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		<title>Pixel Watch gets Health Guardian free while Fitbit Air puts it behind Premium</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/24/pixel-watch-health-guardian-free/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/24/pixel-watch-health-guardian-free/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ivan Jovin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2026 19:45:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gadgetsandwearables.com/?p=18601122</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Google’s Health Guardian features are finally going live, and there is a slightly surprising split between Pixel Watch and Fitbit</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/24/pixel-watch-health-guardian-free/">Pixel Watch gets Health Guardian free while Fitbit Air puts it behind Premium</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google’s Health Guardian features are <a href="https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/google-health/health-guardian-features-live/">finally going live</a>, and there is a slightly surprising split between Pixel Watch and Fitbit Air. Pixel Watch owners get the main new features for free, while Fitbit Air users will need Google Health Premium for two of them.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pixel Watch gets the features for free</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google announced today that Health Guardian is rolling out in the Google Health app. Pixel Watch 3, Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Watch 5 owners can begin setting up Blood Pressure Trends, Insulin Resistance Trends and Sleep Breathing Quality this week.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The first proper trend reports will not appear immediately. Google says they should begin arriving in early October, once there is enough data to work with.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Blood Pressure Trends requires at least five consecutive days of data during a week, while Insulin Resistance Trends needs at least seven days of data. The reports are then delivered at the beginning of each month. So these are not daily or real-time measurements.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We already had a pretty good idea the rollout was close. Last week, our&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/fitbit-air-health-guardian-google-health-app/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Google Health APK teardown</a>&nbsp;found Blood Pressure Trends, Insulin Resistance Trends and Sleep Breathing Quality wired into the app, complete with onboarding screens and places for the resulting data.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fitbit Air gets a different deal</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The odd part is Fitbit Air.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google says Fitbit Air users will get Blood Pressure Trends and Insulin Resistance Trends later this year, but only with a Google Health Premium subscription. There is no equivalent subscription requirement attached to those features on Pixel Watch 3, 4 or 5.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google Health Premium costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year, although Fitbit Air buyers receive three months with the device. It is also included with Google AI Pro and Ultra subscriptions, something we covered when&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/05/09/fitbit-google-ai-pro/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Google bundled Health Premium into its AI plans</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That softens the subscription issue for anyone already paying for Google’s AI services. But for everyone else, there is now a fairly clear distinction between what the $99 Fitbit Air gets for free and what Pixel Watch owners receive.</p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/24/pixel-watch-health-guardian-free/">Pixel Watch gets Health Guardian free while Fitbit Air puts it behind Premium</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>Google patent puts a tiny blood pressure sensor in a smartwatch</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/23/google-smartwatch-blood-pressure-ipg-patent/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/23/google-smartwatch-blood-pressure-ipg-patent/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marko Maslakovic]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:21:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[blood pressure monitors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health trackers]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gadgetsandwearables.com/?p=18601087</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Google is clearly not finished poking at the blood pressure problem. The company already has Blood Pressure Trends heading to its</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/23/google-smartwatch-blood-pressure-ipg-patent/">Google patent puts a tiny blood pressure sensor in a smartwatch</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google is clearly not finished poking at the blood pressure problem. The company already has <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/12/google-health-guardian-blood-pressure-insulin-resistance/">Blood Pressure Trends heading to its wearables</a>, but a newly published patent shows something quite different. Instead of looking for longer-term patterns from the sensors already on your wrist, Google is exploring hardware that could actually measure a blood pressure signal through your fingertip. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The patent was published on September 17 and describes a miniaturized impedance plethysmography sensor (IPG sensor), built into a computing device. The drawings make the wearable angle pretty obvious too. One example is a smartwatch, while others show small finger-worn devices and even other types of electronics.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Your fingertip becomes part of the sensor</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="299" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-23-at-20.15.42-1024x299.png" alt="Google blood pressure patent" class="wp-image-18601091" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-23-at-20.15.42-1024x299.png 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-23-at-20.15.42-300x88.png 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-23-at-20.15.42-768x224.png 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-23-at-20.15.42.png 1040w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The basic idea is quite neat. Google places a set of miniature electrodes underneath the fingertip, with two used to send a tiny electrical excitation signal through the tissue and another two used to measure the resulting electrical response.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Blood flowing through the finger changes its electrical impedance. By tracking those changes, the system can produce a pulsatile waveform that reflects the blood pulse, and Google says that signal can then be used to determine blood pressure or a proxy for blood pressure. The patent&#8217;s process diagram boils the whole thing down to generating IPG data, deriving the pulsatile signal and then estimating blood pressure from it.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And Google clearly has smartwatch use in mind. Figure 6A shows the system incorporated into a watch worn on the wrist, with the sensing area positioned on the watch body where a finger could be placed against it. Earbuds are another option. As well as smartphones.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="892" height="360" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_5.jpg" alt="Google blood pressure patent" class="wp-image-18601092" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_5.jpg 892w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_5-300x121.jpg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_5-768x310.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px" /></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">That&#8217;s not the only idea</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And this is not even the only recent Google patent dealing with the problem. A separate application published last month describes a small finger cuff containing an inflatable bladder, multiple pressure sensors and optical sensors. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1046" height="303" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_1.jpeg" alt="Google blood pressure patent" class="wp-image-18601088" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_1.jpeg 1046w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_1-300x87.jpeg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_1-1024x297.jpeg 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_1-768x222.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1046px) 100vw, 1046px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That system would inflate around the finger while an array of barometric sensors maps pressure around the digital artery. But as you can see from the image below, it&#8217;s not exactly a discreet smart ring.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Optical sensors simultaneously measure the pulse, and the device combines those signals to calculate blood pressure. The patent&#8217;s flow diagram specifically shows inflation, pressure mapping, optical measurements and the final blood pressure estimate as parts of the process. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="478" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_3.png" alt="Google blood pressure patent" class="wp-image-18601089" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_3.png 640w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-blood-pressure-patent_3-300x224.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where this fits with Google&#8217;s plans</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is worth noting that neither patent names a Pixel Watch or Fitbit product. Google has been busy around blood pressure lately, though. It ran a <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2025/11/11/pixel-watch-hypertension-alerts/">Fitbit Hypertension Lab study with Pixel Watch 3 owners</a> last November, and <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/12/google-health-guardian-blood-pressure-insulin-resistance/">Blood Pressure Trends is coming to the Pixel watches</a> this fall as part of Health Guardian. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We also covered an earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/04/08/fitbit-blood-pressure-patent/">Fitbit patent that hinted at blood pressure checks from the wrist</a>&nbsp;in April. Put the two finger filings next to that and Google is clearly working on blood pressure from several directions. Patents do not confirm a release though, so treat these as a look at what Google is exploring.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Source USPTO: <a href="https://ppubs.uspto.gov/api/pdf/downloadPdf/US-20260272323-A1?source=US-PGPUB&amp;requestToken=eyJzdWIiOiIwNjNkNTg2Yi0yNjRmLTQ1NDUtOGY2My1lYzllNTk2OTJhMjMiLCJ2ZXIiOiI0NmEzYWU3ZS1mZGE4LTQ1OTYtOTNmMi1jZDliNTljZDExNjciLCJleHAiOjB9">September patent</a>, <a href="https://ppubs.uspto.gov/api/pdf/downloadPdf/US-20260224120-A1?source=US-PGPUB&amp;requestToken=eyJzdWIiOiIwNjNkNTg2Yi0yNjRmLTQ1NDUtOGY2My1lYzllNTk2OTJhMjMiLCJ2ZXIiOiI0NmEzYWU3ZS1mZGE4LTQ1OTYtOTNmMi1jZDliNTljZDExNjciLCJleHAiOjB9">August patent</a></p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/23/google-smartwatch-blood-pressure-ipg-patent/">Google patent puts a tiny blood pressure sensor in a smartwatch</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>Garmin, Oura, Whoop and Apple readiness scores face the same evidence gap</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/21/wearable-readiness-scores-science/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/21/wearable-readiness-scores-science/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marko Maslakovic]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:08:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[apple]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garmin]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Most of us probably give that morning readiness score more credit than we realise. A&#160;fresh look at the evidence&#160;suggests wearable</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/21/wearable-readiness-scores-science/">Garmin, Oura, Whoop and Apple readiness scores face the same evidence gap</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Most of us probably give that morning readiness score more credit than we realise. A&nbsp;<a href="https://erictopol.substack.com/p/the-big-holes-in-wearable-heart-rate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">fresh look at the evidence</a>&nbsp;suggests wearable brands still have not shown that following its advice actually improves your health, recovery or performance.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That matters more now because these scores are popping up everywhere. Garmin, Oura, Whoop and Fitbit already have their own versions, and Apple has now&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/09/apple-coming-for-whoop/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">joined them</a>&nbsp;with Readiness on the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The basic idea sounds sensible enough. Your wearable looks at HRV, resting heart rate, sleep and recent activity, then boils everything down to a number telling you whether to push harder, take it easy or have a rest.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The final score is the weak link</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Topol was not questioning whether wearables can measure heart rate, sleep or HRV. He wanted to know whether the final readiness score can actually tell someone what to do next.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If Apple says “Recover” or Garmin reports low Training Readiness, does ignoring that advice lead to a worse workout, slower recovery or a greater risk of injury? Topol could find almost no published research testing those recommendations against real outcomes.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/teb-2025-0001">2025 review of 14 wearable health scores</a>&nbsp;reached a similar conclusion. Most scores used HRV, resting heart rate, sleep and activity, but few manufacturers had published evidence validating the final number produced from that data.