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Fitbit Air Review: The ‘Anti-Smartwatch’ You’ve Been Waiting For | All Things Mobile

The Fitbit Air might be the “anti-smartwatch” you’ve been waiting for. This $100 wearable features no screen, no notifications and no distractions, just pure health tracking. After two weeks of testing, I’m convinced Google’s screenless health tracker has staying power. 0:00 – Design and Minimalist Philosophy 0:36 – Smartwatch Withdrawals and Battery Life 1:52 –…

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The Fitbit Air might be the “anti-smartwatch” you’ve been waiting for. This $100 wearable features no screen, no notifications and no distractions, just pure health tracking. After two weeks of testing, I’m convinced Google’s screenless health tracker has staying power.

0:00 – Design and Minimalist Philosophy
0:36 – Smartwatch Withdrawals and Battery Life
1:52 – Google Health App and AI Health Coach
2:41 – Accuracy and Fitness Tracking Trade-offs
4:10 – Use Case: Smartwatch Companion or Solo Tracker

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41 Comments

  1. @sistaarun

    May 30, 2026 at 9:01 am

    Just the Fitbit air for me. i can finally wear normal watches without missing out on health data or looking ridiculous wearing two devices. The minimalist design is a deal for me.

  2. @marianzk

    May 30, 2026 at 9:16 am

    Why would no payments be an advantage? 😅 payments are an utility not a distraction like notifications

  3. @evacuatedspace69

    May 30, 2026 at 9:20 am

    Nice work you’re paying Google to act as their test subject for data collection. Are you that ill that you need your vital tracked 24/7, if so see a doctor.

  4. @TechxGremlin

    May 30, 2026 at 9:24 am

    I would wear this with a smartwatch as well. I don’t see a lot of reviewers mention if you already pay for Gemini Pro then the Fitbit air health subscription is free already.

  5. @ADMEDIA_UK

    May 30, 2026 at 9:26 am

    This is not a review its a opinion . Can you swim with it , does itmeasure blood oxygen , what else does it do ?

  6. @tekaa7083

    May 30, 2026 at 9:28 am

    Elektroschrott. Dachte schon es geht um echte Uhren.

  7. @davidd3063

    May 30, 2026 at 9:50 am

    why not use a huawei band pro eleven, has a screen, has oxigen and hearth rate, its cheaper too.

  8. @Sdfsoepvmsywocmzyw

    May 30, 2026 at 10:19 am

    I’d like garmin to make this to complement forerunner

  9. @Spiderjin

    May 30, 2026 at 12:14 pm

    wait when you say you think the coach goes too easy on you to keep you paying, fyi 9to5 caught this health coach straight up inventing a 5 mile run that never happened then asking if you forgot to log it lol. trust but verify with the gemini stuff

  10. @noirczar5280

    May 30, 2026 at 12:33 pm

    I have a lot of analog watches that I wear, now that I bought this Google Fitbit air, I can have that on my other wrist without missing my fitness tracking. I was never big into smart watches, so this is great for me.

  11. @TheJamesBraun

    May 30, 2026 at 12:38 pm

    i keep my apple watch. if you got a regular apple watch – not the ultra- sleeping with it is totally fine. And in the morning I charge it for as long as Im in the bathroom. It will get enough juice to last a full day until the next morning.

  12. @rainernunritter

    May 30, 2026 at 12:41 pm

    I pre-ordered the Fitbit Air so I can wear a real watch during my training days and no longer that bloody lifeless Garmin wrist computer.

  13. @WEKetchum

    May 30, 2026 at 1:53 pm

    I’m a mechanical watch guy. I’m already way too attached to my phone when it’s in my pocket, I don’t need extra notifications on my wrist. Fitbit Air is on the way and I’m excited to start using it

  14. @English-learner-26

    May 30, 2026 at 3:03 pm

    You are my only favorite CNET reporter! I wish you would do all of the videos by yourself! full of energy! love it! Thanks

  15. @James-b8y8e

    May 30, 2026 at 3:17 pm

    Just sold my Apple Watch Ultra 2. Waiting for the Fitbit air to arrive. Not going to miss notifications.

  16. @sanketanchan

    May 30, 2026 at 3:19 pm

    1:45 please ditch the polarizer when filming screens. Thenks

  17. @savagedoom

    May 30, 2026 at 3:26 pm

    You need to sleep longer.

