Google Fit gets a new look and some new tiles for Wear OS devices

Google Fit is one Google product that seems to get forgotten about a lot — the reason most likely being that Google are a long way behind their competitors in this space. Today’s update brings with it a new look and some new features designed to bring them closer to the pack.

Over on the Google Wear OS support page Google have outlined the new update to Google Fit. The new features include the ability to see your performance with a single glance — ie you can actually see a lot more without having to go digging for it.

After removing calorie counter and the classic pedometer to the background when they introduced Heart Points and Move Minutes Google received a lot of negative feedback. By popular demand Google have brought step counting front and centre once again. It now sits underneath your Heart Points on the circular graph on the home page. Move Minutes have now been moved to sit with calorie count and distance measurements.

As part of the new update Heart Point measurements are also improved with more extensive tracking and helpful guides in the form of goals and recommendations for how to be more active — this feature is only available on Wear OS and iOS devices at this stage and not Android devices. This forms part of the new Wear OS functionality.

There are two new Tiles on Wear OS that will allow you to start a new workout with a single tap and to see your progress towards the goal throughout the day or week with a single glance. These new Tiles should be operational on your Wear OS device from today but it is a staged rollout so it may take a few days to land on your wrist.

These updates are only minor but they are a step in the right direction. You would hope and expect that Google are behind the scenes working tirelessly with the experts at their new acquisition (Fitbit) to improve their Fit app and offerings — Fitbit is one of the ecosystems that is far and away better than Google Fit. Hopefully the merger/acquisition will be officially finalised soon and we can start to see the benefits of the new relationship.