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The strongest example Topol found was a Whoop study involving 389 professional golfers. Players performed around half a stroke better when their Recovery score was 10 points higher, but the study had no control group and could only show an association.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That is the missing piece. Wearables can detect changes in the body, but companies have not yet shown that their scores consistently turn those changes into the right advice.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Your wearable may not be measuring HRV in the clinical sense</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The HRV figure used by most readiness scores does not come from an ECG. Watches and smart rings use an optical sensor to track the timing of pulse waves at the skin, producing a closely related measurement called pulse-rate variability.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That distinction does not make the reading useless. Optical measurements can match ECG-derived HRV reasonably well while someone rests or sleeps, but the agreement becomes less reliable when movement, sensor fit, circulation or certain health conditions affect the pulse signal.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The research connecting low HRV with poorer health outcomes mainly uses ECG measurements. We cannot automatically apply those findings to short-term changes recorded by a consumer wearable.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">HRV is also affected by exercise, alcohol, illness, stress, sleep and many other factors. A lower reading may show that something has changed, but it cannot tell the wearable what caused that change.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Useful signal or daily instruction</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">None of this means you should ignore readiness scores. A falling score can draw attention to a combination of poor sleep, higher resting heart rate and lower HRV, particularly when the pattern continues for several days.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The problem is the precision implied by the final number. An Oura score of 80 does not have the same meaning as 80 from another platform, and neither score follows a recognised clinical standard.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Readiness scores therefore make the most sense as personal trend indicators. Several unusual days from the same device deserve more attention than one low score after a poor night, late meal or unusually hard workout.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The sensors may have detected a genuine change in your body. The part that remains uncertain is whether the wearable knows exactly what you should do about it.</p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/21/wearable-readiness-scores-science/">Garmin, Oura, Whoop and Apple readiness scores face the same evidence gap</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>IMDA listing confirms Google is behind mystery wrist wearable</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/14/google-g8bl6-imda-wearable/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/14/google-g8bl6-imda-wearable/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ivan Jovin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:31:41 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>We already knew G8BL6 looked like some kind of mystery wrist wearable. Now the same device has popped up in</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/14/google-g8bl6-imda-wearable/">IMDA listing confirms Google is behind mystery wrist wearable</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We already knew G8BL6 looked like some kind of mystery wrist wearable. Now the same device has popped up in Singapore’s IMDA database, and this time there is a useful extra detail: the brand is listed as Google.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The device was&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/google-fitbit-g8bl6-fcc-filing/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">first spotted in an FCC filing</a>, where the paperwork pointed to a gadget with straps, a screen, GNSS and Bluetooth LE. The FCC never actually named Google, though. The new IMDA entry does, which makes the whole thing a lot less speculative.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">IMDA actually names Google</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Singapore listing is pretty straightforward. G8BL6 appears under the Google brand, with “Wireless Device” as the equipment description and Bluetooth as the equipment type. Wideminds Pte. Ltd. is listed as the local supplier, while the marketing-name field is still blank.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="922" height="301" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-IMDA.png" alt="Google IMDA" class="wp-image-18600715" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-IMDA.png 922w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-IMDA-300x98.png 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-IMDA-768x251.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 922px) 100vw, 922px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That last bit means we still do not know what Google plans to call this thing. But having Google sitting there in the Brand/Trade Name column is a big step forward because the FCC filing itself only names Weifang Goertek Electronics as the applicant.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When we first looked through the FCC paperwork, there were already plenty of reasons to suspect Google. Goertek also handled the FCC filing for&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/05/06/google-fitbit-air-launch/">Fitbit Air</a>, and G8BL6 follows the sort of model naming Google uses for its hardware.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The IMDA entry now removes that part of the detective work. Whatever G8BL6 eventually turns out to be, it is a Google device.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The FCC clues now make a lot more sense</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That makes everything buried in the FCC reports a bit more important.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The paperwork mentions different straps being tested, while the RF exposure testing treats G8BL6 as an extremity device with zero separation. In other words, this looks very much like something intended to sit directly on the wrist.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There also appears to be a display. The device&#8217;s regulatory information can be opened from its Home screen by going through Settings &gt; System &gt; Regulatory Information, where the FCC ID appears electronically.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then there is GNSS. The FCC testing lists both Bluetooth LE and GNSS, which points to onboard satellite positioning rather than a tracker that depends entirely on a connected phone for location.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The test setup also mentions a charging base. And Sporton used ADB, Google&#8217;s Android debugging toolkit, to put G8BL6 into engineering modes during testing. None of that proves it runs Wear OS, but it is another clue that fits much better now that IMDA has directly tied the hardware to Google. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So far, there is no Wi-Fi or cellular radio authorization attached to G8BL6. That makes another conventional Pixel Watch look less likely and pushes us back towards some kind of fitness tracker or lighter wrist wearable.