The Made by Google 2025 event is less than a month away, and it’s the event showcasing Google’s latest and greatest hardware innovations, such as its best Pixel phones and best Android watches. However, while the Google Pixel Watch 4’s appearance is inevitable (despite being as-yet-unannounced), I’m also hoping for a smaller, cheaper device to appear alongside it.
Yes, I believe it’s time for a new Fitbit band-style tracker to make its appearance. Fitbits are still synonymous with the fitness band format thanks to years at the top of the category, and there are happy Fitbit fans out there still using ancient models like the Fitbit Flex and Inspire 2.
Last week, the Fitbit app went down, causing login and sync issues, and the outpouring of frustration from Fitbit users proved one thing: that people still love their Fitbits. I heard from Fitbit Charge, Luxe and Inspire users last week, and even though Google has notoriously axed some beloved community features, users depend on these devices as part of their daily lives.
They’re inexpensive, reliable pieces of technology, often more comfortable to wear than the best smartwatches due to their slimmer profiles, and their batteries last a week what with low power output and fewer communications features.
Samsung got the memo: last year, it released the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3. The launch came as a surprise: after all, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 was released way back in 2020, and everyone assumed the line had been quietly discontinued.
However, Samsung clearly saw a gap in its range for a smart device priced at just $59 / £49 / AU$139. After all, not everyone can afford a Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 or Samsung Galaxy Ring, and some people just want to get on and track their steps, sleep and HR with minimum expenditure and fuss. I assume Fitbit’s existing range is still selling well, but I feel like there’s an opportunity here for Google to remind people why they fell in love with Fitbit in the first place.
I think an Inspire 4 or Luxe 2 would do the trick: a pebble-style fitness tracker with a few different band options, possibly compatible with the older Luxe or Inspire bands, and perhaps an option to detach the Fitbit and strap it to your arm or chest for greater heart rate accuracy during activity tracking. The Fitbit Inspire 3 has a sold-separately clip, so it would be nice to take that idea and run with it for improved functionality.
The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 and the continuing success of the best cheap fitness trackers – not to mention the strength of the Fitbit brand name – clearly demonstrates there’s an opportunity here to revive the format a bit. The Inspire 3 is now three years old, and could do with a bit of a refresh. Go on, Google – show Fitbit fans a little love.
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matt.evans@futurenet.com (Matt Evans)
