We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.
It looks at more than just your movement
Google Health can consider your usual exercise routines, activity history, previous manual corrections, and, if you allow it, your location when figuring out what you are doing. The expanded list includes strength training, swimming, racket and team sports, cardio machines, golf, and high-intensity workouts. Sessions that meet your minimum duration, set to 15 minutes by default, and maintain an elevated heart rate can be logged automatically. A summary should arrive in Google Health within about 30 minutes. Correcting a wrongly detected activity also helps the system learn your patterns for future sessions.
According to 9to5Google, the feature is arriving through Google Health 5.11, which is already widely available on iOS and still rolling out on Android. Users receiving the upgrade are also seeing a new setup screen for expanded activity detection.
Fitbit Air is getting another health upgrade
Google is also bringing Health Guardian to Fitbit Air later this month for Google Health Premium subscribers. It can track blood pressure and insulin resistance trends and provide a report at the beginning of each month for users who meet the required wear time. Google Health Coach can then use those patterns to adjust fitness and wellness guidance.