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">That mystery Google band is back in the conversation</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is an obvious device sitting in the background here.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has already shown an unidentified screen-equipped fitness tracker in its own Pixel advertising. We&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/15/fitbit-charge-7-leak/">covered the mystery band in August</a>&nbsp;because it does not match Fitbit Air, Fitbit Charge 6 or Pixel Watch 5.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A Fitbit Charge 7 was the obvious possibility, although there was nothing solid connecting that name to the device. Google could just as easily be preparing something new under the Fitbit or Google branding.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Source: <a href="https://iris.imda.gov.sg/databases/equipment-search">IMDA</a> via <a href="https://www.thetechoutlook.com/tech-whispers/google-g8bl6-and-gnq1l-wireless-devices-spotted-on-imda-and-fcc-databases-one-could-be-a-wear-os-fitness-tracker/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">thetechoutlook</a></p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/14/google-g8bl6-imda-wearable/">IMDA listing confirms Google is behind mystery wrist wearable</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>Fitbit Air Health Guardian looks ready for September</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/fitbit-air-health-guardian-google-health-app/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/fitbit-air-health-guardian-google-health-app/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marko Maslakovic]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 20:43:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Google has already narrowed Fitbit Air’s new Health Guardian features to September, and the latest Google Health app suggests the</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/fitbit-air-health-guardian-google-health-app/">Fitbit Air Health Guardian looks ready for September</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has already narrowed Fitbit Air’s new Health Guardian features to September, and the latest Google Health app suggests the rollout is getting close. We dug through version 5.07.2 and found Blood Pressure Trends, Insulin Resistance Trends and Sleep Breathing Quality already wired into the app, with much of the supporting interface in place.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">There is more here than a few feature flags</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For Blood Pressure Trends and Insulin Resistance Trends, Google Health already contains dedicated routes, onboarding components and chart handling. There are also separate states for when the app has no trend data to display, including specific messages for no blood pressure trends data and no insulin resistance trends data.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="577" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Google-Health-Guardian-1024x577.jpeg" alt="Google Health Guardian" class="wp-image-18598685" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Google-Health-Guardian-1024x577.jpeg 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Google-Health-Guardian-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Google-Health-Guardian-768x433.jpeg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Google-Health-Guardian.jpeg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image source: Google</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That does not tell us anything new about how the two features work, and Google has already explained that publicly. What it does tell us is that the app is prepared to take users through setup, receive the resulting data and display it once the features become available.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is particularly relevant for Fitbit Air because so much of the experience happens on the phone rather than the wearable itself. As we noted in our <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/06/22/fitbit-air-review/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fitbit Air review</a>, the screenless tracker depends on Google Health much more heavily than a conventional smartwatch.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="700" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-Health-Guardian.jpg" alt="Google Health Guardian" class="wp-image-18600669" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-Health-Guardian.jpg 600w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Google-Health-Guardian-257x300.jpg 257w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From the APK</figcaption></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sleep Breathing Quality reveals a bit more</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sleep Breathing Quality is where the APK actually gives us some information Google did not spell out in its announcement. The app defines four Sleep Breathing Quality levels, <code>HIGH</code>, <code>MEDIUM</code>, <code>LOW</code> and <code>VERY_LOW</code>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google had already said users would get a daily view of how much of their sleep was spent in optimal breathing, followed by a longer-term monthly assessment. It had not explained that the app would also categorise breathing quality using these four levels.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is also more detail on how Google Health Coach fits in. One piece of text says Coach insights can cover factors ranging from sleeping on your back to having a drink too close to sleep, while another says daily breathing insights can feed into deeper trend analysis and recommendations for better sleep.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That gives us a slightly clearer picture of the feature. Sleep Breathing Quality will not simply drop another number into the Health tab. Google is preparing explanatory and coaching elements around the result as well.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">By the end of this month?</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The company&#8217;s <a href="https://store.google.com/gb/magazine/google_pixel_watch_compare" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">device comparison page</a> lists Blood Pressure Trends, Insulin Resistance Trends and Sleep Breathing Quality for September 2026. The Fitbit Air product page, on the other hand, still says “coming soon”.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Whether Google still plans another app update before launch is impossible to tell from the APK alone. But the user-facing pieces we found do not appear to be waiting for a future build.</p>



<div style="background:#f8f9fa;border-left:5px solid #ff9800;padding:14px 16px;margin:24px 0;border-radius:4px;">
  <div style="font-size:16px;font-weight:600;margin-bottom:8px;">
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  <div style="font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;color:#444;">
    This article is based on an APK teardown. Code found inside an app can reveal features or devices that are under development, but there is no guarantee they will appear in a future public release.
