
The first Fitbit Air update could fix a major frustration — but Google has shut off a workaround for avoiding the new Google Health app
THE SO WHAT
Wearables are consolidating into vertically controlled data stacks — better accuracy on Fitbit Air is the carrot, forced migration to Google Health is the stick. If your product depends on third-party health data, assume API and UX control will tighten and plan for fewer, deeper integrations rather than broad coverage.
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