  18. @erhanozkomurcu

    May 30, 2026 at 4:34 pm

    Yıllık ücreti olmasa güzel olur bence 👍

  19. @chrisad1177

    May 30, 2026 at 4:41 pm

    Having a Pixel watch that no longer receives updates, plus smartwatch fatigue and wanting to wear analog watches again, the Fitbit air came at a great time!

  20. @cesarreinoso2203

    May 30, 2026 at 5:27 pm

    Google owning all that much data is next level scary. I still remember Google moto “don’t be evil” these days is more so “your life is ours”

  21. @Pepperonick

    May 30, 2026 at 6:47 pm

    You should sleep more 🙂

  22. @MrVtorramalho

    May 30, 2026 at 8:05 pm

    Full credit for this full credit for that… You just want dopamine spikes lady 😂

  23. @usflin

    May 30, 2026 at 8:10 pm

    I’m still unsure after reading the product website whether or not I should take it off while washing dishes? Showering? Swimming? How waterproof is it?

    • @3rdyellow

      May 30, 2026 at 9:45 pm

      It is waterproof for swimming, but the band may stain and will take time to dry after being wet. Velcro band makes it easy to take off before showering.

  24. @AbhishekSinghSambyal

    May 30, 2026 at 8:37 pm

    What is the size of the active band you are wearing in the video? Thanks.

  25. @jpac1990

    May 30, 2026 at 8:45 pm

    For the nuances that you need your phone – starting and stopping workouts, needing your phone for gps. I can live with that. I still want to wear a mechanical watch and minimize notifications and alerts as much as possible.

  26. @mdubb4855

    May 30, 2026 at 9:45 pm

    My Apple Watch SE doesn’t include oxygen monitoring.

  27. @MD858

    May 30, 2026 at 10:08 pm

    I wear the Fitbit Air on my right wrist and a regular automatic watch on my left

  28. @sergioespinoza506

    May 30, 2026 at 10:35 pm

    I’ll wear a Fitbit Air on the right one of my Hamilton collection, G-Shock or Timex on the left

  29. @3rdyellow

    May 30, 2026 at 10:45 pm

    I will test the heart rate accuracy just like you did, with a 10min run and then final sprint, when I actually receive the device and will post update here.

  30. @ussenterprise87

    May 30, 2026 at 11:03 pm

    I’m looking at this so that i can go back to traditional analog watches.

  31. @ussenterprise87

    May 30, 2026 at 11:05 pm

    The notifications and big screens are just distractions on smart watches IMO. screenless feels better.

  32. @Mr.T9095

    May 31, 2026 at 12:46 am

    ☝️I’m impressed. The Ask Coach + health records area game changer, you should test that. It’s like a personal nutritionist + personal trainer + primary care physician you talk to every day, and it tell you when to go in to real doctor. Verge review guy it told to go to emergency room for his fever.

  33. @Sergio-ps6cb

    May 31, 2026 at 1:53 am

    Both

  34. @EmooshBrakka

    May 31, 2026 at 5:00 am

    But why are you calling it a smart watch? This is simply a fitness/Health tracker. It’s like calling a wheelchair a car because it has four wheels. 😅

  35. @sco6729

    May 31, 2026 at 6:10 am

    Who hikes without a phone 🙆🏻‍♂️ who 💩 without a phone. you dont need gps

  36. @brandonrobinson1460

    May 31, 2026 at 7:31 am

    I just returned mine. Don’t buy if you have tattoos.

  37. @BikeRiderandRunner

    May 31, 2026 at 7:39 am

    I love everything about this but I hate that I would have to rely on my phone to get data, I use my phone too much already.
    .

  38. @caxs01

    May 31, 2026 at 8:12 am

    For the last couple days I have been wearing the Fitbit air and apple watch on the same wrist, but I’m going to attempt to swap the Apple Watch for my seiko automatic see how that feels. Lately I have been obsessed about tracking my health data since I’m running more, but I have to admit it not necessary.

  39. @TransitAndTeslas

    May 31, 2026 at 11:25 am

    I have an Apple Watch. Most of the time I literally use it to check the time.

    As in I don’t use much of the smarts of it at all.

  40. @YA-xi9nf

    May 31, 2026 at 2:10 pm

    I would wear a fitbit air and a mechanical watch

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