of product that I want and need more of in my life.
What’s more, it’s not actually all that bad at doing the fitness tracking thing. I recently came out of an unintended brief retirement to play football (“soccer” for my American friends) with some long-time friends, and it tracked the entire 80-minute session without needing me to touch my phone. I just tagged it on Google Health later on when I picked my phone up from pitchside.
It’s the same when I go for a walk or take my dog for an evening stroll. I’m not even setting it or forgetting it. I can’t speak for the accuracy, but it seems pretty fair to me, even though no GPS hardware is tucked inside. I’m not too worried if it misses a few meters or so here and there. Anything above a truly rough estimate is more than enough for me.
The lack of screen actually feels freeing in more ways than one.
Firstly, I’m not fiddling with the screen mid-workout. Just lift the weights, run around, walk the dog. Zero distractions whatsoever. I’m focused, and damn, that feels incredible.
Less, less is actually more
Maybe my opinion would be different if my Pixel Watch 4 were an LTE-capable model. I 100% can agree that going to the gym or for a run without needing to carry a phone is an enticing prospect. The thing is, in most cases, those experiences are for fully locking in. Putting in the hard hours in the gym and just focusing on that one task – something I’ve been doing more over the past 18-24 months in a bid to improve all areas of my health and wellbeing.
Yes, Google Health could be a little better, but I only want to see the data. Just give me a fairly solid picture of what’s going on, and I can make alterations to my habits to – hopefully – live a healthier existence.
If you’d asked me a few weeks ago whether I had a Fitbit on my “must have” products in my EDC, I’d have called you a liar, but here we are. I’m going Pixel Watch free and truly loving it.
The only negative? I often find myself lifting my left wrist to check the time. Alas, there’s nothing but a light blue fabric strap and a sliver of silver staring back at me, and that’s all it needs to be.
At $99, it’s hard to go wrong.
Follow Damien: Threads, Bluesky, Instagram
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments