Just as Apple Watch has a firm grip on the consumer fitness market, Whoop has a firm grip on the athletic fitness market. Google wants a piece of that pie, and the company has been quietly building a screenless Fitbit fitness band to challenge Whoop’s stronghold.
NBA star Steph Curry touted the device on social media this week, saying it will open up a “new relationship with your health.” According to Bloomberg, Google confirmed that Curry “worked with the team to cook up something special,” with more details coming soon.
The device appears to be a knitted gray fitness band with an orange lining and feels strikingly similar to Whoop’s current offerings. However, unlike Whoop, which bundles hardware into its subscription, Google charges separately for the hardware and includes a paid subscription for advanced features.
Can Fitbit’s personal AI health coach give it the edge it needs?
The hardware is only half the story. Google is combining the new bracelet with an AI-powered Fitbit personal health coach integrated into a redesigned Fitbit app. The Coach launched back in October as a public preview for eligible Fitbit Premium users in the US.
Imagine having a fitness trainer, a sleep coach, and a health advisor all rolled into one app. You can ask him to create a 30-minute hotel room workout, explain why you woke up tired, or track how your cardio load affects your sleep. The coach draws on your biometric data over time and becomes smarter and more personalized over time.
You can even use it to prepare questions for your next doctor’s visit. The feature is similar to Copilot Health and Perplexity Health, which Microsoft and Perplexity respectively released in the last few weeks.
Should Whoop be worried?
Whoop recently raised $575 million and is now valued at $10.1 billion, so it’s not going anywhere. Whoop’s biggest advantage is its brand value. You can see it on the hands of almost all popular sports stars in various sports including football, cricket and basketball.
Google has certain advantages over Whoop, including an established ecosystem, a recognizable brand, and Gemini’s AI muscle under the hood. However, if the company wants to establish itself as a competitor in the sports market, it must enter into its own partnerships with popular sports talent.
