If you own an Android phone, you’re probably familiar with the several Google apps that come preinstalled, like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Maps. Another Google app may be introduced automatically in future Android versions.
As 9to5Google first reported, Google’s Fitbit app is preloaded on the Oppo Find X8. It is currently part of Google’s Android software suite on that device, replacing Google Fit. The site indicates, and possibly correctly, that more Android-based smartphones will likely ship with Fitbit preloaded in the future.
In 2021, Google purchased Fitbit. Since the acquisition, Fitbit has been preinstalled on every iteration of the Pixel Watch, including the Pixel Watch 3. However, only one smartphone, the Oppo Find X8, has been released with the Fitbit software pre-installed.
Currently, Android users can get the Fitbit app from Google Play.
I’m not sure whether having another native Google software preinstalled on my phone is significant, especially because Fitbit will most certainly replace Google Fit in the lineup.
However, not everyone is delighted with how many Google apps come preinstalled on new Android phones. These include Google Search, Chrome, Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Google Photos, and YouTube Music, among others. It’s also fairly uncommon for smartphone manufacturers to offer their own preinstalled apps, resulting in even more software loaded onto your phone right out of the box.
If Google does include Fitbit as a preloaded option on all new Android devices, it might coincide with the January debut of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series. This would be an important step in Google’s ambition to improve its ecosystem and compete more effectively in the health and fitness sector.
On the other side, if this function is not deployed right away, it may be deliberately rolled out with the upcoming Google Pixel 10 series, which is set to be announced next summer/fall.