Fitbit Edge launches at $179 in the US, Rs 14,999 in India — no NFC, but onboard GPS and AMOLED screen set it apart from Fitbit Air and Charge 6. It’s Google’s first new screen-based tracker since 2023, and it arrives as screen-free wearables like Whoop 5.0 and Oura Ring dominate headlines. But for people who want location-tracked runs without a phone in hand, or who just prefer seeing stats on-wrist. The Edge fills a gap the $99 Fitbit Air leaves wide open. And yes, it’s priced right between them: $179 in the US, Rs 14,999 in India. No UK or EU pricing is confirmed yet. The device ships globally starting October 22. Pre-orders opened Tuesday morning. It runs Google Health, not Wear OS, so no app store, no sideloading, no third-party watch faces. Just core fitness, sleep, and health monitoring. Most free, some locked behind Google Health Premium ($9.99/month or $99/year). That subscription unlocks adaptive fitness plans, sleep coaching, blood pressure trend reports, and metabolic insights. The hardware? A 1.34-inch AMOLED touchscreen, bigger than the Charge 6’s 1.04-inch display, lighter than that model and built with an onboard GPS chip plus altimeter. That means elevation gain, pace, and route mapping happen without your phone. It also adds Loss of Pulse Detection and Breathing Emergency alerts. Features absent from the Air and not standard on the Charge 6. But it drops NFC. So no Google Wallet. No tap-to-pay. You’ll need your phone or card for that post-run coffee. Notifications mirror cleanly from Android and iOS. Quick replies work on both. Music controls are universal, play/pause/skip across any Bluetooth source. Battery life isn’t quoted, but Tom’s Guide notes it’s “comparable to the Charge 6,” which lasted up to seven days. The Edge is wider and more visible than the Air. Less discreet, more functional. It’s not a smartwatch. It’s not trying to be. It’s what happens when Google doubles down on the middle ground: more than an Air, less than a Pixel Watch 5. And it lands exactly where search traffic suggests people are looking: Fitbit Edge vs Charge 6. Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air. Not as a replacement for either, but as a third option, finally available.