Google announces the Fitbit Edge, a middle ground between Pixel Watch 5 and Fitbit Air

# Google announces the Fitbit Edge, a middle ground between Pixel Watch 5 and Fitbit Air Source: [https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/google-announces-the-fitbit-edge-a-middle-ground-between-pixel-watch-5-and-fitbit-air/](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/google-announces-the-fitbit-edge-a-middle-ground-between-pixel-watch-5-and-fitbit-air/) [Skip to content](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/google-announces-the-fitbit-edge-a-middle-ground-between-pixel-watch-5-and-fitbit-air/#main) The Fitbit Edge offers more than the Air, but it’s not a real smartwatch\. [](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Edge-Olive.jpg) The Fitbit Edge's screen lets you monitor notifications and keep track of workouts\.Credit: Google The Fitbit Edge's screen lets you monitor notifications and keep track of workouts\.Credit: Google Google is releasing its second Fitbit tracker of 2026, offering fans of the aging Charge 6 a more refined option\. The new Fitbit Edge slots right in between the Pixel Watch 5 and the[Fitbit Air](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/the-fitbit-air-is-great-but-googles-ai-is-too-nice-to-be-your-coach/), featuring a compact screen and more health sensors than the Air\. You won’t get all the apps and features of the Pixel Watch 5, but the Edge is only about half as expensive\. The Fitbit Edge is essentially a new Charge 6, but it has more of a Pixel Watch aesthetic\. Squish Google’s smartwatch from the sides, and you’ve got the Edge\. It has a pill\-shaped 1\.34\-inch OLED touch display inside a slender aluminum frame that is rated IP68 \(5 ATM\) for water and dust protection\. Google says the screen has 46 percent more viewable area compared to the Charge 6\. It’s very close in overall size to the Fitbit Air and uses the same magnetic charging puck\. [](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Google_Health_Lineup.png) Left to right: Fitbit Air \(with new metal mesh bend\), Fitbit Edge, and Pixel Watch 5\. Credit: Google Left to right: Fitbit Air \(with new metal mesh bend\), Fitbit Edge, and Pixel Watch 5\.Credit: Google The Edge works with Android or iPhones via the Google Health app, and it can run for about seven days on a charge\. If the tracker is away from your phone, it can still follow your activity all week with support for seven days of full health data storage \(or 30 days of basic data\)\. However, the generous week\-long battery life does not include always\-on display mode\. If you choose to turn that on, the battery life drops to about two days, barely longer than the Pixel Watch 5\. The Fitbit Edge plays it right down the middle in Google’s wearable lineup, and not just when it comes to price and size—button count also splits the difference\. The Pixel Watch has two buttons, the Air has none, and the Edge sports a single tactile side button\. You can use that to wake the device or start/pause workouts\. Most interactions will be handled with the touchscreen, though\. [](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Fitbit-Edge-charger.jpg) The Edge uses the same charger as the Fitbit Air\. Credit: Google The Edge uses the same charger as the Fitbit Air\.Credit: Google The Edge will ship with a collection of fitness\-focused experiences and watch faces, and you won’t be able to download more\. While this looks a lot like the Pixel Watch’s software, it’s not a full version of WearOS\. It can mirror notifications from your phone, but there’s no microphone or speaker\. So responses are limited to pre\-defined quick replies\. Likewise, there’s no support for Gemini interactions\. The Edge also lacks NFC, so no Google Wallet tap\-to\-pay\. One notable upgrade over the Fitbit Air is on\-device GPS\. This allows you to track an outdoor activity without bringing your phone along for the ride\. Although, Google says it’s not as accurate as the dual\-band GPS radio in the Pixel Watch\. The Edge does retain the ECG and blood oxygen sensor from the Pixel Watch, which you don’t get on the Air\. The Edge also has an altimeter, optical heart rate sensor, and skin temperature sensor\. [](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Edge-metal-band.jpg) The metal band is a spendy $150 upsell\. Credit: Google The metal band is a spendy $150 upsell\.Credit: Google All this data is beamed over Bluetooth 5\.4 to the Google Health app \(previously Fitbit\), feeding all your data into the Gemini\-powered Health Coach chatbot\. The device comes with three months of Google Health Premium, without which you won’t get the AI features\. Of course, some would probably prefer to skip the AI\. The Premium subscription is $10 per month\. It’s included with Google AI Pro, but you can disable the Health Coach if you want\. ## Accessorize and synergize Like the Pixel Watch, the Edge will come with the basic silicone Active Band for $180\. There is also a Stephen Curry Special Edition available for $220\. The Edge has a custom band connector similar to the Pixel Watch, but the plug is a different size\. While there will eventually be third\-party options, Google plans to have a line of add\-on bands at launch, including the Active Sport \(silicone with holes\) for $40, Performance Loop \(polyester fabric\) for $50, Magnet Band \(leather\-ish but still silicone\) at $60, and a Metal Links Band for a whopping $150\. [](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Edge-Canyon.jpg) The Edge’s Canyon colorway\. Credit: Google The Edge’s Canyon colorway\.Credit: Google The Fitbit Edge is available for preorder today and will ship on October 27\. It comes in matte black, polished silver, satin pyrite \(between silver and gold\), and champagne gold\. While this is a much more expensive tracker compared to the $100 Fitbit Air, it’s only a little more than the Charge 6’s 2023 launch price of $160\. The Pixel Watch 5 starts at $350\. Like the Air, this tracker is not an island within Google’s ecosystem\. You can pair multiple Google wearables with the Health app and wear whichever one you want\. There’s no need to re\-pair or manually switch your health tracking over\. The app will collect stats from the device you wear at any given time, changing as often as necessary\. So you could sport the Pixel Watch 5 during the day and the Edge when you hit the gym, for example\. The Google Fitbit Edge in action\. The Google Fitbit Edge in action\. Google also notes the Edge can stay with you for the long haul\. This is the company’s first repairable fitness tracker, which has been designed with a replaceable battery\. Note, that does not mean*user\-replaceable*\. There will be service options to swap the battery, but Google still doesn’t recommend you open up the tracker yourself\. [](https://arstechnica.com/author/ryanwhitwam/) Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world\. Over his 20\-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more\. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own\. You can[follow him on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/rwhitwam.bsky.social), where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards\. [15 Comments](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/google-announces-the-fitbit-edge-a-middle-ground-between-pixel-watch-5-and-fitbit-air/#comments) 1. [](https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/10/review-4-hour-musk-documentary-feels-like-two-different-films/)