Google explained to us why the Fitbit Edge doesn't have NFC and crucial safety features

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Google announced its new Fitbit Edge fitness tracker this week, with a bright AMOLED screen, Gemini-powered features, and a retail price of $180. It's the wearable you want from Google when you don't want a Pixel Watch.

It's set to launch on October 27, but there are still a lot of questions in the air about what this device can really do. We're not talking about everything that's listed on the product page, but the nuanced features that really matter in day-to-day use.

Sorry, NFC isn't a thing here

For the most part, the Fitbit Edge looks like a winner. It's positioned as an updated version of the Fitbit Charge 6, which debuted in 2023. However, we asked Google a few questions about the device because we couldn't find the answers in any of the materials already out.

If you're someone that loves to use their wearable for making payments, the Fitbit Edge is going to disappoint. The device doesn't have NFC, and we can only wonder why, since cashless payments have become the preferred option for most vendors.

Google confirmed that NFC is not present in the Fitbit Edge, and that it prioritized other "highly requested features" instead. Google also looked at the Fitbit Charge 6 and saw that "fewer than 1% of users reported using this feature."

Health Guardian is missing something

Health Guardian is probably one of the most important updates Google has brought to its devices. It provides all the data you need about what's going on with your body in an easy-to-read format.

You get acces to Blood Pressure and Insulin Resistance Trends, along with Core Safety Alerts and important summaries. There's also detailed insight about your rest period with Sleep Breathing Quality. However, it looks like Google omitted the Sleep Breathing feature from the Fitbit Edge.

Google didn't provide any specific reason, but did state that this is something that is being looked into and hopes to "share more information in the future."

Safety Features are absent as well

We've seen excellent and lifesaving features pop up on wearables over the past few years, but the Fitbit Edge won't have any of those capabilities, according to Google. It's a shame, but we get it. There's a certain price point to hit and only so much that can be done.

Google shares that "safety features are currently exclusive to Pixel Watch, as they require deeper integration with LTE and Wi-Fi to enable the device to contact emergency services on the user's behalf."

There's more than one answer

While the Fitbit Edge will most likely be a lot of people's primary device for tracking health and fitness data, Google is providing the option to pair up two Pixel devices together and have the data recorded for both devices in the Google Health app. So, if you want to use the Fitbit Edge and Air, or the Pixel Watch and Edge, you can.

Balancing is key

We understand that it can be disappointing when some key features we've seen on other Google devices don't find their way onto something brand new. However, it's hard to strike a balance when you're trying to build a feature-packed device at a certain price.

The Fitbit Edge is just $180, which is a reasonable amount. It's about half the cost of the new Pixel Watch 5. And while it might be obvious, just because it's made by Google doesn't mean you're going to automatically see feature parity.

That's especially the case when it's not even part of the same device lineup. So, if you need NFC, everything Health Guardian has to offer, and a bunch of great safety tools, grab the more expensive Pixel Watch. If not, go with the more affordable Fitbit Edge.

It's not going to be for everyone, but the Fitbit Edge will prove to be a popular device. If you want something even more minimal, you can always go for the Fitbit Air.