Google Health update improves naps and the Today tab

Google Health app 5.03 is rolling out with more Today tab metrics, better nap handling and fixes for swimming and elevation data. The new features should help make the app feel less stripped back after the Fitbit move.

Google says version 5.03 is rolling out now on Android and iOS. Availability will happen in phases over the next week, depending on device and carrier. Android users who are impatient can always head over to a site such as APKMirror and download the new version immediately.

We covered Google Health 5.02 in June, which brought back a few Fitbit-style controls and cleaned up some missing pieces. Version 5.03 continues the same pattern. Google is not rebuilding old Fitbit in one step, but it is slowly putting key features back into reach.

The Today tab gets more useful

The main change is simple. More metrics can now be added to the Today tab.

That includes heart rate variability, breathing rate, SpO2, resting heart rate, skin temperature variation, glucose, resilience, mindfulness, macros and the friend leaderboard.

These were already available in the Health tab, but they can now sit on the main dashboard. This is aimed to give users more options to build a more useful front page without digging around every morning.

Naps now count toward total sleep

Sleep tracking gets an overdue change. Naps longer than 20 minutes now count toward total sleep duration across a 24-hour period. For those that like an occasional afternoon app, this will be important.

Of course, there is still a risk of false nap detection. In fact, there are some comments on social media that suggest Google Health can mistake long periods of sitting still for sleep. So this feature will only be as good as the detection behind it.

Users can also view trends for main sleep and total sleep inside the Sleep tab. The Today tab will still show main sleep only, which is probably the cleaner choice.

Google is still not finished

Google has also fixed an issue with incorrect swimming distances and units. And there is a fix for large elevation discrepancies between Google Health, Strava and TCX files. That one is worth watching if you compare runs, hikes or rides across platforms.

Elevation gain will never match perfectly everywhere, because apps and services process data differently. But large gaps damage trust. Once users start questioning one metric, they start questioning the rest.

The 5.03 update also brings several 5.02 Android features to iOS.

iPhone users can now reorder Key Metrics charts in the Health tab with drag and drop. Food search results now show serving units and calories. Nap views are also easier to find inside the Sleep Score section.

User reaction

The early reaction is mixed. Some users are happy to see regular updates. Others still want Apple Health export, custom food logging, better calorie tools, old Fitbit badges, step aggregation from multiple sources and a cleaner app without so much coaching layered on top.

That is the real story here. Google Health is improving, but many Fitbit users still feel like they lost a simple app and are now being asked to wait while Google adds pieces back.

Version 5.03 moves things in the right direction. The Today tab is more flexible, sleep tracking handles naps better and a few data bugs have been cleaned up.