Google has officially unveiled the Fitbit Edge, a new fitness tracker featuring built-in GPS, ECG health monitoring, a larger OLED display and a user-replaceable battery, as the company looks to revive its traditional fitness band business.

The announcement follows Google’s teaser campaign ahead of its October 12 launch and positions the Edge between the screenless Fitbit Air and the company’s more advanced Pixel Watch smartwatches.

The Fitbit Edge is designed for consumers wanting more comprehensive fitness and health monitoring without the bulk, cost or charging demands of a full smartwatch. The launch is significant for Fitbit, which has not introduced a new Charge-series tracker since the Charge 6 arrived in 2023. 

The Edge brings back several features missing from the screenless Fitbit Air while adding improved activity recognition and a major development in repairability.

One of the Edge’s biggest selling points is its user-replaceable battery, a first for a Fitbit tracker. The move could extend the device’s useful life and reduce the need to replace the entire unit when battery performance deteriorates.

Google rates battery life at up to seven days, although enabling the always-on display reduces that to around two days. Just five minutes of charge is claimed to provide enough power for up to a day of use.

The tracker measures 11.5mm thick and features a recycled aluminium casing, a physical side button and a Hybrid OLED display which offers 46% more viewing area than previous Fitbit trackers.

The new wearable supports more than 50 exercise modes, with built-in GPS delivering up to 40% better tracking accuracy than previous generations, according to Google. An integrated altimeter also records elevation changes, while automatic activity recognition can identify and categorise up to 100 workout types.

Health features include continuous heart-rate monitoring, an ECG app, skin-temperature sensing, sleep-stage analysis and heart-rate variability tracking support wellness monitoring.

Google is also incorporating its Health Guardian features, which monitor longer-term blood-pressure and insulin-resistance trends. Some of the Fitbit’s advanced health insights and personalised guidance do require a Google Health Premium subscription. 

The Fitbit Edge also incorporates Google’s Gemini-powered Health Coach, which uses a line up of fitness data, sleep information and personal schedules to provide tailored training suggestions and recovery guidance to users.

Available in Obsidian, Fog, Olive and Canyon finishes, the tracker supports interchangeable bands and works with compatible Android and iOS devices.

For Google, the Edge represents a renewed attempt to compete in a market where Garmin, Apple and Samsung already reside and offer sophisticated health and fitness features.

Priced at $269, Google’s Fitbit Edge is available for pre-order in Australia now, with delivery expected in late October.Â