Google's "mystery wearable" revealed at last – it's an all-new Fitbit with a screen

Google is preparing to launch a new wearable device with a screen, which looks like a replacement for the Fitbit Charge.

The new device is said to be called the Fitbit Edge and features a compact display, according to an image leak from Android Headlines. The image previously appeared in a family photo that surfaced just after the launch of the Pixel 11.

The Fitbit Edge appears to offer a middle ground between the Pixel Watch 5 and the Fitbit Air and will likely be popular with those looking to a fully-featured lifestyle tracker, without the bulk of a smartwatch.

The device is said to have integrated GPS, an altimeter, as well as the expected health tracking functions, in a package that offers seven days of battery life.

It's also detailed that there will be access to apps like Google Maps and YouTube Music, suggesting that it runs WearOS.

Notifications will be supported, while the Fitbit Edge is said to work both with Android and iOS. As the images suggest, it will come in colours to match the Pixel 11 Pro models, including black, green and orange, although it's likely that the band will be easy to switch for further customisation.

There appears to be one button on the side for control, while the screen will support touch for navigation through the display's pages, which basically outlines the same control mechanisms as the Fitbit Charge 6.

The price is said to be between $149 and $199, which more or less correlates with the Fitbit Charge 6 price too.

With that in mind, we have a good idea of who the Fitbit Edge will appeal to. The advantage of such as compact device is that it suits those who don't want the bulk of a watch, either just because they don't want one or because they have smaller wrists.

It will be a great device for those who want sleep tracking, as well as background monitoring of steps and things like heart rate variation. Fitbit is well placed to provide these things, having long offered digestible information that's easy to understand.

This will feed into the Google Health app, while the display is big enough to glance at those statistics on the fly.

One of the big features here is the GPS: this means that those using it for sports tracking will have independence from a connected smartphone, getting more accurate data than rival bands that don't have their own GPS hardware.

The addition of altitude makes for greater accuracy in tracking, allowing the device to understand elevation change rather than just 2D location change. Again, that should mean that when tracking a hike, for example, it understands how much ascent or decent has taken place.

The Fitbit Edge looks like an interesting device, with the source suggesting it will launch later this month (October).