Google on Thursday launched the Fitbit Air in India, becoming the latest company to acknowledge the growing market for minimalist, screen-free fitness trackers like Whoop. The device will go on sale on October 2 and is priced at Rs 13,999.Like its competitors, the Fitbit Air is a screenless fitness band that offers a mix of activity and health tracking. It tracks all the things users would expect from a fitness wearable, including steps, workouts, and sleep. However, what sets the Fitbit Air apart from others is how the band connects all this monitoring and helps users make sense of the data through the revamped Google Health Coach.‘AI to understand health data’Google is using AI to make sense of your fitness and health data. With troves of data collected from wearable sensors, the so-called AI “coach” can spot trends, offer insights, and provide guidance.Google says Gemini will make the Health Coach more personalised by using the Fitbit data alongside factors such as injuries, nutrition, lifestyle changes, and weather. Gemini is the center of the experience, says Google. The more users share through natural language, the more tailored the coaching becomes. It just get better and accurate over time.The tracker is compact and discreet and can be worn all day. It comes in three colourways: Obsidian, Berry, Lavender and Fog. The Fitbit Air is compact and can be worn all day. (Image credit: Google)Google says the Fitbit Air improves health tracking, with improved heart-rate monitoring boosting sleep tracking by up to 15 per cent. It can detect naps of 20 minutes or longer, use algorithms to optimise wake-up times, and offers a redesigned sleep score that’s easier to understand.The Fitbit Air is screen-free, meaning it has no display, and it features automatic activity detection. This makes it great for staying focused while taking part in an activity, without notifications or the unnecessary temptation to check your numbers. All the tracked data is sent to the Google Health app, which works with both iOS and Android devices.Story continues below this adWithout a screen, the Fitbit Air also offers long battery life. Google says it can last up to seven days on a single charge using the included magnetic charger. A five-minute fast charge provides up to a day of battery life, while a full charge takes about 90 minutes.Also read | How screenless wearables like Whoop and Oura ring are making discreet fitness tracking popular‘Growing market of screen-free trackers’The market for screenless fitness trackers first caught attention with the launch of Whoop a few years ago. The fitness band was initially popularised by a number of celebrity athletes, but the device is now often seen in the hands of CEOs and fitness enthusiasts. As of March 2026, the Will Ahmed-founded startup is valued at more than $10 billion. However, its data-centric approach to health and fitness tracking doesn’t seem to translate into mainstream appeal, something Google hopes to capitalise on with the Fitbit Air.Since its launch in select international markets, including the US, the Fitbit Air has largely received positive reviews. But while Whoop makes money through subscription fees, Google wants to make the Fitbit Air relatively affordable without recurring fees. Although the Fitbit Air has an optional subscription that unlocks more advanced features, it also comes with three months of Google Health Premium. After the free trial, Google will charge a subscription fee per month to continue accessing the Google Health Coach.Following in Google’s footsteps, Garmin, long known for its GPS-enabled watches, also launched its own take on the screen-free fitness trackers trend, the Garmin Cirqa, in July. Even Apple is reportedly exploring screenless wearables. Several homegrown Indian players, including Noise, also sells screen-free fitness trackers.Story continues below this adThe rise of minimalist, screenless fitness trackers is a sign that the wearables category has matured, with consumers increasingly looking for alternatives to smartwatches like the Apple Watch. Constant notifications and features that consumers rarely use are among the reasons people are choosing simpler, more discreet fitness bands.