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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/fitbit-air-health-guardian-google-health-app/">Fitbit Air Health Guardian looks ready for September</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>New FCC filing may have exposed Google’s next Fitbit</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/google-fitbit-g8bl6-fcc-filing/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/google-fitbit-g8bl6-fcc-filing/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marko Maslakovic]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:16:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>This one caught our attention pretty quickly. A new FCC filing for model G8BL6 looks like some kind of wrist-worn</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/google-fitbit-g8bl6-fcc-filing/">New FCC filing may have exposed Google’s next Fitbit</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This one caught our attention pretty quickly. A new FCC filing for model G8BL6 looks like some kind of wrist-worn device with straps, a screen, GNSS and Bluetooth LE, and it comes from the same Goertek entity that handled Fitbit Air.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The <a href="https://fccid.io/SZGG8BL6">FCC filing</a> showed up on September 10 under FCC ID SZGG8BL6. It does not actually say Google anywhere, and there is no product name, but once you start digging through the test documents, there are quite a few clues about what this thing might be.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The FCC paperwork gives away quite a lot</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The applicant is Weifang Goertek Electronics, and G8BL6 is described only as a “Wireless Device”. Not very helpful. The test paperwork, though, gives away quite a bit more.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One report mentions that different straps were tested. Another checks the device under a zero-distance extremity condition. That makes a wrist-worn device the obvious conclusion.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There also seems to be a screen. The FCC e-label can be opened directly on the device through Settings > System > Regulatory Information. That is interesting because Pixel Watch uses the same menu path, while Charge 6 puts regulatory information somewhere else, under Settings > Device Info > Regulatory Info.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The radio setup gives us another clue. G8BL6 supports Bluetooth LE and GNSS, so it appears to have its own satellite positioning rather than relying completely on a phone for location. For now, the FCC authorization only shows Bluetooth LE in the 2.4 GHz band, with no Wi-Fi or cellular listed, which makes it look much simpler than a Pixel Watch.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is also a charging base in the test setup. ADB version 1.0.39 was used to put the device into engineering modes during testing. This is part of the Android debugging toolkit, so that is another small Google-shaped clue, although it is nowhere near enough to say this runs Wear OS.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Fitbit Air connection is hard to ignore</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Goertek is the other reason this filing stands out. Google’s own regulatory documentation identifies <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/05/06/google-fitbit-air-launch/">Fitbit Air</a> as model GW9C8 with FCC ID SZGGW9C8, which uses the same SZG grantee code as the new G8BL6 filing. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That does not automatically make G8BL6 another Fitbit. Goertek makes hardware for multiple companies, and nothing in this new filing explicitly identifies Google as the customer. Still, the combination of the Gxxxxx model format, wrist straps, Google-like Settings menu, GNSS and ADB makes this a likely candidate.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-1-1024x576.jpg" alt="Possible Fitbit Charge" class="wp-image-18599559" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image source: Google</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It also brings us straight back to the <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/15/fitbit-charge-7-leak/">mystery tracker Google showed in its own Pixel advertising</a> last month. That device did not match Fitbit Air, Pixel Watch 5 or any current Fitbit. It had a narrow rectangular display and looked much more like a conventional fitness band.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">G8BL6 now gives that idea some actual hardware evidence. We still cannot say the FCC device and the tracker in Google&#8217;s ads are the same product, but a screen-equipped wrist wearable with GNSS appearing through the same FCC grantee used for Fitbit Air certainly gives us a much better candidate than we had before.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Charge 7 is the obvious name to throw at it, but that is still a guess. Google has not identified G8BL6, and nothing in the FCC documents contains the Fitbit or Charge names.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is probably more hiding in the FCC paperwork. The manual and device photos are being kept private until March 9, 2027, so there is a good chance the device will launch before then.</p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/09/11/google-fitbit-g8bl6-fcc-filing/">New FCC filing may have exposed Google’s next Fitbit</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>Fitbit Air gets a Pokémon Sleep edition with one annoying catch</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/27/fitbit-air-pokemon/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marko Maslakovic]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 16:35:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Google has launched the Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep, pairing its screenless tracker with a new Sleepy Blue strap</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/27/fitbit-air-pokemon/">Fitbit Air gets a Pokémon Sleep edition with one annoying catch</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has launched the Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep, pairing its screenless tracker with a new Sleepy Blue strap featuring a sleeping Pikachu. It is available in the US and Japan and costs $129.99.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pikachu is doing most of the hardware work here</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new version is essentially the regular Fitbit Air dressed for Pokémon’s 30th anniversary. Google has given it a blue micro-adjustable band with a silk-printed sleeping Pikachu and Pokémon Sleep logo, while the tiny tracker that slots inside remains the same Air that launched earlier this year.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That means the same screenless design, lightweight construction, sleep tracking and health sensors. If you want a deeper look at what the device is actually like to use, I’ve been wearing one for some time and covered that in my&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/06/22/fitbit-air-review/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">full Fitbit Air review</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The price does change. The Pokémon Sleep edition costs $129.99 in the US, around $30 more than the standard $99.99 Fitbit Air, and shipping starts September 15. Availability is also fairly limited, with Google confirming that the special-edition band is only being offered in the US and Japan.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">You also get three months of Google Health Premium, although that is not exclusive to this particular design. Google included the same three-month trial when it&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/05/06/google-fitbit-air-launch/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">launched the original Fitbit Air</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Pokémon Sleep integration is more interesting</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The strap will probably get most of the attention, but the software side is arguably the more useful part of today’s news. Pokémon Sleep can now pull sleep information from Google Health through Health Connect on Android and Apple Health on iOS, with Google saying the experience works across its Pixel Watch and Fitbit wearable range.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1000" height="562" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_3.jpeg" alt="Pokemon Fitbit Air" class="wp-image-18599970" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_3.jpeg 1000w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_3-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_3-768x432.