Fitbit’s Gemini-powered coach comes to iPhone, rolling out to more countries

The redesigned Fitbit app and AI health coach are rolling out to iOS users and Fitbit Premium subscribers in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

Vanessa Main Orellana Senior Editor

Vanessa is a senior editor at CNET, reviewing and writing about the latest smartwatches and fitness trackers. She first joined the brand as an on-camera reporter for CNET’s Spanish-language site, then moved to the English side to host and produce some of CNET’s YouTube videos and series. When she’s not testing smartwatches or dropping a phone, you can catch her hiking or trail running with her family.

Skill Consumer technology, smart home, family, apps, wearables

Google’s AI for the Fitbit app is moving at full speed and will soon reach more people and more countries. After debuting as an exclusive preview on Android for Premium subscribers in the United States, Google announced that the public preview of its redesigned Fitbit app and health coach/concierge will open to iPhone users starting February 10.

The Gemini AI-powered “Coach” will also roll out in English to Fitbit Premium subscribers in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore on iOS and Android.

Google launched the redesigned Fitbit app and built-in Coach as an optional public preview for eligible Fitbit Premium subscribers on Android in late October and has since collected feedback from early adopters to refine the experience. This expansion allows the new app to be accessible to more people, generating additional feedback opportunities and moving closer to the final version.

As the race to create smarter, more personalized health platforms intensifies, Google is leveraging its comprehensive ecosystem of hardware, software and AI assistants to differentiate Fitbit. With the wrist as the central point of data (via the Pixel Watch and Fitbit trackers), Google aims to evolve its platform from a passive fitness tracker to a proactive, AI-driven wellness companion.

What to expect

The redesigned app experience features a clearer and more intuitive user interface to navigate than the previous version. It is built around four main tabs: Today, Fitness, Sleep and Health.

The Today tab, which you’ll check most frequently, highlights visible statistics with more emphasis on weekly trends. Google says this is a truer reflection of progress compared to the usual daily information highlighted by other trackers. Other tabs let you drill down into detailed metrics in categories like sleep stages and vital signs. And this time, the burden of interpreting the data will not fall solely on the user.

Throughout the app is a new Coach feature, which you can access via an “Ask Coach” prompt. Coach draws on historical and real-time data to help you make sense of your metrics and even turn them into a personal action plan. Google describes it as an “always on” coach that can answer questions or proactively adjust your plan based on your recent activity, readiness, or even life events like missed travel or workouts.

For example, you might ask, “I have 30 minutes to workout… What do you recommend?” or “How can I improve my VO2 max?” Or even link to your own stats with prompts like: “Do I sleep better on days when I take more steps?”

During the onboarding process (optional), you can set goals, record available fitness equipment, and note any injuries or limitations. The overview begins with a short 5-10 minute conversation (either by text or voice) to help the AI ​​understand your goals and motivations. From there, the plan dynamically adjusts based on changing metrics like training load, readiness score, and nightly recovery data, so everything aligns with your long-term goals.

Participating in the coaching experience is optional, so you can still use Fitbit without the AI ​​features if you prefer.

Availability and price

The update, rolling out first to US-based Android users, will also be available to people in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore (18+) who subscribe to Fitbit Premium ($10 per month or $80 per year), regardless of their phone. Yes, that means iPhone owners too. It works with the latest models of Fitbit trackers, smartwatches and Pixel Watch. During the preview phase, you can switch between the old and new app designs without losing data, allowing for side-by-side comparison and feedback collection.

Google says that user feedback during this period will be key to shaping the final outcome of the app experience and that it will have a built-in feedback tool for testers. While the company hasn’t confirmed a firm end date for the preview, it says the experience will continue to expand to more users and devices over time.

The real test

This Coach redesign and feature shows serious potential. If it delivers on Google’s promise of bringing professional-grade coaching to mainstream users, it could mark a turning point for wellness technology and put Google ahead of the pack. The company says the coach experience was developed with input from health experts and a consumer advisory group, and that user data will not be used for Google Ads.

But as with everything in the world of AI, execution will be everything, and the value of a wellness coach must be compelling enough – and precise enough – to overcome the hesitation to trust another AI feature with sensitive health data. But the real test is how Google handles privacy, data security, and actual usefulness. This balance could be the difference between a simple repackaged Gemini that most people turn off and a revolutionary tool that translates your data into action.

For now, this is a promising preview, but one that I will personally test once deployed.