For years, the relationship between Fitbit and iPhone users has been functional but never truly special. You could wear a Fitbit, sync it with your iPhone, and get your daily step count. But the deeper, smarter experiences often felt reserved for Android users or those deep in Google’s ecosystem. That changed dramatically this week.
In a move that signals Google’s ambitious vision for the fitness brand, Fitbit has officially launched its Gemini-powered AI Health Coach on iOS . Starting in February 2026, iPhone users in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore can access the public preview of this conversational health assistant . It’s a significant expansion of a feature that was previously limited to Android devices in the US .
But what exactly is this AI health coach, and why should iPhone owners care? More importantly, is it worth the monthly subscription, and how does it stack up against the competition? Let’s dive into the details.
What Is Fitbit’s AI Health Coach?
The Fitbit AI Health Coach isn’t just another dashboard of pretty charts and graphs. Powered by Google’s advanced Gemini AI models, it represents a fundamental shift from passive tracking to active, personalized guidance .
Think of it as having a virtual personal trainer, sleep specialist, and wellness consultant available on your wrist and in your pocket at all times. When you first set it up, the AI health coach engages you in a 5 to 10-minute conversation to understand your personal motivations, fitness goals, and even the equipment you have available . Based on this, it creates a customized plan tailored specifically to you.
Throughout the day, the coach proactively checks in at three key moments: when you wake up, after you finish a workout, and before you go to sleep . It doesn’t just show you numbers; it interprets them, offering insights about your recovery, suggesting adjustments to your training intensity, and helping you understand patterns in your sleep quality .
How the AI Health Coach Actually Works
The magic happens through a simple, conversational interface within the Fitbit app. Instead of digging through menus to find trends, you can simply ask questions. The AI assistant analyzes your biometric data—including heart rate trends, temperature variations, blood oxygen levels, and sleep stages—and delivers clear, actionable answers .
Early reviewers have been impressed by how well it handles real-life scenarios. One tech critic tested the AI health coach by asking for a weekly training plan to improve endurance. Rather than serving up a generic couch-to-5K template, the AI reached back into his workout history, noted that he had been running 5K distances earlier in the year but had slacked off for a few weeks, and created a sensible, tailored re-entry plan .
The true test came when life got in the way. The same reviewer had a dumbbell go missing in the post and told the AI health coach about his lopsided situation. The coach deftly adjusted the plan to include only weight training suitable for single dumbbells and even asked to be notified when the second one arrived so it could adapt again . It handles the weather, too. Tell the coach it’s raining and you don’t fancy a run, and it will shuffle your workout days around to keep you on track without forcing you into a downpour .
Perhaps most impressively, the AI health coach doesn’t just nod and agree with whatever you want. During one test, a user asked for a strength plan focusing on arms and chest—the so-called “glamour muscles.” The coach pushed back, suggesting that full-body, core, and leg workouts would better complement the user’s running goals . Like a human coach who knows better than you, the AI was right, even if the user didn’t want to hear it.
Real-World Testing: Does It Actually Deliver?
PCMag’s Andrew Gebhart used the Personal Health Coach to plan over a month of workouts and found it the best AI health coach he has tried, helping him improve both his motivation and fitness over five weeks . Gebhart noted that while not perfect, Google’s offering is ahead of the pack .
A detailed review from ZDNET echoed these sentiments. The reviewer, a health and wearable editor, spent a month testing the AI health coach and found that it could predict with surprising accuracy the appropriate weights for certain exercises during the first week . Weekly dynamic training plans progressively increased intensity based on the user’s progress .
However, the AI health coach isn’t without flaws. Like all AI tools, it can suffer from “hallucinations.” In one test, after a lengthy conversation discussing multiple moves, the AI confirmed adjustments that were never made and suggested a high weight for the wrong exercise—a potentially dangerous error for beginners . A Fitbit spokesperson acknowledged that the team is actively improving the feature and reminded users that it remains experimental .
Availability, Pricing, and Compatibility
To access the AI health coach, iPhone users need three things:
- An active Fitbit Premium subscription costing $9.99 per month or $80 per year
- A Google account to sign into the Fitbit app (legacy Fitbit accounts won’t work)
- A compatible device, which includes 13 modern Fitbit trackers and the entire Pixel Watch lineup
Compatible devices include the Fitbit Charge 5 and 6, Inspire 2 and 3, Luxe, Sense and Sense 2, Versa 2 through 4, and the Pixel Watch series . The feature is rolling out over several days, so it may not appear on every iPhone immediately .