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That means the Pokémon version of Fitbit Air does not have some exclusive connection to the game. A regular Fitbit Air can do the same thing, as can compatible older Fitbit devices and Pixel Watches. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_2.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1000" height="562" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_2.jpeg" alt="Pokemon Fitbit Air" class="wp-image-18599971" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_2.jpeg 1000w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_2-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_2-768x432.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once connected, the game uses sleep duration and sleep-stage information from the app. Your sleep contributes to the game’s Sleep Score and Drowsy Power, which in turn influences which Pokémon and sleep styles appear when you wake up.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_1-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Pokemon Fitbit Air" class="wp-image-18599972" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-Fitbit-Air_1.jpeg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is actually quite a natural fit for Fitbit Air. Sleep is already one of the stronger parts of the device, partly because the tracker is so small and there is no display glowing on your wrist at night. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Existing Fitbit Air owners may be less impressed</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is one fairly obvious problem with Google’s approach. If you already own Fitbit Air and just want the Pikachu strap, Google is not currently selling it separately.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That has already become the main complaint among Fitbit owners discussing the launch on social media. Several existing Air users said they liked the new band but had little interest in buying another complete tracker simply to get it, while others questioned why Google was restricting the edition to the US and Japan.</p>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is a particularly odd restriction because Fitbit Air was designed around interchangeable bands. The tracker itself pops out of the strap, so selling special-edition straps separately would seem like an easy way for Google to keep the device fresh without expecting existing owners to buy another Air.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google did something similar with the Stephen Curry Special Edition, so this does appear to be deliberate rather than an oversight. Still, accessories feel like the obvious place for Fitbit Air to have a bit of fun with collaborations, colours and limited editions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is nothing technically new about this Fitbit Air. You are paying an extra $30 for the Pokémon design rather than better sensors, new sleep metrics or additional functionality, and anyone buying purely for the hardware would be better served by the regular version.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Source: <a href="https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/devices/fitbit/fitbit-air-special-edition-pokemon-sleep/">Google blog</a></p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/27/fitbit-air-pokemon/">Fitbit Air gets a Pokémon Sleep edition with one annoying catch</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>Fitbit founders return to wearables with Luffu Link</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/26/luffu-link/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/26/luffu-link/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marko Maslakovic]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:20:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smartwatch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gadgetsandwearables.com/?p=18599877</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The guys who started Fitbit are back in the game. This time with Luffu Link, a screenless health band designed</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/26/luffu-link/">Fitbit founders return to wearables with Luffu Link</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The guys who started Fitbit are back in the game. This time with Luffu Link, a screenless health band designed less around workouts and more around keeping families connected.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A fitness tracker with a different purpose</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It has only been six months since James Park and Eric Friedman announced their new company called Luffu. But they already have their first piece of hardware ready to go. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So what is it exactly? Well, it looks a bit like another screenless fitness tracker, and there is definitely some of that going on here, but that is only part of the story.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It tracks the usual stuff you would expect. Steps, activity, sleep, heart rate and HRV are all covered, and battery life is up to five days.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is no screen at all. You basically wear it, let it collect data and get on with your day, rather than constantly checking another little display on your wrist.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is also water resistant to 50 metres, and you get GPS, Bluetooth and 4G LTE-M built in. The LTE bit is probably where Link starts to become more interesting. It does not need your phone sitting nearby to stay connected, and Luffu is including the cellular service rather than making you sort out another mobile plan.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That also means it can share your location with selected family members. You can probably see where Luffu is going with this, especially if the person wearing it is an older parent or someone you want to be able to check in on occasionally.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is a button on the band as well, and it does quite a lot. Press it and you can leave a quick voice note about something like taking medication, feeling unwell, eating a meal or just about anything else you want to log.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="433" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link-1024x433.jpg" alt="Lofu Link" class="wp-image-18599879" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link-1024x433.jpg 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link-300x127.jpg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link-768x324.jpg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Those notes then end up in the Luffu app alongside the rest of your health information. The company is also using AI to organise all of that data and try to make some sense of it over time.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The button also doubles as a way of letting people know you are okay. A double press can send a quick check-in to family members, while the help function can send selected contacts your location along with a voice message.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is worth pointing out that this is not an emergency services button. Pressing it will not call 911, so think of it more as a quick way of reaching family or someone you trust when you need them.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="577" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_2-1024x577.jpg" alt="Lofu Link" class="wp-image-18599880" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_2-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_2-768x433.jpg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_2.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who is it for?</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is really aimed at families, not people chasing better workout stats. The obvious example is an older parent who still lives independently, but where the rest of the family would like a bit more visibility without constantly checking in.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That is basically the whole idea behind Luffu. Park and Friedman launched the company earlier this year around the idea of pulling health information into one place, learning what is normal for someone and then flagging when something starts to look different.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Link is the wearable that plugs into that. If someone&#8217;s activity suddenly drops, their sleep changes or they send a voice note saying they are feeling unwell, family members can potentially see all of that in the same place rather than trying to piece things together from phone calls and messages.