Do you hear that? Those three repeating base notes? Yup, that’s Queen’s "Another One Bites the Dust" playing at Google HQ as the brand kills off yet another Fitbit feature.
For those needing a refresher, Google bought Fitbit in 2021 and ever since, has slowly chipped away at everything that makes Fitbit, well, Fitbit. While many of the best Fitbit features are now making their way into Google’s best smartwatch models such as. the Pixel Watch 3, the future of Fitbit has never been more in question.
First, in 2022, Google made all Fitbit users migrate to a Google account. Then, in 2023, the community challenges vanished. Next, in 2024, Google shuttered the popular Versa and Sense smartwatch lines. Now, in 2025, Google is killing off perfectly good features on existing devices —namely Google Assistant.
Let’s dive into what's happened.
Fitbit support for Google Assistant bites the dust
Google first announced intentions to shutter the Google Voice Assistant feature on the Fitbit Versa and Sense smartwatch lines over a year ago, and now appears to be making good on the promise.
While the 2024 announcement mentions the older Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 models, recent revelations make it clear that current-generation Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 devices are also losing access.
A moderator post in the Fitbit Community forum published on March 21, 2025, confirms this.
“Over the next few weeks we will be progressively phasing out Google Assistant on your Fitbit device. This change means that Google Assistant voice control for activities will soon no longer be available on your Fitbit device,” the Fitbit forum post says.
The same post notes that Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant will remain available on the Versa 4 and Sense 2 in countries where it's supported (for now, at least).
My days of recommending Fitbit are probably over
This move by Google really grinds my gears, especially because both the Versa 4 and Sense 2 are actively being sold not just via Google directly, but also through major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy… for full price at that.
Imagine buying a car only to have the dealer show up at your house a year later to turn off the backup camera because it’s ‘no longer supported.’
Stripping out features that someone already paid for is a major no-no in my mind, and I suspect Fitbit owners everywhere will be more than a little miffed by this development. Imagine buying a car only to have the dealer show up at your house a year later to turn off the backup camera because it’s "no longer supported."
Indeed, when I fired up my Fitbit Sense 2 and checked for the Google Assistant app, it was gone. However, if the feature still appears on your Fitbit, you’ll almost certainly be greeted with a pop-up when you try to open it saying something like, “Google Assistant on Fitbit watches is being turned down, this feature will stop working in the coming weeks.”
While this move by Google is disappointing, it’s also not terribly surprising. Unfortunately, the Fitbit Sense 2 used to be one of my favorite smartwatches thanks to its svelte design, bright screen, solid battery, simple interface and ample workout and wellness tools. But with one less smart feature on offer and the likelihood that more may be stripped away, it’s a device I’ll no longer be recommending.
So what should potential Fitbit Sense 2 or Versa 4 customers buy instead? The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is shaping up to be a great replacement for either. If having an onboard voice assistant is a must, the $100 Amazfit Active 2 is also worth a look.
Of course, you could go with the Pixel Watch 3, which has most of Fitbit’s best features. But then again, settling for a Pixel Watch is exactly what Google wants you to do. So, rather than playing into the brand's ultimate sacrifice-Fitbit-for-Pixel scheme, maybe just get that Garmin.
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