Google’s new Fitbit Edge tracker launches later this month and, as we get our review together, here’s a quick hands-on look at the new middle child of Google’s wearable lineup.
The Fitbit Edge sits in between the screen-less Fitbit Air and the pricey & premium Pixel Watch 5. It’s the same slot that Google last addressed with the Fitbit Charge 6 back in 2023, but it does bring some changes this time around that make it even more of a “Pixel Watch Lite” than the Charge 6 already was.
As detailed in our launch coverage, the Fitbit Edge’s biggest upgrade over prior Fitbit trackers is the screen.
It’s a much bigger canvas that fits a lot more on it, including new software tweaks that make it feel a lot more like a Pixel Watch than the Charge did. That includes both the faces and the different panels that Google has already shown. I’m thrilled to see a tactile power button on the side, too, as that was one of my biggest frustrations on the last Charge (even though Abner actually preferred it).
The hardware as a whole is simple, and we’ll get to how it feels to wear at a later date – we’re not allowed to share any in-depth insights or impressions from use on the Edge just yet, so this is really just a hands-on look.
Fitbit Edge is a fitness tracker first, supporting the usual heart rate, sleep, and workout tracking, as well as featuring the same live connection to both the Google Health app and third-party equipment for heart rate broadcasting and workout tracking. But it does more than that. With its display, it can also display notifications and calls from your phone, and it also has GPS that works with Google Maps.
I’m a bit disheartened to see that Google Wallet isn’t supported as it was on the Fitbit Charge 6, so that’s certainly a knock for the Fitbit Edge in my book. As for how that affects the overall experience, we’ll have to actually get into use to see more.
Continuing the Pixel Watch trend, Fitbit Edge uses the same style of Active Band, though with a connector that’s ripped from the Charge series. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the Edge uses the exact same charger as the Air – I’m not sure who would use these two side-by-side, but it might be nice if you have a companion using the other tracker.
We’ll be digging into the Fitbit Edge over the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
Fitbit Edge officially launches on October 27, so you can probably take a guess when you’ll see our review. Pre-orders are open now.
More on Google Health:
- Google’s Fitbit Air is getting a shiny new Metal Mesh band and better automatic tracking
- Google Health 5.10 rolling out for Android, iOS
- Google rolling out blood pressure & insulin resistance, more on Pixel Watch 3, 4, 5
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