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The screenless design makes a lot more sense when you look at it that way. This is not trying to be another smartwatch, and it is not really asking you to interact with it very much at all.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="753" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_4.jpg" alt="Lofu Link" class="wp-image-18599882" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_4.jpg 810w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_4-300x279.jpg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lofu-Link_4-768x714.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px" /></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">There is a subscription attached</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is one fairly big catch with that $249.99 price. Link is not something you buy once and then forget about, because you also need a Luffu Family Plan.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That costs $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year and covers up to four people. You can have several Link bands running under the same plan, and LTE data is included, so at least you are not also paying a mobile carrier on top.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Still, the subscription changes the whole value equation. After the first year, you are already looking at roughly $450 between the band and the annual plan, which makes this a very different purchase from a normal fitness tracker.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And you cannot actually get one everywhere yet. Luffu is launching Link in the US first, with shipping expected in early 2027, so this is still very much an early-stage product rather than something you can pick up next week.</p>


<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/26/luffu-link/"><img decoding="async" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FriGMmE35u4Y%2Fhqdefault.jpg" alt="YouTube Video"></a><br /><br /><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/26/luffu-link/">Fitbit founders return to wearables with Luffu Link</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>The supposed Pixel Watch AURA leak doesn&#8217;t add up</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/22/pixel-watch-aura/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/22/pixel-watch-aura/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marko Maslakovic]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 07:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>A new leak claims Google is preparing a “Pixel Watch AURA”, essentially a Fitbit Charge 7 under the Pixel name</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/22/pixel-watch-aura/">The supposed Pixel Watch AURA leak doesn&#8217;t add up</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A new leak claims Google is preparing a “Pixel Watch AURA”, essentially a Fitbit Charge 7 under the Pixel name with 12-day battery life. There is just one problem: the deeper you look into the claim, the less convincing it gets.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A post that appeared on Reddit on Friday shows what looks like a new Google fitness tracker. The poster claims the device is called Pixel Watch AURA, will last for 12 days between charges and is due to launch later this year.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelWatch/comments/1vuv9il/the_new_leaked_fitbit_is_a_pixel_watch_aura_aka/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">The Reddit post</a>&nbsp;has already attracted plenty of attention.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is a grain of truth behind all of this. Google really has shown an unidentified fitness tracker in its own advertising. But the new AURA image and the specifications attached to it are a different story.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Google&#8217;s mystery tracker is real</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Earlier this month, <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/15/fitbit-charge-7-leak/">an unusual wearable</a> appeared in a couple of Google Pixel 11 ads. It has a small colour display and a shape that sits somewhere between a Fitbit Charge and Pixel Watch.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This wasn&#8217;t just one dodgy screenshot circulating on social media. A few users reported seeing the advertisement. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">No-one has established what the device actually is. A Fitbit Charge 7 would be the obvious guess, particularly given the long gap since Charge 6. Google could also be planning a new product category alongside the recently launched screenless Fitbit Air.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now we have this Reddit post which takes the mystery device considerably further. Suddenly there&#8217;s a name, Pixel Watch AURA, a claimed 12-day battery life and a launch window later this year. None of those details comes with a source.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And the accompanying image raises even more questions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We ran the image through three separate AI-image detection tools. They returned probabilities between 97% and 99% that the image was AI generated.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="803" height="1024" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/mxbk5jf45tkh1.jpeg" alt="Pixel Watch AURA" class="wp-image-18599557" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/mxbk5jf45tkh1.jpeg 803w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/mxbk5jf45tkh1-235x300.jpeg 235w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/mxbk5jf45tkh1-768x979.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fake or real?</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">AI detectors aren&#8217;t infallible, so that isn&#8217;t proof on its own. Compression, image editing and unusual product renders can fool them. But three very high scores become more interesting when the supposed leak has no identified source.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">We looked for Pixel Watch AURA in Google&#8217;s apps</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is another way to test the claim.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We pulled apart the latest Google Pixel Watch app, version 5.0.0.958206140, looking for references to AURA and unknown wearable hardware. There is no indication of a device called Pixel Watch AURA.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We then checked the latest Google Health app, version 5.06.1, which is the successor to the Fitbit app. Again, no Pixel Watch AURA.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is actually a standalone&nbsp;<code>AURA</code>&nbsp;entry buried in Google Health. Initially that looked more interesting. Following it through the app shows that it sits alongside symptoms including blurred vision, sensitivity to light, numbness and vertigo. In other words, it refers to migraine aura.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That doesn&#8217;t completely rule out the name. Google could keep an unreleased device out of public app builds, use a different internal codename or deliver some configuration from its servers. APK searches are much better at finding evidence than proving something doesn&#8217;t exist.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">But there is currently nothing in either app backing up the Reddit claim.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The 12-day figure has a similar problem. No source has surfaced for that number either. For comparison, Google officially rates the screenless Fitbit Air for up to a week of battery life. Getting to 12 days from a tracker with an active display certainly isn&#8217;t impossible, but right now it is just another unsupported specification attached to the post.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now make no mistake, Google&#8217;s mystery screen-equipped tracker remains genuinely interesting. And there is good reason to think Google has at least experimented with such a device.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Pixel Watch AURA is another matter. Until something more convincing appears, the name, 12-day battery claim and new image look much more like someone building a fictional product around a real Google mystery.</p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/22/pixel-watch-aura/">The supposed Pixel Watch AURA leak doesn&#8217;t add up</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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		<title>Is this the Fitbit Charge 7 hiding in Google’s new Pixel ad</title>
