With the introduction of the global Oppo Find X8 series, it has been observed that Fitbit is not included as a pre-installed application within the Android app collection of Google, a trend that might become increasingly common soon. Typically, a new Android smartphone arrives with a wide range of pre-installed applications from Google including, Chrome, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Home, Drive, Messages, Photos, Meet, Google Wallet, YouTube Music and Find My Device.
While not every application is of equal importance or necessity, most of them are bundled together. In addition to this, the users may also find OEM-specific versions of these applications, resulting in numerous redundant options for accomplishing similar tasks.
However, it was noted during the setup of the Find X8 and X8 Pro, that these models are actually the first non-Google Android devices to include the Fitbit application in the standard ‘Google’ app folder that users might find on their home screen. When initializing a new Find X8 device, the default Google App folder now has Fitbit instead of Google Fit which is also absent from the Find X8 series.
For a lot of years, Google Fit has been the primary fitness tracking application which was found in a lot of Android smartphones. On the Pixel Watch, Fitbit plays a major role in the system for fitness tracking and exercise. Following the acquisition of Google Fitbit and a recent effort to weave the service into more facets that include the Pixel Watch series, it seems inevitable that it would timely replace the Fit application.
The Fit API was discontinued earlier this year signalling the transition for Fitbit to become the main fitness tracking service on Wear OS and Android, also it is evident that Google Fit is eventually being phased out of the ecosystem with the developers having a deadline of June 30, 2025.
