The word "update" implies an improvement of some kind. For instance, the latest macOS update added incredible new features, including agentic coding support. However, updates only reflect what programmers think their customers want, and in the case of Fitbit's latest update, they were way off target.
Recently, Google (which acquired Fitbit in 2021) released an update for the official Fitbit app, now known as the Google Health app, that redesigned it from the ground up to go with the rebranding. However, users generally consider the revamped app a downgrade. If you look at reviews on the Google Health Play Store page, opinions are primarily negative. Users think the standard dashboard is an ugly mess (and a mess in general), but the biggest issues stem from the app's focus on AI.
The new Google Health app uses AI to coach users and summarize their health metrics. Moreover, instead of just providing the data points users want, the AI just shows the information it thinks users want — which is often completely different. And you can't deactivate the AI, either. People can still find the information they want, and when they do, the data is extremely helpful. However, actually finding this information requires multiple swipes, and nobody can customize the layout, which results in a ton of frustration.
Google Health also borked functionality
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Most complaints about the new update center on its user interface and user experience. However, according to some Fitbit owners, the app's issues aren't just skin-deep; they also affect its ability to function as a health and fitness tracker.
Several of the latest reviews on the Google Health Play Store page say that Google Health has trouble cooperating with Fitbit devices. Users have complained that the app no longer accurately tracks their sleep or workout schedules and, in some cases, can't even sync data to their phones. Some people claim that the update removed metrics they tracked in the previous Fitbit app, and one person has stated that it completely wiped their health and fitness data history.
Some Fitbit users think this latest update is definitive proof there's no need for a Fitbit anymore, as they are contemplating purchasing health and fitness tracker alternatives such as Garmin and the Apple Watch. However, the majority of reviewers are willing to stick with Fitbit ... so long as Google rolls back the update and reinstates the prior version. Or, at the very least, reinstates the ability to customize widget layout and prioritized data, and guts the AI functionality.