		<link>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/15/fitbit-charge-7-leak/</link>
					<comments>https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/15/fitbit-charge-7-leak/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ivan Jovin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:53:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[fitbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smartwatch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leaks]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gadgetsandwearables.com/?p=18598917</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Google has started advertising its new Pixel 11 lineup, but one of the devices appearing in the campaign is proving</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/15/fitbit-charge-7-leak/">Is this the Fitbit Charge 7 hiding in Google’s new Pixel ad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has started advertising its new Pixel 11 lineup, but one of the devices appearing in the campaign is proving rather difficult to identify. A mystery screen-equipped fitness band has now shown up in multiple Google Australia ads, and an unreleased Fitbit Charge 7 is starting to look like a very plausible explanation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/pixel_phones/comments/1vox745/um_so_what_the_hell_is_that/?share_id=JzjAKAO9859OIuyEAp1us&amp;utm_content=1&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;utm_name=ioscss&amp;utm_source=share&amp;utm_term=1">Reddit user </a>spotted the wearable. The tracker appears among Pixel phones, Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Buds, with Google telling buyers to “Make it a matching set.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is just one slight problem. Google doesn&#8217;t currently sell the fitness tracker shown in the picture.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="646" height="1024" data-id="18598918" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-646x1024.jpg" alt="Possible Fitbit Charge 7" class="wp-image-18598918" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-646x1024.jpg 646w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-189x300.jpg 189w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-768x1217.jpg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2-970x1536.jpg 970w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_2.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px" /></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_1-scaled-e1786817243628.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="645" height="1024" data-id="18598919" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_1-scaled-e1786817243628-645x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-18598919" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_1-scaled-e1786817243628-645x1024.jpg 645w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_1-scaled-e1786817243628-189x300.jpg 189w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_1-scaled-e1786817243628-768x1219.jpg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_1-scaled-e1786817243628-968x1536.jpg 968w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7_1-scaled-e1786817243628.jpg 1147w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px" /></a></figure>
</figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">This doesn&#8217;t look like any current Fitbit</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The mystery device has a rounded rectangular display sitting inside an equally rounded case. One of Google&#8217;s images shows it with a green band and another with a much lighter strap, but the tracker itself looks consistent between the two ads. Its screen also appears to show the time alongside several small circular complications.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That immediately rules out the&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/05/06/google-fitbit-air-launch/">Fitbit Air</a>. Google&#8217;s newest Fitbit is deliberately screenless, with the small sensor pod sitting inside a band and all of the detailed interaction taking place through the Google Health app.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It doesn&#8217;t look much like the Fitbit Charge 6 either. The proportions, corner radius and overall shape are different. Inspire 3 is an even less convincing match because its display and body are considerably narrower.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We&#8217;ve created a concept image based on these product shots. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7-1024x1024.jpg" alt="Possible Fitbit Charge 7" class="wp-image-18598920" srcset="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7-300x300.jpg 300w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7-150x150.jpg 150w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7-768x768.jpg 768w, https://gadgetsandwearables.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Possible-Fitbit-Charge-7.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Concept image based on promotional campaign | source: Gadgets &amp; Wearables</figcaption></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Charge 7 is the obvious candidate</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We&#8217;ve been waiting an awfully long time for a successor to Charge 6. That tracker arrived in 2023, and earlier this year we looked at whether&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2025/02/09/fitbit-charge-7-release-date/">Fitbit Charge 7 could finally arrive</a>. At the time there were no credible leaks, only the increasingly obvious fact that Google&#8217;s most capable conventional Fitbit tracker was getting old.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has since given Fitbit a fresh start with Air and the new Google Health ecosystem. The company had previously indicated that&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2025/10/27/no-new-fitbit-in-2025/">new Fitbit hardware would arrive in 2026</a>, although Fitbit Air has already fulfilled that promise to some extent.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A redesigned Charge would still make plenty of sense alongside it. Air covers people who want passive, screenless tracking, while&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/05/08/fitbit-charge-6-vs-air/">Charge 6 remains the better option</a>&nbsp;if you actually want to see workout stats, notifications and other information on your wrist. There is plenty of room in Google&#8217;s lineup for both approaches.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The device in these ads also looks much closer to what a modernised Charge could become. The display appears larger and more rounded than Charge 6, but it remains clearly smaller and simpler than the full&nbsp;<a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/12/google-pixel-watch-5-vs-4/">Pixel Watch 5</a>. That middle ground has always been the Charge series&#8217; natural territory.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is another possibility. Google could be preparing a cheaper Pixel Watch A-series device rather than another Fitbit. The prominent “Google Pixel” branding around the campaign gives that theory something to work with, although there is currently no solid evidence of an A-series Pixel Watch.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then there is the less exciting explanation that Google&#8217;s marketing team simply created a fictional wearable. AI-generated or heavily manipulated advertising imagery can produce strange hardware. But all the other devices in the images are genuine.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Also, seeing essentially the same unknown tracker in multiple campaign images makes that explanation a little less satisfying. It still doesn&#8217;t prove we&#8217;re looking at real hardware, since several ads could have been generated from the same source artwork, but this is now worth watching.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For the moment, calling it Fitbit Charge 7 would be premature. What we can say is that Google is advertising the Pixel 11 alongside a screen-equipped wearable that does not appear to match anything it currently sells, and if this was an accidental preview of Google&#8217;s next Fitbit, somebody in the advertising department may have pressed publish a little too early.</p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2026/08/15/fitbit-charge-7-leak/">Is this the Fitbit Charge 7 hiding in Google’s new Pixel ad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://gadgetsandwearables.com">Gadgets &amp; Wearables</a>.</p>
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