The Competitive Landscape: How Fitbit Stacks Up
The launch of Fitbit’s AI health coach on iPhone comes at a pivotal moment in the wearable industry. Google has beaten its rivals to the punch in the AI health coaching race . Here’s how the major players compare:
| Feature / Platform | Fitbit (Gemini AI) | Peloton (IQ) | Apple (Workout Buddy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Personalization & flexibility | Real-time form correction | Audio motivation |
| How It Works | Conversational chatbot adapts workouts to equipment, schedule, and goals | Camera tracks movement, counts reps, corrects form during classes | Audio feedback via AirPods with encouraging messages and stats |
| Key Strength | Adapts to real-life excuses and constraints | Best-in-class form correction technology | Exceptionally natural-sounding voice coaching |
| Critical Weakness | AI hallucinations can suggest dangerous weights | Requires expensive hardware ($2,695+ equipment + $50/month) | No form correction or structured planning |
| Cost | $10/month (Premium) + device cost | High upfront hardware cost + $50/month | Included with Apple ecosystem (Watch + iPhone + Fitness+) |
| Best For | Travelers, those with limited equipment | Home gym builders with large budgets | Runners and cyclists needing motivation |
Apple’s Response: Playing Catch-Up
The timing of Fitbit’s iOS expansion is particularly interesting. Recent reports suggest that Apple has scaled back its plans for an AI-powered “Health+” service, instead opting to integrate more modest AI features directly into the existing Health app .
According to Bloomberg, Apple is reducing the planned scope of its AI health ambitions and will instead allow Siri to answer select health questions . This means Fitbit is now pulling ahead in the AI health coaching race, offering iPhone users a sophisticated wellness assistant that Apple itself has yet to match .
Market research firm eMarketer noted that the AI arms race has hit the health app and wearables space, and Google/Fitbit beat rivals to the punch with an AI personalized health coach . Highly customized health recommendations will be a must-have in the next iteration of digital health tools .
The Subscription Question: Is It Worth $10 Per Month?
The biggest question for many users will be whether Fitbit Premium—and by extension, this AI health coach—is worth the monthly fee. The standard Fitbit experience still tracks steps, heart rate, and sleep for free. But the AI coach adds a layer of interpretation and guidance that transforms data into action.
After a month of深度 testing, one reviewer concluded that the renewed Fitbit Premium app genuinely made them more excited to work out . It offers diverse and personalized training options while considering overall health data . The AI functionality also allows users to ask more precise questions and extract more relevant information from their health data .
For fitness beginners who need structure and motivation, the AI health coach could be a game-changer. For seasoned athletes, the ability to spot trends and optimize recovery might provide that extra edge. And for anyone who’s ever stared at a dashboard of health metrics wondering “what do I do with all this?”, the conversational interface finally provides an answer.
However, the AI health coach cannot solve fundamental problems like a busy, fragmented schedule . What it can do is make users more motivated to hit the gym when opportunities arise and help them get closer to their fitness goals .
Privacy and Security Considerations
As AI coaches collect increasingly sensitive data—heart rate, sleep patterns, location, and in some cases video of your body—privacy concerns naturally arise. Fitbit’s AI health coach relies on data processed by Google’s Gemini models, which raises questions about data storage and usage.
Industry experts recommend that users review their data sharing permissions in privacy settings and avoid unnecessarily linking social media accounts . It’s also wise to read data retention policies and be wary of vague promises of “anonymization” .
For now, Fitbit assures users that data is handled according to Google’s privacy standards, but the experimental nature of the public preview means users should remain vigilant.
The Verdict: A New Chapter for Fitbit on iPhone
Fitbit’s expansion of its AI Health Coach to iPhone marks a pivotal moment for the brand. It proves that Google sees Fitbit as more than just a Pixel Watch accessory line—it’s a standalone wellness platform with cross-platform ambition .
As Apple reportedly pulls back on its own AI health ambitions, Fitbit is charging forward. For iPhone users who have been waiting for a smarter, more conversational approach to fitness tracking, the wait is finally over. The AI coach may still be in preview, but it’s already offering a glimpse of the future: a world where your wearable doesn’t just count your steps, but actually helps you take better ones.
The ideal digital fitness platform would combine Fitbit’s personalization and flexibility, Peloton’s accountability through form correction, and Apple’s motivational audio coaching . That perfect mix doesn’t exist yet, but fitness apps have only just begun to embrace AI .
For now, Fitbit’s AI health coach represents the most complete package for most users—provided they maintain enough technical knowledge to identify occasional AI errors . If you’re an iPhone user already invested in the Fitbit ecosystem, or considering a Fitbit device, the AI health coach finally delivers on the promise of personalized, adaptive fitness guidance that fits your life, excuses and all.